On this day in 1971, Paul McCartney announced the formation of Wings, the band he built with his wife Linda following his second solo album, Ram. The group became the vehicle for McCartney's post-Beatles career throughout the 1970s, evolving from a shaky critical start into one of the era's most commercially successful acts, with Denny Laine and the McCartneys remaining constant members despite several lineup changes.

Wings initially featured drummer Denny Seiwell and former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine alongside Linda on keyboards and Paul on vocals and bass, releasing their debut album Wild Life in December 1971 to poor reviews. Success followed with hits including "My Love", the James Bond theme "Live and Let Die", and the Grammy-winning Band on the Run, while their 1975-76 Wings Over the World Tour played to two million people across eleven countries. The band notched six US number-one singles, including "Silly Love Songs" in 1976, before McCartney confirmed the group's break-up in 1982 while promoting his solo album Tug of War.