Paul McCartney

Lore & Background

Born in Liverpool, McCartney taught himself piano, guitar, and songwriting as a teenager, influenced by his father, a jazz player, and rock and roll performers such as Little Richard and Buddy Holly. He began his career when he joined John Lennon's skiffle group, the Quarrymen, in 1957, which evolved into the Beatles in 1960. Sometimes called 'the cute Beatle,' McCartney later immersed himself in the London avant-garde scene and played a key role in incorporating experimental aesthetics into the Beatles' studio productions. Starting with the 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, he gradually became the band's de facto leader, providing creative impetus for most of their music and film projects. Many of his Beatles songs, including 'And I Love Her,' 'Yesterday,' 'Eleanor Rigby,' and 'Blackbird,' rank among the most covered songs in history.

After the Beatles disbanded, McCartney debuted as a solo artist with the 1970 album McCartney and formed the band Wings with his first wife, Linda, and Denny Laine. Under his leadership, Wings became one of the most successful bands of the 1970s, with hits such as 'My Love,' 'Band on the Run,' and 'Mull of Kintyre.' He resumed his solo career in 1980 and has toured as a solo artist since 1989. His other number-one hits include 'Ebony and Ivory' (with Stevie Wonder) and 'Say Say Say' (with Michael Jackson). McCartney has been involved in projects promoting international charities related to animal rights, seal hunting, land mines, vegetarianism, poverty, and music education.

Reader's Guide

Paul McCartney is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of 100 million records. He is one of only three recording artists—along with Phil Collins and Michael Jackson—who have sold over 100 million records both as solo artists and separately as principal members of a band. He has written or co-written a record 32 songs that have topped the Billboard Hot 100 and, as of 2009, had sales of 25.5 million RIAA certified units in the US. His honours include two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of the Beatles in 1988 and as a solo artist in 1999), an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, 19 Grammy Awards, an appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1965, and an appointment as Knight Bachelor in 1997 for services to music. As of 2024, he is one of the wealthiest musicians in the world, with an estimated fortune of £1 billion. His legacy rests on his foundational role in the Beatles, his prolific solo and Wings output, and his enduring influence on popular music.

Did You Know?

• McCartney taught himself piano, guitar, and songwriting as a teenager.
• He wrote his first song, 'I Lost My Little Girl,' on a Framus Zenith acoustic guitar.
• He is one of only three recording artists to sell over 100 million records both as a solo artist and as a principal member of a band.
• He has written or co-written a record 32 songs that have topped the Billboard Hot 100.