Video: 'I Want To Hold Your Hand (2023 Mix)'

(Thursday, December 26, 1963) — Capitol Records today rush-released the single “I Want to Hold Your Hand“/”I Saw Her Standing There” by The Beatles, which would become the first number one hit in the U.S. for the rock band from Liverpool, England (“I Saw Her Standing There” would peak at #14).

Capitol Records had previously been unconvinced by The Beatles’ prospects in America, and it took all band manager Brian Epstein’s persuasive powers to convince EMI’s Stateside counterpart that the group could be a hit.

The Beatles’ previous singles had been issued by the relatively minor labels Vee-Jay and Swan.

Video: 'I Saw Her Standing There (2023 Mix)'

With a promotional budget of $40,000, Capitol originally intended to release the single in January 1964. However, airplay by Carroll James, a DJ on Washington, D.C., station WWDC, led to the release date being brought forward to cope with public demand.

In the first three days after its release, 250,000 copies of “I Want To Hold Your Hand” had been sold; 10,000 were reportedly sold every hour in New York City.

In 2004, it was ranked number 16 on Rolling Stone‘s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” “I Saw Her Standing There” was ranked No. 139.