Two of The Beatles’ most popular compilations, 1962-1966 and 1967-1970, both return to multiple … [+]
After The Beatles broke up in 1970, the world was in mourning. A few years later, the now-defunct group did something unusual: they released two albums on the same day. These compilations of their biggest hits have gone on to rank among the most successful singles collections of all time, and they regularly find their way back to the charts—including this week in the band’s home country.
The Beatles see both of their 1973 compilations return to a pair of charts at the same time. Both 1962-1966 (usually referred to as The Red Album) and 1967-1970 (AKA The Blue Album) find their way to the music charts in the United Kingdom at the same time—just like when they were brand new. The two sets appear on multiple lists, landing close to one another on a pair of rosters.
1967-1970 is the bigger hit between the two on both rankings. On the main list of the most-consumed albums in the U.K., the singles-packed offering is back at No. 42, almost returning to the top 40. 1962-1966, meanwhile, comes in at No. 59 on that same list, which operates with a consumption model.
The former of the two does crack the top 40 on the Official Albums Streaming chart, where it re-enters at No. 34. 1962-1966 is down at No. 54 on the ranking of the most-streamed full-lengths and EPs in the U.K., which is still an impressive position for a decades-old release.
1967-1970 is the bigger win on the Official Albums Streaming list, as it has peaked at No. 13, nearly giving the band a special top 10 hit. 1962-1966 rose as high as No. 25, and it has spent nearly as much time as the collection that focuses on the band’s later years. The former compilation is up to 338 weeks somewhere on the tally, while the latter has yet to crack 50 frames.
Shockingly, despite being Beatles releases, neither 1962-1966 nor 1967-1970 reached No. 1 on the U.K.’s albums chart at any point. The first of those two peaked at No. 3, while the second title rose one rung higher, missing out on the top spot by a single space.
Both 1962-1966 and 1967-1970 arrived on April 2, 1973. That was an odd release strategy at the time, as it put the two albums into competition with one another. While they didn’t hit No. 1, they are still present on the charts more than half a century later, as they remain hugely popular, both when it comes to sales and streaming platforms.
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