"Offers an unparalleled comprehensive history of the group's radio career and a general survey of the Beatles[sic] musical development between March 1962 and June 1965"--Back cover.

By the spring of 1964, Toronto had the largest and most organized Beatles fan base in North America. The Beatles in Canada: The Origins of Beatlemania! finally tells the true story of how The Beatles’ music and popularity began in Canada a full year before they landed in the U.S.A. Piers Hemmingsen provides a concise look at how radio stations, newspapers and television networks in Canada covered the phenomenon that was Beatlemania, and this digital edition is packed with full-colour images of the band, their travels, those they inspired, and an immense hoard of memorabilia gathered along the way. ’After all these years, I still cannot comprehend where Piers gets his energy supply from. He has written four previous books about The Beatles and discovered an appreciative readership for all of them. However, to me this book, the one you are holding, is his breakthrough. Where it could have been an easy exercise with new information about the Fab Four, Piers has taken one large step forward. He is also able to incorporate the beginnings of the Canadian music industry. Through mainly focusing on one record company he has been able to capture the excitement of a young industry finding its way, competing with the giants in the United States. – Paul White, Capitol Records of Canada, 1957-1978

This text presents a comprehensive and up-to-date reference work on popular music, from the early 20th century to the present day.

For many, the Beatles offered a delightful alternative to the dull and the staid, while for others, the mop-top haircuts, the unsettling music, and the hysterical girls that greeted the British imports wherever they went were a symbol of unwelcome social and cultural change. This opposition to the group—more widespread and deeper rooted in Chicago than in any other major American city—increased as the decade wore on, especially when the Beatles adopted more extreme countercultural values. At the center of this book is a cast of characters engulfed by the whirlwind of Beatlemania, including the unyielding figure of Mayor Richard J. Daley who deemed the Beatles a threat to the well-being of his city; the Chicago Tribune editor who first warned the nation about the Beatle menace; George Harrison’s sister, Louise, who became a regular presence on Chicago radio; the socialist revolutionary who staged all of the Beatles’ concerts in the city and used much of the profits from the shows to fund left-wing causes; the African-American girl who braved an intimidating environment to see the Beatles in concert; a fan club founder who disbelievingly found herself occupying a room opposite her heroes when they stayed at her father’s hotel; the University of Chicago medical student who spent his summer vacation playing in a group that opened for the Beatles’ on their last tour; and the suburban record store owner who opened a teen club modeled on the Cavern in Liverpool that hosted some of the biggest bands in the world. Drawing on historical and contemporary accounts, Joy and Fear brings to life the frenzied excitement of Beatlemania in 1960s Chicago, while also illustrating the deep-seated hostility from the establishment toward the Beatles.

The Rockin' '60s is a comprehensive guide through the decade that produced the greatest music of all time: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Phil Spector, The Beach Boys, Aretha Frankin and hundreds more emerged from this era. Delve into a narrative history of each group and examine the people behind the music, along with an analysis of key recordings, discography, and archival photos throughout.

A unique combination of musical analysis and cultural history, Tell Me Why stands alone among Beatles books with its single-minded focus on the most important aspect of the band: its music. Riley offers a new, deeper understanding of the Beatles by closely considering each song and album they recorded in an exploration as rigorous as it is soulful. He tirelessly sifts through the Beatles discography, making clear that the legendary four were more than mere teen idols: They were brilliant innovators who mastered an extremely detailed art. Since the first publication of Tell Me Why in 1988, much new primary source material has appeared -- Paul McCartney's authorized biography, the Anthology CDs and videos, the complete Parlophone-sequenced albums on CD, the Live at the BBCsessions, and the global smash 1. Riley incorporates all the new material in an update that makes this a crucial book for Beatles fans.