# In 1964, The Kinks were on the verge of failure. Two months later, they recorded their biggest-selling hit

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1964-the-kinks-were-on-the-verge-of-failure-two-months-later-they-recorded-their-biggest-selling-hit/
- Published: 2026-10-24T12:00:59+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-24T12:11:19+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-kinks-verge-of-failure-recorded-their-biggest-selling-hit/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- The Kinks’ first two singles failed to establish them.
- “You Really Got Me” was their 1964 breakthrough.
- Management funded the re-recording after Pye refused.

## Summary

After two singles failed to make The Kinks a hit, their record label Pye was losing faith and the band’s contract was at risk. The group’s next release, “You Really Got Me”, became a breakthrough that secured their future and helped establish their place in British rock.

The song was first recorded in June and July 1964 as a slower, blues-influenced track. When Pye declined to fund another session, the band’s management paid for one, and the group reshaped the song into a harder-edged recording using altered amplifiers. Its success restored Pye’s confidence and paved the way for later hits and the band’s lasting influence.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.