"Sorry girls, he's married."

"There was love all around

But I never heard them singing

No, I never heard it at all

Till there was you"

-Till There Was You

It all began in the fall of 1963 when popular TV host, the stocky Mr. Sullivan of the Ed Sullivan Show was walking through Heathrow Airport. That's when he noticed a mounting fervour from a large group of young girls by the terminal. Intrigued by the commotion, he asked the workers on what or who was the cause of such excitement.  

It was a British band called The Beatles, or "those bugs" as the famously forgetful Mr. Sullivan would remember them two months after that accidental encounter. The girls were eagerly awaiting the band's arrival after their successful stint as a warmup act in Stockholm. 

Whatever he witnessed must've clearly impressed him as he decided to book the band for his show. Initially,  he offered top dollar for a single appearance, but the band's manager, Brian Epstein, realized another alternative which would grant his clients an even better deal. He rejected Sullivan's offer, and instead crafted another one which would lead to The Beatles being paid bottom dollar for three appearances.

 And the rest, as they say, is history. 

Their American debut was broadcast on the 9th of February in 1964, attracting the attention of 75 million viewers (an extremely high number at the time). Beatles historians often joked that during the band's appearances, crime rates would actually drop because everyone was too caught up in watching those "four long-haired boys from England".

The British Invasion had arrived to change pop culture in its entirety.  

Back in the Fifties to the early Sixties, all women were expected to live up to a different standard. Their  behaviour should be lady-like (quiet and polite), their outfits in a certain style (dresses and knee-length skirts), and their posture must be proper (no slouching). 

Therefore, it came as a shock for Americans viewers at home to watch hundreds of hysterical young girls screaming, crying, and jumping in joy as The Beatles performed. To better  understand the sheer volume at the time, let's give it some context. 

It was SO loud, that the cameramen couldn't hear any of the camera director's orders through their HEADSETS. Even TV audiences could barely hear their songs because the screams completely overpowered and drowned the band. 

The Beatles appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show also marked history in the world of fashion. In the early days of their popularity, Epstein would have them wear suits, and only suits, during public appearances. These tailor-made suits were popularised by a subculture back in London, called Mod (short for modernist). It was a stark contrast to the band's Rock 'n' Roll Hamburg days. 

But most significantly, what caused greater impact were The Beatles' hairstyle, the mop-top. It wasn't only women who needed to dress in a certain way; the same could also be said for the men, especially in terms of outer appearance. Hair-wise, they either sported buzz cuts or a short slicked-back look.

It caused such commotion and confusion that the New York Herald Tribune came up with a proper description in 1964: 

"The Beatles' hairstyle is a mop effect that covers the forehead, some of the ears and most of the back of the neck."

Other American reporters were beside themselves with bewilderment:

'What excuses do you have for your collar-length hair?' 'What do you do with your long hair in the shower?' 'Do you have any plans for a hair cut?' 'Does your hair require any special care?'

Without the emergence of TV technology at the time, it is very much possible that Beatlemania wouldn't have existed at all.