London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Mar 28, 2026

Sir Cliff Richard disputes claim rivals The Beatles ‘owned’ Abbey Road studios

Sir Cliff Richard disputes claim rivals The Beatles ‘owned’ Abbey Road studios

Sir Cliff Richard has shot down the suggestion that The Beatles ‘owned’ Abbey Road studios, insisting that he was the main man on the block.

All the way back in 1958, the legendary musician made waves with the release of his song Move It, which is widely regarded as being one of the first authentic rock and roll songs made outside the US.

As the swinging sixties came into play, The Beatles blasted onto the scene, marking the beginning of a rivalry between the band and the solo crooner.

On Friday’s Good Morning Britain, Sir Cliff, 82, spoke to presenter Richard Arnold about his new festive album Christmas With Cliff, as well as the early stages of his career.

‘I started when I was 17, recording Move It in the corner of studio two, Abbey Road, 1958, five years before The Beatles by the way,’ he recalled.

‘You don’t think that the decades are going to fly by the way they do, so for me… my feet really haven’t and I keep thinking, will anybody else do that?’


The singer looked back on recording at Abbey Road over 60 years ago

The Beatles were stiff competition

Touching on Sir Cliff’s mention of The Beatles, Richard pointed out: ‘You mentioned The Beatles of course. You used to have to battle with The Beatles to get a slot at Abbey Road studios of course.’

Implying that his rivalry with The Beatles is far from a distant memory, the musician responded: ‘Everybody thinks they owned Abbey Road, and they didn’t. I did. I just rented to them.’

In 1964, The Beatles made a global name for themselves after performing on The Ed Sullivan Show in the US.

Sir Cliff Richard soared to stardom as a teenager

Despite their rivalry, Sir Cliff and Sir Paul performed together at the Queen’s Jubilee concert in 2002 among many other stars


However, Sir Cliff was famously not pleased by the raving reception they received, previously saying: ‘It’s ridiculous! Has everyone forgotten me? What’s going on?’

In 2002, he performed at Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee concert alongside Sir Paul McCartney, with the concert also boasting performances from Queen and Sir Tom Jones.

Earlier this month, Stormzy beat Sir Cliff on the charts to achieve a third number one album.

Speaking about the chart battle with Stormzy, the singer said on GMB: ‘It’s always been competition with someone else, and if you’ve got the better record, then you’ve got it.

‘This is Stormzy’s album, I was looking at this. There are 12 tracks on his album. My album has 13 tracks!’ he also joked.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Urges Stronger Defence Investment as He Questions Allied Naval Capabilities
New COVID Variant Detected in UK Raises Concerns Over Vaccine Effectiveness
FTSE Russell Moves to Standardise Free-Float Rules for UK and International Listings
HBO Max Launches in UK and Ireland, Marking Major Step in Global Streaming Expansion
UK Signals Readiness to Seize Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Escalating Middle East Conflict Seen as Major Threat to UK Economic Stability
Early Challenges Mark Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Face Upward Pressure as Global Oil Trends Raise Cost Outlook
Girlguiding UK Sets September Deadline for Membership Policy Change Affecting Trans Participants
Germany and UK Accelerate Wind Power Expansion to Strengthen Energy Security
UK Moves to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations to Political Parties Over Foreign Influence Concerns
UK and Turkey Finalise Major Air Defence Agreement Worth Billions
Apple Introduces Mandatory Age Verification for iPhone Users in the UK
Diverging Views Emerge Over Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance
Trump Signals Frustration with UK Leadership Amid Diverging Approaches to Iran Conflict
UK Government Takes Control of Hunterston B as Landmark Nuclear Decommissioning Begins
UK Public Inflation Expectations Jump Sharply in March, Raising Pressure on Bank of England
×