October 1962: the month that modern culture was born

This week sees the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' first single. But as Love Me Do hit Britain's record shops, a series of issues – from the cold war to civil rights and sexual liberation – also started to shape a tumultuous decade and banish the austere mood of the 1950sOn 5 October 1962, a new sound filled the nation's airwaves. It was raw, simple, direct and sexy. "Love, love me do," sang Lennon and McCartney, "You know I love you." The Beatles had arrived, and a new generation had a new...

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