Seventy-four million people sat in front of their television screens in awe on Feb. 9, 1964. Four young, handsome men from Liverpool began their step to superstardom on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” These four men: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr became the music phenomenon known as The Beatles. No other music group has ever touched the world like these four men did.

A British band, The Beatles, arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport on Feb. 7, 1964 for their first appearance in America. The Beatles made their first television debut on CBS on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

With it being the 50th year since The Beatles stepped foot on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” CBS held a special, “The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to The Beatles,” to honor the British band. McCartney and Starr were guests of honor at the 50th anniversary on Feb. 9. Starr and McCartney took the stage singing popular hits like “Hey Jude” and “With a Little Help From My Friends.” It brought tears to the crowd’s eyes when McCartney and Starr gave a shoutout to fellow band members Lennon and George Harrison.

The Ed Sullivan Show created the American phenomenon known as Beatlemania. It marked the start of a cultural revolution. The Beatles were a part of the history-making path of pop culture. Their appearance on American television changed America music forever. People can view their performance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on Youtube.