On March 4th, 1966, The London Evening Standard published John Lennon stating that The Beatles were “more popular than Jesus Christ”.

“Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. We’re more popular then Jesus now; I don’t know which will go first, rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity. Jesus was alright, but his disciples were thick and ordinary.” There was an outraged response to follow from Christian groups across America, some of which would publicly burn Beatles records. Lennon later issued an apology.