# Would the Beatles have been even more popular if With the Beatles had been the U.K. debut album? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [April 6, 2022, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-beatles-have-been-even-more-popular-if-with-the-beatles-had-been-the-u-k-debut-album/962410 "2022-04-06T18:56:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2022, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-beatles-have-been-even-more-popular-if-with-the-beatles-had-been-the-u-k-debut-album/962410/1 "2022-04-06T18:56:53Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2022, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-beatles-have-been-even-more-popular-if-with-the-beatles-had-been-the-u-k-debut-album/962410/2 "2022-04-06T20:15:59Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > There’s a notable increase in quality from Please Please Me (album) to With the Beatles, probably the biggest jump of their career. I’m not sure I agree with the premise. ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-beatles-have-been-even-more-popular-if-with-the-beatles-had-been-the-u-k-debut-album/962410/3 "2022-04-07T19:54:06Z")
I also disagree with the premise. Also,in what way could the Beatles have been more popular? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2022, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-beatles-have-been-even-more-popular-if-with-the-beatles-had-been-the-u-k-debut-album/962410/4 "2022-04-07T20:48:43Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2022, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-beatles-have-been-even-more-popular-if-with-the-beatles-had-been-the-u-k-debut-album/962410/5 "2022-04-07T21:02:58Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2022, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-beatles-have-been-even-more-popular-if-with-the-beatles-had-been-the-u-k-debut-album/962410/6 "2022-04-07T21:09:19Z")
_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? ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2022, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-beatles-have-been-even-more-popular-if-with-the-beatles-had-been-the-u-k-debut-album/962410/7 "2022-04-07T22:04:59Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2022, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-beatles-have-been-even-more-popular-if-with-the-beatles-had-been-the-u-k-debut-album/962410/8 "2022-04-14T04:47:41Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2022, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-beatles-have-been-even-more-popular-if-with-the-beatles-had-been-the-u-k-debut-album/962410/9 "2022-04-14T11:12:04Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > There’s a notable increase in quality from Please Please Me (album) to With the Beatles, probably the biggest jump of their career. 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_?