Top 20 Best Beatles Songs: A Journey Through Timeless Hits

Last Updated on October 9, 2023 by Chief Editor

Brief Overview of the Top 20 Best Beatles Songs

It’s challenging for me not to lose myself in the band’s sheer brilliance when I think of The Beatles. The Fab Four—John, Paul, George, and Ringo—didn’t just make music; they crafted memories that have outlasted generations. Let me take you on a personal tour of my favorite 20 Beatles tracks that I believe truly encapsulate their spirit.

Our Ranking Criteria for the Top 20 Beatles Songs

We searched for the Beatles songs on YouTube and checked the total views count for each song, whether they were published on their official channels or other channels. If you think there is a mistake in our ranking criteria, please let us know by leaving your comments at the end of this post, or you can tell us via the Contact Us form.

Rank	Song Name	Combined* Views On YouTube	Release Year
20.	All You Need Is Love	29 Million	1967
19.	With a Little Help from My Friends	31 Million	1969
18.	Blackbird	41 Million	1968
17.	Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds	47 Million	1967
16.	A Hard Day’s Night	50 Million	1964
15.	Here Comes the Sun	58 Million	1969
14.	In My Life	80 Million	1965
13.	Eleanor Rigby	86 Million	1966
12.	Revolution	86 Million	1968
11.	Strawberry Fields Forever	122 Million	1967
10.	Twist and Shout	127 Million	1963
9.	Yellow Submarine	132 Million	1966
8.	Penny Lane	136 Million	1967
7.	Something	140 Million	1969
6.	I Want to Hold Your Hand	148 Million	1964
5.	While My Guitar Gently Weeps	150 Million	1971
4.	Yesterday	159 Million	1965
3.	Come Together	162 Million	1969
2.	Let It Be	200 Million	1970
1.	Hey Jude	458 Million	1968

* Combined = Total views count of the songs from their official channel and also from other channels.

20 All You Need is Love

John Lennon once claimed that his love of catchphrases and TV ads served as inspiration for the song’s straightforward lyrics. He even saw the song as a form of propaganda, saying, “I’m a revolutionary artist.”

Some Highlights:

• John Lennon was incredibly brilliant. He’s definitely one of the greatest songwriters ever.
• This song isn’t just about love for your partner; it’s about love for others, your country, your family, and, most importantly, yourself.
• If this song doesn’t make you smile when you listen to it, there’s something not quite right.

19 With a Little Help from My Friends

The Beatles were using weed and experimenting with acid pretty heavily. Those lines about getting high with a little help from their friends were definitely referring to drugs.

Some Highlights:

The Beatles truly represented the idea of change and became a big symbol of the cultural shift and the leaders of the 1960s youth movement.

Like that famous line of theirs: “All you need is love; love is all you need.”

18 Blackbird

The melody for “Blackbird” was inspired by JS Bach’s “Bourrée in E Minor,” a piece that was also played by Jethro Tull in the rock scene at the time. Paul McCartney learned a fingerpicking technique from the singer Donovan, and he used this technique in “Blackbird,” giving the song its subtle and unique style. This information was shared on September 10, 2018.

Some Highlights:

• This is one of the most beautiful songs ever written; it’s simply a masterpiece.
• The person playing the shoe is an amazing musician.
• Even after all these years, this song still gives chills.

17 Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

A drawing that Julian, his 3-year-old son, brought home from school, according to John Lennon, served as inspiration for the song. The drawing depicted his friend Lucy O’Donnell floating in the sky with sparkling jewels and diamonds around her.

Some Highlights:

• The chorus of Lucy is absolutely amazing; John and Paul’s voices sound like psychedelic angels. No one, anywhere, has ever sounded quite like that, before or after.
• “Lucy in the sky with diamonds.” It just sounds incredible, like the most hopeful thing I’ve ever heard. It’s really fantastic.
• Everyone talks about the “girl with kaleidoscope eyes.” That line is just pure genius!

16 A Hard Day’s Night

On July 10, 1964, Parlophone released “A Hard Day’s Night,” the Beatles’ third studio album. Side one of the album contains songs from the soundtrack of their film with the same name.

Some Highlights:

• This band and song are so incredibly good that even their live performances sound as if they’ve been remastered in a studio. It’s pure magic.
• If you’ve had a tough day, just give this song a listen.
• They were incredibly talented musicians.

15 Here Comes the Sun

“Here Comes the Sun” came to life after George Harrison’s business meetings. He got tired of England’s never-ending winters, and when the sun finally appeared, it was like a weight lifted off his shoulders. Harrison shared this in a 1969 BBC radio interview.

Some Highlights:

• “Here Comes the Sun” holds the record for being the oldest song in history to reach over 1 billion streams on Spotify.
• Even though George wrote a relatively small number of songs for the Beatles, they’re all considered masterpieces.
• This song still sounds great, even after 54 years since it was recorded. Brilliant.

14 In My Life

“In My Life” is a song that reflects on relationships, memories, and the yearning for days gone by. Lennon, who wrote the song, often described it as a contemplative journey through his past, capturing the essence of friends and family he had lost along the way.

Some Highlights:

• “In My Life” was Lennon’s “first real major piece of work” since it was the first time he wrote about his own life.
• The best song on “Rubber Soul,” and I’m sure fans can agree with that.
• The harmony is so great; it brings tears to my eyes. They were masters of their art form.

13 Eleanor Rigby

The song is about two lonely people, Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie. Paul McCartney got the first name from an actress and the last name from a wine store. Interestingly, they later found a gravestone with the name “Eleanor Rigby” in a cemetery.

Some Highlights:

• This song really captures more than just loneliness; it expresses all the emotions that come with it.
• Whether you love or dislike the Beatles, you can’t deny that this song is a work of pure art.
• The instrumental in this song is truly sensational; it’s a masterpiece.

12 Revolution

Revolutionary songs are tunes that support or celebrate revolutions. They’re used to uplift people’s spirits and also for political propaganda or stirring up emotions. Some of the famous revolutionary songs include “La Marseillaise” and “The Internationale.”

Some Highlights:

• This opening riff is absolutely amazing.
• The Beatles really set the bar high.
• The Beatles are just the greatest band ever. There is no question about it

11 Strawberry Fields Forever

These songs are all about the Beatles’ memories from their childhood and their hometown of Liverpool. Strawberry Fields was actually the name of a children’s home run by the Salvation Army, and it was near where John Lennon lived in Woolton.

Some Highlights:

• It’s pretty incredible how the Beatles transitioned from “I Want To Hold Your Hand” to “Strawberry Fields” in just three years.
• The Beatles’ music is like wine – it just gets better with time.
• The Beatles are the best band ever, and this song is the best. I just love them!

10 Twist and Shout

The song was first recorded by the Top Notes, but it didn’t become a chart hit until the Isley Brothers reworked it in 1962. Many artists, including the Beatles, Salt-N-Pepa, and Chaka Demus & Pliers, have covered it and found chart success.

Some Highlights:

• They were the best band ever, no doubt about it.
• Their performance felt much more personal than any other group before.
• The Beatles never get old. They’re forever young.

9 Yellow Submarine

The Yellow Submarine soundtrack is interesting. It was the Beatles’ fourth film, and it happened to be their tenth album in the UK. It came out in early 1969, not long after the White Album was released.

Some Highlights:

• This song will always hold a special place in your heart.
• It’s sweet how they wrote a song for kids!
• The best Beatless Band Ever.

8 Penny lane

‘Penny Lane’, too, had these surreal and psychedelic elements in it, even though it’s named after a real street in Liverpool. Paul McCartney wrote the song at his London home, and it’s filled with memories of McCartney and Lennon meeting up at the Penny Lane junction to take a bus into the city center.3

Some Highlights:

• Even younger generations appreciate the Beatles. Their music truly stands the test of time.
• A timeless masterpiece. It’s the favorite song of everyone, hands down, for all time.
• The song continues. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve played this to lift my spirits when I’m feeling low. It’s just so beautiful. Over the years, it’s never forgotten. It’s more than just a song; it’s a memory.

7 Something

The English rock band The Beatles released “Something” on their 1969 album Abbey Road. George Harrison, the band’s principal guitarist, wrote it.

Some Highlights:

• A timeless piece of awesomeness
• This is one of the most beautiful love songs ever written.
• Everything about this song is just perfect—the melody, lyrics, drums, bass, lead guitar, vocals, keyboards, production, you name it. It doesn’t get any better than this.

6 I Want To Hold Your Hand

The song “I Want to Hold Your Hand” is by the English rock band the Beatles. It was the first Beatles album to use four-track technology, and it was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. It was recorded on October 17, 1963.

Some Highlights:

• There is no doubt Ringo is just plain having a blast. Love that dude.
• It’s clear that Ringo is genuinely having a great time. Love that guy!
• They’re not just the greatest band ever, but they’re also the best live band. Such amazing musicians and vocalists!

5 While My Guitar Gently Weeps

“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is a song George Harrison wrote, and it was first recorded by the Beatles back in 1968 for their double album, often referred to as The White Album. Interestingly, the song includes a lead guitar performance by Eric Clapton, even though he didn’t receive formal credit on the album.

Some Highlights:

• This has to be the best Beatles song ever. George Harrison is absolutely fantastic.
• Every time this song starts playing, it sends shivers up the spine.
• This is a true masterpiece that stands the test of time.

4 Yesterday

“Yesterday” is a song written by Paul McCartney and attributed to Lennon-McCartney by the English rock band the Beatles. Except in the United States, where it was released as a single in September 1965, it was initially published on the album Help! in August 1965. The song peaked at number one in the United States. It was later included on the UK EP Yesterday in March 1966 and on the US album Yesterday and Today in June 1966.

Some Highlights:

• This song is one of the deepest and most philosophical pieces of music ever created. It manages to capture both moments of depression and optimism, making it a truly remarkable part of human history.
• This song is just so elegantly simple in its composition and performance.
• It’s amazing that even almost 60 years later, this song still brings grown men to tears.

3 Come Together

The song “Come Together” gained a lot of popularity thanks in part to the 1978 movie “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” This film was created as a star showcase for the Bee Gees after their success with the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack, another project associated with producer Robert Stigwood.

Some Highlights:

• The bass in this song is absolutely amazing.
• That guitar riff when they sang ‘Come together, right now…’ is just fantastic! It’s probably one of the most iconic riffs ever.
• Their music is timeless, absolutely genius.

2 Let It Be

McCartney got the inspiration for “Let It Be” from a dream he had about his mother. His mother, Mary Patricia McCartney, passed away when she was just fourteen due to cancer.

Some Highlights:

• This song is incredibly beautiful and carries a powerful message. Thanks to the Beatles for creating this timeless masterpiece.
• This song is all about love and hope, and it remains relevant even after more than 50 years.
• This song will never die.

1 Hey Jude

The ballad “Hey Jude” evolved from a song McCartney wrote to comfort John Lennon’s young son Julian. Lennon had left his wife for the Japanese artist Yoko Ono, and McCartney’s lyrics aimed to offer a positive perspective on the situation. The song also encouraged “Jude” to seek love opportunities.

Some Highlights:

• The way the crowd joins in actually brings tears to a grown man’s eyes. Can’t explain why. It just does.
• These guys made a lasting mark in the world of music. It’s truly amazing how talented they were.
• This is one of the best songs to sing along to. The ending is simply brilliant.

Conclusion:

The Beatles weren’t just a band; they were a movement, an emotion, an integral part of our lives. These 20 songs, though just a glimpse of their brilliance, stand as a testament to their timeless appeal. Their legacy isn’t just in their songs, but in the memories and emotions they evoke every time we press play. As the needle drops on a Beatles vinyl, you’re not just hearing music; you’re experiencing history.

SEE ALSO: Top 20 Bee Gees Songs