Before "I Want to Hold Your Hand" broke them in America in 1964, The Beatles had struggled for months to gain a foothold in the US market, despite chart success at home with "Please Please Me" and "She Loves You". Producer George Martin repeatedly urged Capitol Records to release their music in the States, only to be turned down, as the label's boss insisted the group would not sell. This gap mattered because it delayed the band's global breakthrough and forced them to wait for the right moment to cross the Atlantic on their own terms.

Paul McCartney later explained that the band deliberately held off touring America until they had a number one record, wary of following other British acts who had arrived to lukewarm receptions. Written by McCartney and John Lennon at Jane Asher's house, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" proved to be that breakthrough single, its simple, universal appeal about young love resonating with American listeners. Its release in 1964 coincided with a period of national unease following the assassination of President Kennedy, and the song's light-hearted charm helped launch The Beatles to fame in the United States.