Why the Beatles Broke Up: The New Issue of Rolling Stone

On January 30th, 1969, the Beatles made their last public appearance, performing a gig on the roof of Apple Records. A year later, they were done for real: Paul McCartney sued to dissolve the band, concluding what Mikal Gilmore calls "one of the most mysterious and complicated end-of-romance tales of the 20th century."

But what really did the Beatles in? In our new issue, on stands today, Gilmore launches an exhaustive, fresh investigation into an oft-examined topic, recounting the last years of the world's greatest group — the tumultuous time during which they released their best work. Tracing the Beatles' artistic conflicts over the White Album sessions and Let It Be, as well as the management shifts that brought Allen Klein to power and changes in the bandmembers' personal lives, Gilmore comes to the conclusion that the demise of the Beatles was far worse than a "divorce," as John Lennon had referred to it. "The Beatles' end was an accident, a maneuver by John Lennon that went horribly wrong," he writes in our story behind the story.

"Why the Beatles Broke Up" is on newsstands now. Read Gilmore's essay explaining his conclusions — and how he arrived at them — plus flip through an illustrated guide to the Beatles' last days and photos of their entire career, as well as a guide to their full catalog, and hear audio from Jann S. Wenner's landmark 1970 Lennon interview at our Essential Beatles Coverage page.

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

More Song Stories entries »

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