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Don’t feel sorry for Ringo. Although the man born Richard Starkey was always the sad-sack Beatle, the drummer with the large schnoz and puppy-dog eyes, Ringo Starr has always enjoyed a comical presence, coining some of the band’s most memorable phrases and often stealing scenes from John, Paul and George in the movies Help! and A Hard Day’s Night. Ringo’s own career, meanwhile, has been prosperous enough to contradict his image as the least talented member of the Fab Four. In fact, after Paul McCartney, Ringo was the most commercially successful solo Beatle. During the 1970s, he scored seven consecutive Top 10 singles, including “It Don’t Come Easy,” Back Off Boogaloo,” Photograph” and “You’...

They changed the world and saved a generation from the doldrums of an otherwise drab world. Now, 40 years on, the Beatles are back—and expectations are running high that, once again, all we need is a little love from the world’s most famous rock band. The Beatles’ albums have been digitally remastered, providing the highest fidelity since their original release. At the same time, fans of all ages will now be able to twist and shout to the Fab Four with the The Beatles: Rock Band video game. The spin-off prospects have retailers anticipating a Beatles bonanza. The band’s catalogue was first re-issued on CD in 1987. The difference in sound quality between then and now is astonishing. Using sta...

Beatles fans are spoiled for choice these days, with the release of the Remastered box set and Rock Band video game. This CD-DVD set, recorded in July, provides yet another tempting option. Featuring 33 songs spanning Beatles classics, Wings favorites and solo tracks, it captures Macca at his best—whether rocking out with guest Billy Joel on “I Saw Her Standing There” or crooning “Yesterday” and “Hey Jude.” When he pays tribute to John on “Here Today” and George on “Something,” there are few dry eyes in the house. December 2009

It’s been a decade since Steve Jobs, the man behind Apple and a huge Beatles fan, first tried to make Beatles music available through iTunes, the world’s largest music retailer. Now, after much legal wrangling, digital versions of songs like “Let it Be” and “Here Comes the Sun” and albums such as Abbey Road and Rubber Soul are finally available and are outselling the latest Rihanna single and Glee soundtracks. Once again, the Fab Four are the “toppermost of the poppermost,” as John Lennon once cheekily proclaimed.

The Beatles may have been born in Liverpool, but they grew up in Hamburg. The German city was where they honed their chops—performing 281 concerts during five visits—and made these career-launching recordings. Along with stereo and mono versions of rock ’n’ roll songs recorded with Tony Sheridan, this 2-CD set includes such Beatles-only relics as “Ain’t She Sweet,” sung by John Lennon, and George Harrison’s instrumental “Cry For a Shadow.” A photo-filled color booklet rounds out the package.