Television as we know it has been in our lives for more than 60 years.
Since its infancy, television has informed and entertained the public. Events like 9/11 and the moon landing were brought to life through the often-polarizing medium of television.
Although there have been many important moments in television history, it’s easy to see that the Beatles playing on the Ed Sullivan Show Feb. 9, 1964 is one of the most significant.
In many ways, the Beatles performance changed how Americans perceived rock ‘n’ roll and showcased the intangible qualities that television would infuse into American pop-culture.
In one fell swoop, the jaw-dropping performance by the Beatles reached more than 73 million Americans.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 192 million people lived in the U.S. in 1964. Having more than 45 percent of the country watching one program showed how television could dictate the national conversation.
This reinforces the now commonly held belief that television has the ability to unite people from all backgrounds.
The event also catapulted the Beatles from another British band into a pop-culture sensation. Before Feb. 9, 1964, the Beatles were seen as an exotic import from the U.K.
After performing hits like “All My Loving” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” the Beatles skyrocketed their brand of rock ‘n’ roll into popularity.
Sporting flashy haircuts, infectious accents and an indescribable charm, their performance showed a sample of what was to come, a level of fame that no musician except Elvis Presley had offered at that time.
Hearing the Beatles perform, though, simply wasn’t enough. America had to see them live.
Without their appearance on American television, the Beatles would not likely have crossed over into the States.
For many of America’s great rock artists, the Beatles were often their primary source of inspiration.
The Beatles’ performance that night aired to an audience that contained many young and impressionable Americans. The effect is hard to measure, but rock legends agree it was a turning point.
“The Beatles came on The Ed Sullivan Show and it was like the whole world changed overnight,” rock legend Tom Petty said about the performance, according to the Telegraph.
In addition to inspiring a generation, the Beatles performance also exemplified how television could single-handedly dominate what people talked about in their lives.
Sunday will mark 50 years since the Beatles performed on the Ed Sullivan show. What makes that show even more unique is how many living Americans remember watching the moment live on TV.
Because of its effect on America as a whole, it’s easy to see why this moment will remain as the greatest in television history.