Beatles single on the way to number one
Just a few days after its release, what is probably the Beatles' last recording is heading for number one in the British charts. "Now And Then" had already sold more copies in its first weekend than the other four best singles put together, British media reported, citing the Official Chart Company.
After just ten hours, the work released on Thursday had reached 42nd place. In all likelihood, the song will top the chart when it is released this Friday.
It would be the legendary British band's 18th number one - and the first since "The Ballad of John and Yoko" 54 years ago. Global hits such as "Hey Jude", "All You Need Is Love" and "Yellow Submarine" also made it to the top of the charts.
"The Fab Four are an important part of the history of British music and the British charts, so it's incredible that they have returned with such impact," said charts chief Martin Talbot.
AI made it possible
The song was originally composed and sung by John Lennon in the 1970s. After Lennon's assassination in 1980, the three other ex-Beatles Paul McCartney (81), Ringo Starr (83) and George Harrison, who died in 2001, developed the work further. But it was only with the help of technical innovations that the song could finally be completed - thanks to artificial intelligence, Lennon's voice can be heard.
A music video also features all four members, with Lennon and Harrison appearing in archive footage. The official clip had already been viewed more than 20 million times on YouTube by Monday afternoon.
Ringo Starr recently told the Sunday Times that he hoped the band would one day be remembered "with love". "How many streams did we have last year? A billion, three billion? It blows my mind. The beat still goes on, you know?"
Source: www.dpa.com
