Release
The album was released on 27 November 1970 in the United States, and on 30 November 1970 in the UK, with the rare distinction of having the same Apple catalogue number (STCH 639) in both countries. "My Sweet Lord" was issued as the first single, and was highly successful, topping national singles charts all around the world during the first few months of 1971.
The album itself was number 1 in the UK for eight weeks, although it would take decades before this was officially acknowledged. (Due to a two-month postal strike in Britain over the winter of 1970−71, and the resultant delay in receiving sales data from record retailers, All Things Must Pass was originally listed as having reached number 4. It was only in 2006 that the Official UK Charts Company changed its records to show that Harrison's was the top-selling album throughout that time.)
In America, All Things Must Pass spent seven weeks at number 1 on the Billboard 200, from 2 January 1971 until 20 February, part of which coincided with "My Sweet Lord" holding the top spot on the singles chart. Not only was Harrison the first Beatle to achieve the prestigious double − holding the top positions on Billboard's albums and singles listings during the same week(s) − but it was a feat that none of the others would equal for another two-and-a-half years, when Paul McCartney & Wings repeated the achievement. All Things Must Pass was awarded a gold disc on 17 December 1970 and has since been certified six times platinum, making it Harrison's most commercially successful album.
Read more about this topic: All Things Must Pass
Famous quotes containing the word release:
“If I were to be taken hostage, I would not plead for release nor would I want my government to be blackmailed. I think certain government officials, industrialists and celebrated persons should make it clear they are prepared to be sacrificed if taken hostage. If that were done, what gain would there be for terrorists in taking hostages?”
—Margaret Mead (1901–1978)
“The shallow consider liberty a release from all law, from every constraint. The wise man sees in it, on the contrary, the potent Law of Laws.”
—Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
“We read poetry because the poets, like ourselves, have been haunted by the inescapable tyranny of time and death; have suffered the pain of loss, and the more wearing, continuous pain of frustration and failure; and have had moods of unlooked-for release and peace. They have known and watched in themselves and others.”
—Elizabeth Drew (1887–1965)