The Beatle’s most innovative album originally titled The Beatles was released 55 years ago, plus a few months, in November of 1968. It was the group’s only double album containing 30 new tracks, mostly written between February and April of 1968. The album cover was released in pure white with the simple and only words The Beatles stamped on the front, causing it to be known forever more as the White Album.

The album followed Sgt Pepper, and Ringo remarks that recording the White Album calmed the seas, “Sgt Pepper did its thing, it was the album of the decade – of the century maybe. It was very innovative. Great songs, glad I was on it. But the White Album…We ended up being more of a band again and that’s what I always love, I love being in a band.”

The album went number 1 on the UK charts for eight weeks and stayed in the charts for 22 weeks. In the US it ran at number 1 for 9 weeks and stayed in the charts for an astounding 65 weeks. The 2018 50^th anniversary album reissue entered the Billboard 200 at number 6. None of the 30 tracks from the original album were issued in single format. The songs covered a broad range of genres including rock, pop, folk, country rock, blues, Ska, proto-metal, and avant-garde.

Source: Apple Corp, thebeatles.com. Genius.com. Graphic: Cover of the White Album, by Beat 768, 2010, Public Domain.