Released on November 13, 2000, The Beatles' compilation album titled '1' quickly became a global commercial and critical success. This album was designed to bring together nearly every number-one single the band achieved in either the United Kingdom or the United States between 1962 and 1970. Marking the 30th anniversary of the band's breakup, '1' was notable for being their first compilation album available on a single CD, a format that contributed
to its widespread appeal. Its release was met with immense enthusiasm, topping charts worldwide and eventually selling over 31 million copies globally, solidifying its place as a landmark release in music history.
A Decade-Defining Release
'1' transcended typical compilation album performance, becoming the highest-selling CD of 2000 and, subsequently, the best-selling album of the entire decade. This achievement was particularly significant as it made The Beatles the first and only artist to have the best-selling albums of two different decades, having also released the best-selling album of the 1960s, *Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band*. The album's success also allowed The Beatles to achieve the remarkable feat of having an album hit the number one position in the U.S. in four non-consecutive decades: the 1960s, 1970s, 1990s, and 2000s. This enduring popularity across generations underscored the timeless appeal of their music.
In the United Kingdom, '1' became The Beatles' 15th number one album, selling 319,126 copies in its first week, setting a record for single-week sales in 2000. Within just five weeks, it was reported as the biggest-selling album of 2000. The album maintained its top spot for nine weeks, a duration not seen in nearly a decade, and ultimately became the best-selling album of 2000 and the sixth-best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK. By its eleventh week, '1' had sold two million copies in the UK and spent a total of 46 weeks within the Top 75. By July 2013, it was certified 10x platinum for over 3 million copies sold, making it the 21st-best-selling album in UK history and the second-best-selling Beatles album in the country, surpassed only by *Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band*.
Dominance in the United States and Beyond
The album's reception in the United States mirrored its global success. '1' debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in December 2000, with sales exceeding 595,500 copies. In its second week, sales increased to 662,000, though it briefly fell to number two. It returned to the top of the Billboard 200 in its fourth week, selling 671,000 copies, and remained there the following week with 823,500 copies sold. The album spent a total of eight non-consecutive weeks at number one and achieved a record-breaking 1,258,667 copies sold in the week before Christmas 2000. This marked the seventh-highest one-week sales in SoundScan history and the highest for an album not in its first week of sales, as well as the highest for an album comprising previously released music.
'1' spent 309 weeks on the Billboard 200 and was the sixth-best-selling album in the U.S. in 2000, with 5.1 million copies sold. Its digital debut on iTunes in September 2011 saw it re-enter the Billboard 200 at number four and top iTunes album charts in multiple countries. By October 2019, the album had sold 13 million copies in the U.S., making it the best-selling album of the 21st century in the U.S. and the fourth-best-selling album in the SoundScan era (1991–present). This success secured The Beatles a fourth decade with a number one album on the Billboard chart.
Packaging and Remastering Evolution
The physical presentation of '1' was designed to be both simplistic and ambitious. Rick Ward designed the cover, featuring a pop art-style yellow number one on a red background. This emphasis on the digit "1" influenced subsequent compilations of number-one hits by other artists. The album's back cover showcased famous photos of The Beatles taken by Richard Avedon in 1967, and the design exclusively utilized variations of the Helvetica typeface. The CD version included a 32-page booklet with international picture covers and detailed information for each single, along with a collage of 27 "1"s and a foreword by George Martin.
The album underwent several remastering processes. The original 2000 release featured songs digitally remastered at 24 bits resolution, processed with Sonic Solutions NoNoise technology, and mastered to 16-bit using Prism SNS Noise Shaping, overseen by Peter Mew at Abbey Road Studios. In 2011, '1' was remastered and reissued on CD. A more significant remix and remastering occurred in 2015, led by Giles Martin. His goal was to make the audio tracks "more immersive," creating new mixes from the original tapes rather than simply remastering existing final mixes. Martin emphasized a respectful approach, comparing his new mixes with previous remasters to ensure improvement. This continuous effort to enhance the audio quality further cemented '1's legacy as a meticulously crafted compilation.
