#101 A Hard Day's Night by The Beatles

The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

2025 Album Rank

101

2011 Album Rank

65

Total Points

656

Year Released

1964

Billboard 200 Chart Peak

1

Weeks at #1

14

RIAA Sales Certification

4,000,000 (Multi-Platinum)

Buy / Listen

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A Hard Day's Night Album Details

Released in July 1964, A Hard Day's Night was The Beatles' third studio album and the soundtrack to their first feature film of the same name. It marked a pivotal moment in the band's evolution, showcasing their growing sophistication as songwriters and their explosive global popularity during the height of Beatlemania. The album was the first to feature all original material, with every song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, an uncommon feat in the pop world at the time.

Musically, A Hard Day's Night is bright, energetic, and bursting with jangly guitar-driven pop, characterized by the distinctive sound of George Harrison's 12-string Rickenbacker. Songs like the title track, "Can't Buy Me Love" and "If I Fell" blend rock urgency with melodic finesse, while also highlighting the Lennon/McCartney duo's ability to craft emotionally resonant and chart-topping tunes. The album captures the youthful charm and electric chemistry of the early Beatles, and remains a cornerstone of 1960s pop music.

Other albums by The Beatles on the chart: Rubber Soul, Abbey Road, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, Revolver, and The Beatles (White Album)

Interesting Facts about A Hard Day's Night by The Beatles

• The album was released on July 10, 1964 (UK) and just a few days earlier in the U.S., riding the wave of the Beatles' massive popularity.
• It's the only Beatles album entirely written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, no covers and no George Harrison songs.
• The iconic opening chord of the title track is one of the most famous in rock history, a jangly, unresolved mix that's still analyzed and debated by musicians.
• George Harrison's use of a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar on this album heavily influenced the sound of folk rock and bands like The Byrds.
• The album served as the soundtrack to the Beatles' first film, a black-and-white comedy that further cemented their pop culture dominance.
• The phrase "A Hard Day's Night" came from one of Ringo Starr's humorous malapropisms, which Lennon then turned into a song almost overnight.
• The U.S. and UK versions of the album were different, the American version (released by United Artists) included film score instrumentals.
• The album spent 21 weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart, and the title track topped charts around the world.
• A Hard Day's Night was one of the first albums to fully capture the Beatles' distinct personalities and musical synergy, helping define their early identity.
• The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002 for its cultural and historical significance.

A Hard Day's Night Tracklist

1. A Hard Day's Night - Reached #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
2. I Should Have Known Better
3. If I Fell
4. I'm Happy Just to Dance with You
5. And I Love Her - Reached #12 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
6. Tell Me Why
7. Can't Buy Me Love - Reached #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
8. Any Time at All
9. I'll Cry Instead - Reached #25 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
10. Things We Said Today
11. When I Get Home
12. You Can't Do That
13. I'll Be Back

A Hard Day's Night Music Video