alternatehistory.com

In January of 1962, the Beatles auditioned for Decca Studios in London England. They played a series of covers with 3 independently written songs interspersed. The band at the time consisted of the final group, save the drummer was Pete Best who had not yet been dropped as he would be later. The playlist was:

1. "Like Dreamers Do" (Lennon/McCartney)
2. "Money (That's What I Want)" (Gordy/Bradford)
3. "Till There Was You" (Meredith Wilson)
4. "The Sheik of Araby" (Smith/Wheeler/Snyder)
5. "To Know Her Is to Love Her" (Phil Spector)
6. "Take Good Care of My Baby" (King/Goffin)
7. "Memphis, Tennessee" (Chuck Berry)
8. "Sure to Fall (In Love with You)" (Cantrell/Claunch/Perkins)
9. "Hello Little Girl" (Lennon/McCartney)
10. "Three Cool Cats" (Leiber/Stoller)
11. "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" (Buddy Holly)
12. "Love of the Loved" (Lennon/McCartney)
13. "September in the Rain" (Warren/Dubin)
14. "Bésame Mucho" (Consuelo Velázquez)
15. "Searchin'" (Leiber/Stoller)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoDRZ_vG1-E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdeyBPUiE28
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R8R1WAZtcU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFT_38ktddE

It sounds like rather average (for the day) beat sound to me; nothing groundbreaking.

Decca subsequently decided not to pick up the Beatles (though they did reportedly print a few singles from the audition before they decided to drop the band) saying guitar music was going out of style and the band wouldn't make it. They were subsequently picked up by Parlophone, Pete Best was dropped for Ringo, their albums were released by Columbia Records in the United States and they went on to become the biggest band in history.

But what if Decca had went ahead and signed the Beatles?
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