It was 20 years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile...

Beatles' fans all over the United States are indeed grinning from ear-to-ear today.

June 2 marks the 50th anniversary of the American release of perhaps the most iconic album in music history, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

To commemorate the milestone, the original mono album has been given the stereo  re-master treatment by Giles Martin, son of legendary Beatles' produced George Martin.

The 50th anniversary edition is available in a number of different formats:

  • Digital
  • Single CD
  • Double CD deluxe
  • Four CD/Blu-Ray/DVD Super Deluxe
  • Double LP

For me, I went with the double CD package, which features the stereo re-mix of the original album, plus a CD of instrumentals and outtakes from the Sgt. Pepper recording sessions.

Here's what I found:

To give you some perspective of life was like in the U.S. on June 2, 1967:

  • The number-one song on the Billboard pop chart was 'Somethin’ Stupid' by Frank and Nancy Sinatra
  • The number-one album was More of The Monkees
  • The number-one movie at the box office was The War Wagon, starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas
  • Bonanza was the most-watched show on TV
  • The minimum wage was $1.40 an hour
  • Gasoline averaged 33 cents a gallon
  • Average price of a new house was $15,000
  • Lyndon Johnson was President of the United States

As you can see, a lot has changed in 50 years, but Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band sounds as fresh today as it did five decades ago.

Thank you John, Paul, George, and Ringo...

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