In 1969, The Beatles experienced a tumultuous and transformative year — marked by internal conflicts, business upheavals, personal milestones, and ultimately, the beginning of the end for the group. The year concluded with John Lennon privately announcing his decision to leave the band.
By late 1968, at Paul McCartney’s insistence, the group began exploring the idea of returning to their live performance roots. In January 1969, Paul spearheaded the “Get Back” project, intended to recapture the band’s raw energy through live rehearsals and a performance-focused recording approach. Rehearsals began at Twickenham Film Studios on January 2, but underlying tensions quickly surfaced, culminating in George Harrison temporarily quitting the band. The sessions soon relocated to the basement studio of Apple Headquarters, where keyboardist Billy Preston was invited to join. His presence helped ease tensions and reinvigorate the sessions, culminating in the band’s final public performance — the rooftop concert atop Apple Corps on January 30.
The entire “Get Back” project was documented on film, and producer Michael Lindsay-Hogg and engineer Glyn Johns worked through the year on editing a film and assembling a companion album. However, the material was ultimately shelved. These recordings would later be released in 1970 under the name “Let It Be”.
Meanwhile, financial disputes added to the growing strain between the band members. With the absence of Brian Epstein, the Beatles realised they had to find a new business leadership. John, George, and Ringo supported Allen Klein — known for managing the Rolling Stones and Sam Cooke — while Paul advocated for Lee and John Eastman, father and brother of Linda Eastman, whom Paul married on March 12. Unable to reach consensus, the band temporarily appointed Klein as business manager and the Eastmans as legal representatives. This uneasy arrangement quickly collapsed. On May 8, Klein was confirmed as the group’s sole manager, and the Eastmans were dismissed. Paul refused to sign the management contract with Klein, but he was out-voted by the other Beatles.
In parallel, significant corporate threats emerged. In February, Nemperor Holdings — the renamed successor to Brian Epstein’s NEMS Enterprises and the entity receiving all of The Beatles’ earnings and passing them on to Apple — was sold to Triumph Investment Trust. The following month, Dick James and Charles Silver, co-founders of Northern Songs, sold their controlling stake in the company to ATV (Associated TeleVision), undermining Paul and John’s control over their song publishing. Despite negotiations and legal efforts throughout the year, the Beatles failed to regain control of Northern Songs, and Lennon–McCartney lost ownership of their own compositions.
Despite all those issues, the group regrouped to begin a new album in the summer. Producer George Martin was surprised when Paul asked him in June to produce another record, given the “miserable experience” of the “Get Back” sessions. Primary recording for “Abbey Road” began on July 1. John initially rejected Martin’s proposed format of a “continuously moving piece of music“, proposing instead that his and Paul’s songs be separated on the two sides of the album. Paul offered a compromise: a first side featuring individual tracks, and a second built around a medley — a format that ultimately defined the album’s structure.
The completion and mixing of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” on August 20 was the last session on which all four Beatles were together in the same studio.
That same month, Paul and Linda welcomed their first child together, Mary, named after Paul’s late mother.
On September 8, while Ringo was recovering in hospital, John, Paul and George met to discuss the possibility of a new album with a new songwriting structure: four songs each from John, Paul, and George, and two from Ringo, along with a lead single around Christmas. However, on September 20, John privately announced to the group that he was leaving the band. He agreed to delay the public announcement to avoid jeopardizing the upcoming “Abbey Road” release and a new EMI/Capitol contract.
“Abbey Road” was released on September 26 in the United Kingdom and October 1 in the United States. Despite the internal tensions during its creation, the album was met with widespread acclaim. Critics praised its production quality, musical ambition, and the innovative medley on side two. It became a commercial success, topping charts worldwide.
In the final months of the year, Paul retreated with Linda and their family to their farm in Scotland, only to be hounded by the press following the spread of the “Paul is dead” conspiracy theory, which gained international attention in October. After a holiday in Antigua in December, Paul returned to London and began work on his first solo album.
Singles and EPs released in 1969
Albums released in 1969
Albums Paul McCartney contributed to, released in 1969
Films released in 1969
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Get Back
1969 • For The Beatles • Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg
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Goodbye
1969 • For Mary Hopkin • Directed by Tony Bramwell
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Something
1969 • For The Beatles • Directed by Neil Aspinall
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Concerts, TV & radio shows in 1969
Recording sessions in 1969
Songs written in 1969
1969 interviews
