The Beatles secure their first Grammy nods since 1997, competing for Record of the Year

On Friday, The Beatles secured their first Grammy nominations since 1997. The legendary group garnered two nominations for their newest—and purportedly final—track "Now and Then." This nomination in the Record of the Year category places them alongside contemporary luminaries like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Billie Eilish. Additionally, the band received acknowledgment in the Best Rock Performance category for the same track.

These nominations for "Now and Then" are the first for the Beatles since the 1990s, a period during which they clinched three Grammys in 1997. Dubbed by Paul McCartney as "the last Beatles song," the track was penned by the late John Lennon, who passed away in 1980. It incorporates original vocals that Lennon recorded in 1970, preserved through the use of artificial intelligence.

"Now and Then" also features fresh instrumentation by McCartney and Ringo Starr, the remaining living members of the band, along with guitar contributions from the late George Harrison, who died in 2001, recorded in the 1990s. The Beatles first tasted Grammy success in 1965 at the 7th Grammy Awards, where they won Best New Artist of 1964 and Best Performance by a Vocal Group for the classic "A Hard Day’s Night." In 1968, they received Album of the Year for the revolutionary "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band." To date, the band has amassed seven Grammys.

The Beatles aren’t the sole rock legends from their era making an appearance on this year's slate of Grammy nominees. The Rolling Stones were nominated for Best Rock Album for their 2023 release "Hackney Diamonds." With original members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood at the helm, the Stones have secured three Grammys throughout their career, the latest being in 2018 for their album "Blue & Lonesome," which won Best Traditional Blues Album. Their inaugural nomination came in 1978 for "Some Girls," which was a contender for Album of the Year.