The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?

The Beatles formed in Liverpool, England in 1960, with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr (replacing Pete Best in 1962). Their breakthrough single Love Me Do hit UK charts on October 5, 1962. Beatlemania reached the US on February 9, 1964 when 73 million Americans watched their Ed Sullivan Show debut, the largest television audience to that point. The Beatles released 12 studio albums in just 7 years, including Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), often called the greatest album of all time, Abbey Road (1969), and the White Album (1968). They sold over 600 million records, the best-selling music act in history. The band split in April 1970. John Lennon was murdered December 8, 1980; George Harrison died of cancer on November 29, 2001.

The Rolling Stones formed in London in 1962 with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts. Drawing inspiration from American blues musicians like Muddy Waters (the band's name comes from his 1950 song), they became the swaggering, rebellious counterpart to the Beatles. Their first US #1 hit (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction came in 1965, with Keith Richards' iconic fuzz guitar riff. The Stones have released 30+ studio albums, including classics like Sticky Fingers (1971), Exile on Main St. (1972), and Some Girls (1978). Brian Jones died July 3, 1969 at age 27, joining the so-called 27 Club. Charlie Watts died in 2021. Still touring into their 80s, the Stones hold the record for highest-grossing concert tour at the time (A Bigger Bang Tour, 2005 to 2007, over $558 million).