The Beatles’ introduction to American audiences through their appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” 51 years ago on February 9, 1964 is fondly remembered as ushering Beatlemania to this side of the pond and for kicking off the so-called British Invasion. What’s less remembered is why there was such a pent-up U.S. demand for the band in the first place. The Beatles had already exploded in Europe, dominating the British charts and doing a five-day tour of Sweden over the previous year.

But for some reason, Capitol Records dragged its feet on bringing the band across the Atlantic. (Capitol was the American imprint of EMI, which had signed the Beatles, and had first dibs on releasing their work in the U.S.) EMI tried licensing the rights to other labels in 1963, but business complications kept any of them from promoting the Fab Four effectively in the States.

Finally, in January 1964, Capitol released an album called “Meet the Beatles!” The track lineup was heavily altered from the British release it was based on, and some of the audio had been monkeyed with as well. But it was something, and that month saw DJ’s in New York start putting the Beatles in rotation for the first time. The stage was set for the band’s physical invasion of the U.S., which began with their arrival at JFK Airport to thousands of screaming fans on February 7.

Two days later came their famous appearance on the Sullivan show, 51 years ago today. Ed wisely introduced them and got out of the way, with the simple intro “Ladies and gentlemen…the Beatles!” The viewing audience was estimated around 73 million that night, or over one-third of the country. Nielsen said it was the largest TV audience in American history.

After playing Sullivan, the Beatles went on to play concerts in Washington, D.C. and at Carnegie Hall. They hit Sullivan’s show a second time and finally headed back to London two weeks after their arrival. Their exposure to the American market would have big impacts on both sides of the Atlantic. The door had swung open for British imports in the American music scene, and bands like the Rolling Stones, Herman’s Hermits, and the Who would walk right through it.

The Beatles themselves were likely changed by America as well. Later in 1964, they would hang out and get high with Bob Dylan, and it wasn’t too long before John Lennon took on the nasal twang and social conscience that would help mark the Beatles’ evolution away from their days as a long-haired teen-pop hit factory. Invading America also brought the Beatles in contact with United Artists, whose record division had noted Capitol’s less than enthusiastic promotion of the band and pitched the idea of a mockumentary, leading to “A Hard Day’s Night,” which served both UA’s movie and music arms quite well. So all in all, Ed Sullivan uncorked a cultural genie that would upend the musical and media scene on two continents. Not bad for a five word introduction.

http://cbsnews2.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/r/2014/01/02/cb7e9975-4c9b-4970-a80c-c06aceb06ff5/resize/620x465/53dffdad12e2b9a90efb6c0812c8cf5c/Beatles_beatles5.jpg