
When it comes to debates over the most influential rock or pop artist ever, the issue has largely been settled. It’s The Beatles, of course.
Where there’s still plenty of discussion to be had is over the fab four’s preeminent moments. Which is the group’s best album? Or, to distil things down even further, which is the best Beatles song?
It’s the latter hotly contested subject we’re going to attempt to tackle here. Below we’ve listed what we believe to be the best Beatles songs, which in itself is an impossibly tough task, and may well have involved some ‘eeny, meeny, miny, moe’ techniques on our part.
Your job, dear Shortlist reader, is to determine which of these impeccable slices of pop-rock perfection is the absolute pinnacle of the format. Get voting.
UPDATE: In the biggest Beatles news in ages, Sony Pictures has announced a quartet of Beatles films are being made, to be directed by no less than Sam Mendes. They will tell the story of the band from the perspectives of Paul, John, Ringo and George — one Beatle per film. We won't get to see them until 2027, when they are due to hit cinemas. And apparently the timing of their release will be "innovative and groundbreaking." Sam Mendes says he's looking to "challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies" too. Big words. They have the blessing of the remaining Beatles, and the estates of those departed, making this project sound all the more imposing. Fingers crossed for a fresh look at this most important of bands.
The best Beatles songs
- These are the best rock songs of all time
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All image credits: Apple Corps
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Jon Mundy is a freelance writer with more than a dozen years of experience writing for leading tech websites such as TechRadar and Trusted Reviews.