Of all the rock bands that could have launched comebacks in 2023, The Beatles were certainly the least likely. The group has been officially disbanded for half a century, and the two remaining members have not stated that they intended to get the old outfit back together to make more music. That makes sense, as half of the original members are no longer with us.For these reasons–and so many others–nobody expected The Beatles to return with new music in 2023. And yet, somehow they did what no one thought they could and released their first original piece of work in years, “Now and Then.” In doing so, the band landed another big hit while simultaneously changing what’s possible in the music industry and dominating the music conversation once again.
In mid-2203, Paul McCartney spoke to the BBC and revealed that he was hard at work on a new Beatles track. The masses all around the world immediately freaked out–both because the most successful band of all time was gearing up to release new music, and because of the technology that was helping them do so.McCartney shared that in order to make a new Beatles record, he and fellow remaining member Ringo Starr were making use of new artificial intelligence technology. Longtime Beatles fans and millions of others who are concerned about the impact that AI may have on the creative arts were immediately incensed–without understanding the tech. Many were worried that AI would be utilized to pretend to be both John Lennon and George Harrison, which would taint any new music from the group.
Thankfully, that was far from the truth. Instead of an AI bot espousing new music, lyrics, or even vocals in the style of Harrison or Lennon, the technology was instead used only to clear up old recordings. With the help of new programs used first in the making of Peter Jackson’s docuseries The Beatles: Get Back, the musicians could separate the noise from the piano and vocals recorded by Lennon and the guitar put down by Harrison years later. They then applied that to new music created by McCartney and Starr to craft “Now and Then.”
From the moment it was announced, “Now and Then” was both controversial and one of the most highly-anticipated pieces of music in years. The Beatles hadn’t released anything new since the ‘90s, and the world assumed that it simply wasn’t possible for them to come out with anything more. AI changed all that, and it helped bring the band back to the charts.
When “Now and Then” arrived, it was an instant smash. The tune debuted at No. 1 in the U.K., and it gave The Beatles yet another top 10 hit in the U.S. Critics and fans were divided on the quality of the recording, but it seemed that everyone was thrilled that the band was back.
“Now and Then” helped The Beatles not only return to charts they had already conquered in the past, but also brought them to Billboard rankings they didn’t know well. In the decades since they had last released music, the charts had changed, and many had been introduced, such as those focused on streaming and digital sales. With a new offering, the Fab Four could debut on a number of lists and hit new highs on others, proving their sustained popularity.
Throughout their promotion of “Now and Then,” both Starr and McCartney have stated that it will be the final song from The Beatles. That has probably been said before, though, so there’s no telling what could happen in the future with the band. New technology could allow them to work on even more material, or they may choose to finally walk away from that time in their lives.
“Now and Then” may not be the best song in The Beatles’s catalog, but it did allow them to not only mount one of the most unlikely comebacks in music history but to do so well. The song could have faltered, but it became a hit and showed that no matter how they make the music, the world still loves The Beatles and can’t get enough of them.
