Culture

Fans mark the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' 'Abbey Road' photo shoot

1:00

Getty

The Beatles: In a minute

Will Oliver/EPA-EFE via Shutterstock

ByMatthew Friedlander

August 08, 2019, 1:16 PM

Fifty years ago, four young musicians were photographed walking across London's Abbey Road for what has become arguably one of the most iconic album covers ever.

On the morning of Aug. 8, 1969, The Beatles were snapped by photographer Iain Macmillan as they strolled across the zebra-striped crosswalk in front of Abbey Road Studios, with one of the pics being used as the cover for what became "Abbey Road."

The photo, which was one of six Macmillan took, features John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and George Harrison crossing the street from left to right, in that order. Lennon wears a white suit, Starr a black suit and McCartney a gray one, while Harrison donned a blue denim shirt and jeans. Paul holds a a cigarette in his right hand and is barefoot.

Related Articles

(MORE: Paul McCartney wraps US tour with onstage Ringo Starr reunion)

The cover also has been parodied numerous times for various reasons, including other artists' albums. For example, McCartney's 1993 concert album, Paul Is Live, shows the rock legend being pulled across Abbey Road by a sheepdog on a leash, and the cover of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' 1988 release, The Abbey Road E.P,. shows the band members making the crossing naked except for white tube socks over their genitals.

Members of the Beatles, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, cross Abbey Road in London, August 8, 1969.
Iain Macmillan, Apple Corps via REUTERS

Abbey Road was released on Sept. 26, 1969, and was the next-to-last studio effort issued by The Beatles. "Let It Be," most of which was recorded prior to "Abbey Road," got its release in April 1970.

Starr recently revealed to Billboard that a deluxe "Abbey Road" reissue is being prepared for release, although no official details have been announced.

Related Articles

(MORE: Watch Paul McCartney recreate the 'Abbey Road' album cover)

The Abbey Road crosswalk has since become a popular London tourist attraction, with Beatles fans regularly having their photo taken recreating the image.

50th anniversary of iconic Beatles photograph on Abbey Road https://t.co/9YpgACiADl
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) August 8, 2019

Fans celebrated the anniversary by doing the famed walk.

There's also a livestream of the day's events.

Up Next in Culture—

Marlee Matlin shares sweet video of granddaughter signing her 1st sign: 'So happy'

November 5, 2024

Camila Alves says Matthew McConaughey brings 'so much joy' in birthday tribute: Watch video

November 5, 2024

Elton John, Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake and more remember music legend Quincy Jones

November 5, 2024

Serena Williams hits the tennis court with daughter Adira in sweet video: Watch here

November 4, 2024

Shop Holiday Digital Deals

ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Sponsored Content by Taboola

Fans celebrated the anniversary by doing the famed walk.

There's also a livestream of the day's events.

","url":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/today-marks-50th-anniversary-beatles-abbey-road-photo-64849896","contentType":"story","section":"culture","wordCount":321,"columns":2,"inlinesTypes":["contentPromo","social","image","social","contentPromo","social"],"provider":"ABC News","publisher":{"name":"ABC News","logo":{"name":"ABC News","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Site/abc_logo_aluminum_60px.png","height":60,"width":150,"@type":"ImageObject"}},"contributors":[{"name":"Matthew Friedlander","url":"/author/Matthew_Friedlander","role":"","logo":"","logoAlt":"","type":"","units":[{"name":"Radio Desk"}],"bureaus":[{"name":"New York Bureau"}]}],"publishedDate":"2019-08-08T13:16:00Z","firstPublishedDate":"2019-08-08T13:16:00Z","modifiedDate":"2019-09-26T08:48:01Z","alternativeHeadline":"Fans are recreating one of the most iconic album covers ever.","articleSection":"GMA","metadata":{"timestamp":"2019-08-08T13:16:00Z","dateModified":"2019-09-26T08:48:01Z","sourceLine":"GMA","keywords":"abcnews","title":"Fans mark the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' 'Abbey Road' photo shoot","description":"Fifty years ago today, four young musicians were photographed walking across London's Abbey Road for what has become arguably one of the most iconic album covers ever.","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/today-marks-50th-anniversary-beatles-abbey-road-photo/story?id=64849896","noIndexNoFollow":false},"dateline":"","isShared":false,"shareData":{"description":"Fifty years ago today, four young musicians were photographed walking across London's Abbey Road for what has become arguably one of the most iconic album covers ever.","title":"Fans mark the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' 'Abbey Road' photo shoot","url":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/today-marks-50th-anniversary-beatles-abbey-road-photo-64849896","shareButton":"inline","networks":["facebook","twitter","pinterest","email","link"],"source":"GMA","img":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-16x9.png","size":"m","popoverPlacement":"bottom"},"socialImage":{"caption":{"text":"Beatles fans dressed as band members walk across the crosswalk outside the Abbey Road studios, in London, August 8, 2019.","source":"Will Oliver/EPA-EFE via Shutterstock","fauxSpacing":"--","lines":3},"image":{"src":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/abbey-road-reenactment-ss-jt-190808_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg?w=992","alt":null,"ratio":"16x9","sources":null}},"logoRadius":true,"leadMediaImage":{"caption":{"text":"Beatles fans dressed as band members walk across the crosswalk outside the Abbey Road studios, in London, August 8, 2019.","source":"Will Oliver/EPA-EFE via Shutterstock","fauxSpacing":"--","lines":3},"image":{"src":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/abbey-road-reenactment-ss-jt-190808_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg?w=992","alt":null,"ratio":"16x9","sources":null,"fetchPriority":"high"}},"leadMediaVideo":{"video":{"id":"46355983","autoplay":true,"ambient":false,"duration":"1:00","headline":"The Beatles: In a minute","aspectRatio":"16x9","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/abbey-road-reenactment-ss-jt-190808_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg?w=992","ratio":"16x9","caption":"The Beatles: In a minute","credit":"Getty","sources":null},"live":false,"playlist":[{"id":"46355983"},{"id":"48065986"}],"ambientFullId":null}},"leadMediaGallery":{"disableFullscreen":false,"useDotPagination":true,"media":[]},"featuredTags":{"tags":[]},"relatedTags":{"heading":"Related Topics","isFeatured":false,"tags":[],"tagClassName":"relatedTopicsTag"},"seo":{"JSONLD":{"videoObject":{"name":"The Beatles: In a minute","description":"What you need to know about the British pop band.","uploadDate":"2019-08-08T13:16:00Z","thumbnailUrl":["https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/abbey-road-reenactment-ss-jt-190808_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg?w=384","https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/abbey-road-reenactment-ss-jt-190808_hpMain_4x3_992.jpg?w=384","https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/abbey-road-reenactment-ss-jt-190808_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg?w=384"],"url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2017/03/170324_vod_iam_beatlesMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2017/03/170324_vod_iam_beatlesMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","publisher":{"name":"ABC News","logo":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Site/abc_logo_aluminum_60px.png","@type":"ImageObject"},"@type":"Organization"},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","id":"https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/today-marks-50th-anniversary-beatles-abbey-road-photo/story?id=64849896"},"duration":"PT1M0S"}}},"lead":{"featuredTags":{"isFeatured":true,"tags":[{"label":"Culture","href":"/culture","ariaLabel":"Culture - index"}]},"ratio":"16x9","centeredLeadStacked":true,"enableBackgroundColor":true,"caption":{"text":"The Beatles: In a minute","fauxSpacing":"--","lines":3,"credit":"Will Oliver/EPA-EFE via Shutterstock"},"type":"lg","mediaType":"video"},"everscrollUrl":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/today-marks-50th-anniversary-beatles-abbey-road-photo-64849896","ads":{"Sticky":{"disabled":false},"RightRail":{"disabled":false},"InlineBox":{"disabled":false,"articleConfig":{"alignLg":"right"}},"InlineOutstream":{"disabled":false},"End":{"disabled":true},"Taboola":{"disabled":false,"disableAutoInsert":true,"position":"bottom","pageType":"article","headerText":"Sponsored Content by Taboola","config":{"mode":"alternating-thumbnails-a","container":"taboola-below-article-thumbnails-64849896","placement":"Below Article Thumbnails","targetType":"mix","network":"goodmorningamerica-gma","type":"article"}}},"analyticsData":null}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmawebdev","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:culture:story","pageType":"story","pageUrl":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/today-marks-50th-anniversary-beatles-abbey-road-photo-64849896","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","section":"culture","title":"Fans mark the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' 'Abbey Road' photo shoot","pubTime":"09:16","pubDate":"08-08-2019","modTime":"04:48","modDate":"09-26-2019","id":"64849896","editorialOtherSubjects":"abcnews","wordCount":321,"columns":2,"authors":"Matthew Friedlander","authorsUnit":"Radio Desk","authorsBureau":"New York Bureau","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"The Beatles: In a minute","videoId":"46355983","mediaOnPage":"contentPromo,social,image,video"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/culture/story/today-marks-50th-anniversary-beatles-abbey-road-photo-64849896?userab=shop_ui_series-270%2Avariant_c_disc-red-1055","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/culture/story/today-marks-50th-anniversary-beatles-abbey-road-photo-64849896","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"shop_ui_series-270*variant_c_disc-red-1055"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};