Hairstyles of The Beatles – Yesterday And Today

In a rare appearance together, former band mates Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney united to perform a song at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles this week. The pop superstars were present as they were announced as winners of the 2014 Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award.

In the early years of their existence, the Beatles were almost as well known for their clean-cut image as for their catchy tunes and playful lyrics. Their distinctive ‘mop-top’ hairstyle, nicknamed ‘Arthur’ by some, was widely imitated by their fans across the world. The Lowell Toy Manufacturing Corporation even obtained licence rights to make “the only AUTHENTIC Beatle Wig”.

Paul McCartney With a Little Help from My Friends?

This week, however, it seems that the days of the mop-top are far behind Paul and Ringo. Despite maintaining collar-length hair at the back of his head, Paul McCartney’s hair is significantly thinner than in his youth as may be expected of a 72 year old.

At the same age, nearly three-quarters of men will be experiencing significant hair loss, suggesting that Sir Paul is either very lucky, or obtaining help with preventing hair loss. Either way, McCartney has a head of hair of which to be proud.

Ringo Starr Help!

Two years older than Paul, Ringo Starr has not been quite so fortunate in retaining his hair. The former Beatle is showing clear signs of male pattern baldness, most markedly in the form of a receding hairline. To compensate, Ringo wears his hair very short in an attempt to soften his appearance.

The days of mop-top fashion seem to be far behind Ringo. Yet it’s not too late for Ringo to seek professional help to restore some of the hair he has already lost, should he choose to do so.

The Ballad of John and Yoko

Yoko Ono, who was married to the late John Lennon, was also in attendance at the Grammys this week. The 81 year old Japanese singer and artist joined Ringo on stage to present the Album of the Year award to Daft Punk for their album ‘Random Access Memories’.

As someone who is never seen in public without headwear, it was not surprising to see Yoko wearing a black top hat as she danced in the audience. This refusal to appear in public without a hat could be an indication that Yoko Ono could be experiencing a form of female pattern balding (although, of course, she may simply like wearing hats!)

The Long and Winding Road

Whatever the state of their hairlines, the remaining Beatles continue to record and perform to audiences across the world. As their triumph at the Grammys shows, their hairlines may have changed, but their mass appeal has never faltered!