The Beatles' iconic Abbey Road cover shot 50 years ago today: https://t.co/OpwYD2vQ6A pic.twitter.com/4BxkFMXeJF
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) August 8, 2019
The photo was taken by Iain Macmillan and was the fifth of only six shots taken that day, Reuters reported.
50 years ago today, @TheBeatles gathered at EMI Studios for one of the most prolific photoshoots of their career. A policeman held up the traffic as photographer Iain Macmillan took six shots of the group walking across the zebra crossing just outside the studio. #AbbeyRoad pic.twitter.com/ROgV1SE9d4
— Abbey Road Studios (@AbbeyRoad) August 8, 2019
“Up at 8:30am, arriving at 9:45am. Ringo first at 10:15 with the others arriving just after eleven" - A page from @TheBeatles' road manager and personal assistant Mal Evans’ 1969 diary, describing the day of the ‘Abbey Road’ photoshoot. #AbbeyRoad pic.twitter.com/Z39T7b6B6x
— Abbey Road Studios (@AbbeyRoad) August 8, 2019
Not only is the photo iconic, the album, which was released on Sept. 26, 1969, was voted one of best Beatles' albums by Rolling Stone readers. "Abbey Road" included the tracks of well-known Beatles hits like "Come Together" "Here Comes the Sun" "Maxwell's Silver Hammer and "Octopus's Garden."
The studios where the album was filmed, and which were located by the famous crosswalk, were originally named EMI Studios, but later became Abbey Road Studios. Both the studios and the crosswalk were given protected status by the UK government in 2010, Reuters reported.
#AbbeyRoad pic.twitter.com/Otyw6071G0
— The Beatles (@thebeatles) August 8, 2019
Fans came together at the crosswalk Thursday morning to mark the anniversary, according to Reuters.
If you're planning on coming to the zebra crossing today and the queues are too long, step inside the Abbey Road car park for one day only and take your photo with the original Beatles' 1969 image! #AbbeyRoad pic.twitter.com/I8Dne7MJM8
— Abbey Road Studios (@AbbeyRoad) August 8, 2019
Also, to commemorate the anniversary of the group's final studio album recorded, but not the final release, the Beatles will re-issue "Abby Road" in a box set, drummer Ringo Starr told Billboard Magazine earlier this month.
"I've loved all the re-releases because of the remastering and you can hear the drums, which got dialed down in the old days," Starr told Billboard.
Starr's also amazed at the sticking power that the band still has with fans young and old.
"We have a billion streams a year now, and every generation still has a listen to us Far out," Starr told Billboard.
About the Author