Abbey Road debuts at No. 1 in the UK
Abbey Road entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 1 on advance sales of 190,000 copies, the eleventh studio album by the Beatles to top the chart.
It held the top spot for eleven straight weeks before briefly dropping to No. 2 when the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed arrived, then returned to No. 1 that December for six more weeks.
October 4 at a Glance
Tap any event to jump straight to its full card below.
| Category | Event |
|---|---|
| 1969 | |
| chart | Abbey Road debuts at No. 1 in the UK |
| chart | Creedence Clearwater Revival's Green River tops the Billboard 200 |
| 1968 | |
| industry | Paul McCartney records Martha My Dear alone at Trident |
| concert | Cream launch their farewell tour in Oakland |
| 1966 | |
| industry | The Who record Boris the Spider at Pye Studios |
| 1963 | |
| broadcast | The Beatles debut on Ready Steady Go! |
| 1962 | |
| chart | The Tornados send Telstar to No. 1 in the UK |
| 1960 | |
| concert | The Beatles open their Kaiserkeller residency in Hamburg |
Abbey Road debuts at No. 1 in the UK
Abbey Road entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 1 on advance sales of 190,000 copies, the eleventh studio album by the Beatles to top the chart.
It held the top spot for eleven straight weeks before briefly dropping to No. 2 when the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed arrived, then returned to No. 1 that December for six more weeks.
Creedence Clearwater Revival's Green River tops the Billboard 200
Creedence Clearwater Revival's fourth album, Green River, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the band's first album to top the US chart.
Built around the hit singles Bad Moon Rising and the title track, it held the top spot for four weeks during one of the most productive stretches of the band's career.
Paul McCartney records Martha My Dear alone at Trident
Paul McCartney spent the day alone at Trident Studios recording the vocal, piano, and drum parts for Martha My Dear, a tribute to his Old English sheepdog, before a 14-piece brass and string section arrived that evening to record George Martin's arrangement.
McCartney played every instrument himself except the orchestral parts, making it one of the rare White Album tracks from the Beatles that was almost a total solo performance.
Cream launch their farewell tour in Oakland
Cream opened their farewell US tour with a show in Oakland, California, the start of a run built around live staples like Sunshine of Your Love and White Room.
The trio had already agreed to split at their commercial peak, and the tour built toward their final show at London's Royal Albert Hall that November.
The Who record Boris the Spider at Pye Studios
The Who recorded bassist John Entwistle's first song for the band, the growling novelty tune Boris the Spider, at Pye Studios in London for their second album, A Quick One.
Entwistle's basso vocal made it an instant favorite, and the song stayed in the Who's live set for the rest of their career even though it was never released as a single.
The Beatles debut on Ready Steady Go!
The Beatles taped their debut appearance on the new ITV pop show Ready Steady Go!, miming Twist and Shout, I'll Get You, and She Loves You before a live studio interview with Dusty Springfield and Keith Fordyce.
It was Britain's most-watched youth music program that year, and the appearance pushed Beatlemania further into British living rooms just as She Loves You climbed the charts.
The Tornados send Telstar to No. 1 in the UK
Joe Meek's echoing space-age instrumental Telstar, named for the communications satellite launched that July, reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for the Tornados.
It held the top spot for five weeks and later became the first single by a British group to top the US Billboard Hot 100, a rare instrumental crossover in an era of vocal-driven hits.
The Beatles open their Kaiserkeller residency in Hamburg
The Beatles wrapped up 48 straight nights at Hamburg's Indra Club and moved next door to the bigger Kaiserkeller, alternating sets with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes for a 56-night run that stretched into late November.
The rowdier Kaiserkeller crowds pushed the band to play louder and longer, the same grinding Hamburg stint that hardened them into the tight live act heard the following year backing Tony Sheridan on My Bonnie.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in 1960s music on October 4?
October 4 saw 8 verified music events across the decade.
They're headlined by Abbey Road debuting at No. 1 in the UK in 1969, the Tornados' Telstar topping the UK chart in 1962, and the Beatles debuting on Ready Steady Go! in 1963.
What is the biggest 1960s music event on October 4?
Abbey Road entering the UK Albums Chart at No. 1 on October 4, 1969 stands out as the day's biggest event.
It was the eleventh Beatles studio album to top the chart.
When did Abbey Road reach No. 1 in the UK?
Abbey Road debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart on October 4, 1969, on advance sales of 190,000 copies.
It held the top spot for eleven straight weeks.
When did the Beatles first appear on Ready Steady Go!?
The Beatles taped their debut appearance on Ready Steady Go! on October 4, 1963.
They mimed Twist and Shout, I'll Get You, and She Loves You before an interview with Dusty Springfield.
What song hit No. 1 in the UK on October 4, 1962?
The Tornados' instrumental Telstar reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart on October 4, 1962.
It held the spot for five weeks.
When did Cream's farewell tour begin?
Cream opened their farewell US tour with a show in Oakland, California, on October 4, 1968.
The tour built toward their final show at London's Royal Albert Hall that November.