Blitz in Britain

England has seen nothing like it since the boom days of the Beatles a decade ago--if then. The record charts in Britain last week told a startling tale of domination of the pop-music market. Of the 100 bestselling singles, almost 25% are the work of one group. In little more than a month, the group has sold 1 million records.

Has a successor to the Beatles finally been found? Not at all. It is the Beatles themselves, all over again. Calling the tune in one of the most masterly English marketing campaigns in record-industry history is EMI, Ltd., which has recirculated the Beatles' hits to drumbeats of publicity. Pop-music radio stations have been barraged with "presentation boxes" of Beatles singles, and browsers in record stores are greeted at every turn with Beatles counter displays. The most successful single is the Beatles' 1968 ode to the restorative powers of love, Hey Jude (in twelfth place), followed by Yesterday (18) and Get Back (32). The resurrection of the Beatles speaks partly of the whimsical nature of the British pop market. But it also reminds that the Beatles' eloquent melodies, pungent lyrics and ingenious instrumental arrangements remain the closest thing to a classical music ever produced by the pop world.

Stuffed Stores. The U.S. is the next target for a Beatles blitz. Beginning in June, Capitol Records, an EMI subsidiary, will saturate radio and TV stations with Beatles commercials; stores will be stuffed with mobiles, contest blanks, souvenirs and posters of Paul, John, George and Ringo. Says Capitol Vice President Dan Davis: "It will be a real Beatles bonanza." Get set, America.

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