We were pretty good mates until the Beatles started to split up and Yoko came into it. It was more like old army buddies splitting up on account of wedding bells.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in March 1999 McCartney has written or co-written 32 songs that have reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and as of 2013[update] he has sold over 15. After the band's break-up he pursued a solo career later forming Wings with his first wife Linda and singer-songwriter Denny Laine. With John Lennon George Harrison and Ringo Starr he gained worldwide fame as a member of the Beatles and his collaboration with Lennon is one of the most celebrated songwriting partnerships of the 20th century.