The Beatles rose and fell long before streaming music was even a thought. Today, their music is some of the most-streamed of any band in the entire world. It’s comforting, in a way. No matter when a particular beloved band exists, their music can be immortalized indefinitely through the internet. Let’s look at the top five most-streamed Beatles songs of all time, and why a whole new generation of listeners likely love them.
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1. “Here Comes The Sun”
The 1969 Abbey Road classic “Here Comes The Sun” (specifically the 2009 remastered version) has been streamed a whopping 1.4 billion times on Spotify as of 2024. It’s not just one of the most-streamed Beatles songs of all time; it’s the most-streamed Beatles song ever.
This track is likely so deeply loved by new listeners because of its cheery, positive lyrics and excellent production quality. It’s also been used in a movie or two through the years, so some uninitiated youngins likely heard it there first.
2. “Let It Be”
The 2009 remastered version of “Let It Be” from the 1970 album of the same name has been streamed 719 million times on Spotify as of 2024.
“Let It Be” has the perfect formula for a perfect song. The chord progression is one of the most popular ones used in pop music, its lyrics are inspirational and calming, and it blends together the classic ballad with folk music and a light-classical sound. Sometimes, simple is best. “Let It Be” is one of the Fab Four’s most simple songs, but it doesn’t lack in quality.
3. “Yesterday”
The 2009 remastered version of “Yesterday” from the 1965 album Help! has 683 million streams on Spotify as of 2024.
This is The Beatles’ most-covered song to date. To put it simply, it’s just a fun song to sing. Whether you’re a professional musician or someone just listening to Spotify in their car on the way to work.
4. “Come Together”
“Come Together” (yes, you guessed it, the 2009 remastered version) from the 1969 album Abbey Road has been streamed 767 million times on Spotify as of 2024.
The Beatles released a few funky tunes here and there during their heyday. “Come Together” is a particularly funky jam. If you really listen to it in the context of pop music, though, “Come Together” also happens to be their most “modern” sounding song. Maybe it was just ahead of its time, and that’s why young listeners today love it so much.
5. “Hey Jude”
The 2015 mix of the non-album single “Hey Jude” from 1968 has been streamed 608 million times on Spotify as of 2024.
“Hey Jude” is simply a beautiful song. But, it’s the story behind it that likely piqued the interest of a new generation of listeners. Paul McCartney wrote the track for John Lennon’s young song Julian, encouraging him to find joy in life despite his father’s shortcomings. It’s one of the Fab Four’s most uplifting songs of their career.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives
