Abbey Road, released Sept. 26, 1969, was the Beatles’ last album recorded together; Let It Be had been recorded earlier. Lennon told the band he was leaving in September, and McCartney announced the breakup in April 1970 amid personal, creative and professional differences.
Starr briefly left during the recording of The White Album in 1968, and Harrison walked out during a January 1969 disagreement over “Get Back.” Harrison said the group was never the same after manager Brian Epstein died in 1967; McCartney said they lacked discipline without him.
Let It Be was released May 8, 1970, nearly a month after the public breakup, and sold more than 13 million copies worldwide, according to Chartmasters. McCartney suggested Lennon’s relationship with Yoko Ono contributed to tensions, but Lennon and Ono denied the marriage caused the split, saying the members had grown apart.
