If you were asked on the street which band you thought was the greatest of all time, how would you reply? Many might say flamboyant Queen, idiosyncratic Nirvana, or mesmerizing Led Zeppelin, but for others, musicians, and critics, there is one band that precedes them all. The Beatles are one of the most acclaimed music groups of all time, ranking no 1 on numerous lists of greatest bands, and having influenced contemporary bands through their iconic albums. Moreover, “Beatlemania” as popularized in the 1960s, is still in full swing more than fifty years later, as the group is the best-selling artist of all time, selling upwards of 200 million records. While the band split up in 1970, and unfortunately two members passed away, fans have been gulfing up their music from the 1960s and early ‘70s, from “Please Please Me” to “Let It Be.” This year, though, in 2023, the Beatles have released a new song, allowing a Beatlemania tidal wave to emerge once again.
“Now and Then” was released on November 2, 2023, after being teased in a documentary film a day prior. John Lennon had recorded the song in 1977, but it had been left unfinished and untouched. After Lennon was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Yoko Ono, Lennon’s wife gave George Harrison one of his surviving cassette tapes. In 1995, the three surviving Beatles at the time re-recorded the song, but later the reunion was scrapped. In the modern age, the song was able to be completed by extracting Lennon’s voice from the tapes and modeling it using AI, showing how technology has shaped contemporary music.The restoration had added strings to the instrumentals, and portions of original recordings were also utilized. When the song, along with its music video was published, it became the fifth-most trending video on Youtube.
The song opens with a piano and guitar that plays a melancholic tune, before Lennon sings about how due to one’s loyalty, they can make it through obstacles. Paul McCartney joins Lennon as the song continues to build up, where the piano crescendos into the strings that embellish the chorus. Its entirety is very cinematic, especially George Harrison’s bridge, and the song has a grand finale with its combination of instruments, before ending off with a cheeky “Good one” from Ringo Starr. The music video itself is very nostalgic, showing Harrison playing alongside McCartney before his passing in 2001. It also depicts them putting the cassette in, while they play, allowing the audience to feel as though the late Lennon is with them, and Starr takes masterful command of the drums. As of November 5th, 2023, the music video has amassed 18 million views.
Critics have given the song overwhelming rave reviews. It was consistently stated as a melancholic, psychedelic and wistful arrangement. Several reviewers called it a tear-jerking song considering the band’s history, and many also deemed it a fitting conclusion. Finally, it was appraised as a composition fit for both the old and new fans who eagerly waited for it.
Though the days of screaming fans and fanatic pandemonium from the ‘60s are over, even with the admiration and accolades they have received over the years, the Beatles have proved that they still have their genius decades later. Despite this being their final song, this band has shown what it is to make a truly glorious comeback in music.