It's no secret that The Beatles are legendary. For decades they've influenced almost every musician and music lover you know. What may be lesser known however is just how rare and valuable their posters are. The band's short touring career produced very few promotional pieces, which are hard to come by in good condition today. These are a few you can look out for.
The Beatles on Tour: 1963-1966
Though the Beatles were active for a decade, they only spent three years as a touring group. After successful tours in the U.K. and various European countries, the band came to the United States for the first time in February of 1964. Here they famously appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, where their performance was viewed by roughly 34% of the country. Thus began Beatlemania and the British Invasion in America.
A few months prior to their United States arrival, The Beatles gave their "Royal Command Performance" at the London Palladium. The poster advertising this show was widely distributed in the U.S. as a promotional item in early 1964. This is a very rare find today. However, the most collectible Beatles poster is perhaps the one designed to promote their 1965 Shea Stadium performance. These posters are both very simple in design. During this era, most posters were still designed in the "boxing style" format. 
The most visually appealing promotional Beatles poster is likely the one that advertised what turned out to be their final concert. This show took place in San Francisco at Candlestick Park. Designed by Wes Wilson, this piece borders on the psychedelic style. This show concluded The Beatles touring career and this poster was the last piece of concert promotion designed for the group.
Art Style in Posters 
Because of the era in which they toured, The Beatles' posters are not necessarily impressive works of art. They are mainly "boxing style" in design or simply feature band photos. This was very much in line with the music they created at the time. Their songs were simple, uncomplicated, and easy to listen to during their touring years. Their final show in San Francisco marked not only the end of The Beatles touring years but also a significant change in the band's sound. The difference in the appearance of this poster and its psychedelic style is right in line with this. They had just released Revolver, which was the second album they released that truly signified a departure from their early sound. The psychedelic nature of Revolver is reflected in Wes Wilson's poster. This was right as psychedelic rock and concert posters were beginning to take off.
At the end of the day, only a fraction of Beatles history is reflected in their concert posters. This makes them all the more collectible and exciting to come by. The Beatles are one of the most beloved rock bands of all time, so it isn't surprising that their concert posters are so highly sought out. They're definitely something special to have hanging on your wall.
