Would the Beatles have been even more popular if With the Beatles had been the U.K. debut album?

Cafe Society
1

I’ve been listening to a lot of early Beatles albums lately, both the USA and U.K. versions.

There’s a notable increase in quality from Please Please Me (album) to With the Beatles, probably the biggest jump of their career. It’s not as notable in the USA since Meet The Beatles has most of With the Beatles and The Beatles Second album includes the rest. There’s basically no jump between Meet The Beatles and The Beatles Second Album, although Second Album has zero ballads.

Let’s say they don’t rush out Please Please Me, they release the singles of Love Me Do, Please Please Me and From Me to You and then With the Beatles is the debut. I’m not sure if it’s possible for Beatlemania to have been bigger in the U.K., but I think it could have been ever more insane had a better debut album been their first.

And yet, the Beatles were so talented that even a weaker album like Please Please Me is better than most rock bands’ wildest dreams.

2

I’m not sure I agree with the premise.

3

I also disagree with the premise. Also,in what way could the Beatles have been more popular?

4

Even if we agree With the Beatles was a better album than Please Please Me, putting the weaker album second is pretty much a career killer.

5

Albums barely mattered in those days. That’s why their American labels could get away with cutting and shuffling the British albums. Only singles made a group noticed. And the UK labels had a custom of not including singles on albums, assuming that listeners wouldn’t want to buy the same track twice. All that changed by 1967, but from 1962-1966, singles ruled.

And no, nothing short of fantasy solutions could have made the Beatles more popular than they were.

6

Please Please Me was the #1 selling album in the U.K. for 30 straight weeks, until it was knocked out of the top spot by With the Beatles. How much bigger could Beatlemania have gotten?

7

They’re as popular now as they were then. Although I don’t listen to them anymore, I’m still fascinated by the story, and will read any article, especially about the early days. I’m just glad I like them, because I see references to them everywhere. I imagine it would get pretty tedious for a non-fan.

8

I recently heard part of a Ray Davies interview. When asked about had they ever performed with the Beatles, he reminisced about a time when the Beatles opened for the Kinks. They were late for a big show, and when they arrived they were informed that they’d follow the act on stage. Ray wondered who it was, then heard the opening notes for Ticket to Ride. He was obviously fond of the story, and one of his interviewers actually kind of squeed.

9

Which original song on With The Beatles do you figure represent a big jump from I Saw Her Standing There and Please Please Me — and which cover on With The Beatles do you figure is better than their take on Twist And Shout?