In 1962, Decca Records rejected The Beatles. One year later, they discovered The Rolling Stones
Decca Records rejected The Beatles after an audition on New Year’s Day 1962, reportedly telling manager Brian Epstein that guitar groups were fading and the band had no future in show business. The decision became a notable misjudgement as The Beatles went on to top the charts, while Decca later signed The Rolling Stones and built a successful run with them.
The audition took place in London with Pete Best on drums; the group played a selection of songs, though accounts differ on why the performance failed to impress. Decca signed Brian Poole and the Tremeloes instead, then offered the Stones favourable terms including high royalties, artistic control and ownership of their master recordings. The Beatles’ audition recordings later appeared on the 1995 compilation *Anthology 1*.
In short
- Decca turned down The Beatles in 1962.
- The label signed The Rolling Stones the following year.
- The Stones received unusually favourable recording terms.
Explained simply
Decca Records was one of Britain’s major record companies, and in the early 1960s a record deal could help a new band reach a much wider audience. The Beatles were a Liverpool group managed by Brian Epstein; at the time of their Decca audition, Pete Best was their drummer.
The Rolling Stones were another young British band, formed in London and known for playing blues-influenced rock. Decca’s later relationship with them became an important part of the label’s history, while the Beatles’ success made the earlier audition a frequently cited example of how hard it was to predict which new acts would thrive.