The Beatles was a band.
Beatlemania was the intense fan frenzy directed towards the English rock band the Beatles in the 1960s . Break-up of the Beatles . There were sporadic collaborative recording efforts among the band members ( Ringo Starr 's 1973 album Ringo was the only time that the four -- albeit on separate tracks -- appeared on the same album post-break-up ) , although all four Beatles never simultaneously collaborated as a recording or performing group again ; Starr 's 1976 album Ringo 's Rotogravure is the last post-break-up album on which all four Beatles contribute and are credited : besides Starr 's drumming and songwriting contributions , Lennon , McCartney and George Harrison all composed one track apiece . The Beatles . With members John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr , they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential act of the rock era . After their break-up in 1970 , they each enjoyed successful musical careers of varying lengths . The Beatles are the best-selling band in history , with estimated sales of over 600 million records worldwide .