The Beatles' song 'Taxman' was inspired by Britain's tax structure.

The BBC banned the Beatles' song 'A Day in the Life' for 5 years, fearing it encouraged drug use.

The Beatles were not an immediate success in the US—their label rejected their first two singles, and the band was mocked on the TV show 'American Bandstand.'

An American Beatles album featured a bizarre, gruesome image of the band as butchers, which was swiftly recalled.

The Beatles loved Motown Records, covering some of the label's songs while honing their skills as a club act in Germany.

The Beatles' 'Tomorrow Never Knows,' the final track from 1966's 'Revolver,' used innovative recording methods—including a rudimentary form of sampling—to redefine the sound of popular music.

The Beatles' labels released almost twice as many of the band's records in the US to capitalize on the band's popularity.

Tina Turner had to change the lyrics referencing American Express in 'Private Dancer' to comply with British advertising laws

In her 1984 hit, "Private Dancer," Turner sings "American Express Will Do Nicely, Thank You." However, advertising laws in England prohibited mentions of companies, leading Turner to release another version of the song with the lyric "A Few Pounds Sterling Will Do Nicely, Thank You."

The American girl groups of the 1950s and '60s had a profound influence on The Beatles, who frequently paid homage to acts like the Marvelettes and the Ronettes

Why the rich don't pay taxes like you do

The system behind the US income tax isn't as straightforward as it looks. You earn money. Taxes get taken out. Case closed … right? Not exactly. In this episode of "1440 Explores," we break down how the US tax system actually works, from confusing deductions and misunderstood tax brackets to why the wealthiest Americans often end up paying a very different tax than everyone else.

'No taxation without representation' was championed by British lawmaker William Pitt

British parliamentarian William Pitt laid out the argument supporting “no taxation without representation,” a major feature of the colonial debate around the Stamp Act in 1765. Arguing taxes are valid, Pitt acknowledged they aren’t if those taxed don’t have representation in the body that passes the tax laws.

Read why the information Americans have about our tax system might be misleading

For many, filing taxes can be complicated and overwhelming. Some argue that the tax system obscures certain aspects of the US tax code, making it difficult for taxpayers to accurately assess potential reforms.

Bob Dylan wrote and recorded songs that later became hits when they were covered by artists like Jimi Hendrix, Adele, and Guns N' Roses.

After the bitter breakup of the Beatles, John Lennon and Paul McCartney only played music together one more time—at an impromptu studio session in 1974, joined by Stevie Wonder.

The US national anthem borrows its melody from 'The Anacreon Song,' a bawdy British tavern song that was popular in the 19th century.

The Beatles stopped touring in 1966, citing frustration with the era's limited sound systems.

The IRS—a division of the US Treasury Department that enforces the Internal Revenue Code, collects taxes, and enforces tax laws—has been a frequent victim of arson over the years.

The Beatles tried to get the rights to make a 'Lord of the Rings' film starring the band members as Gollum, Frodo, Gandalf, and Samwise.

The Beatles' appearance on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' in 1964 launched Beatlemania in the US after the band struggled to break through to American audiences.

On July 1, 1862, the agency now known as the Internal Revenue Service was established and named the Bureau of Internal Revenue

It was created to collect the first-ever US income tax, which was created to help pay for the Civil War. After gaining their independence from Britain, Americans were skeptical about giving the federal government absolute power to collect federal income taxes. As a result, early US tax laws dictated that direct taxes, like income taxes, had to be directly apportioned to a state's population. The nation went back and forth on its federal tax laws multiple times. For instance, in 1872, the income tax from the Civil War was repealed. But it was revived in 1894, and then repealed again in 1895. In 1913, Congress passed the 16th Amendment, giving Congress the power to levy income taxes on individuals and corporations without apportioning the burden among the states in line with population, once and for all.

Explore all 58 famous figures—including artists, thinkers, politicians, athletes, and other pop culture icons—portrayed on the Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' album cover.

The US officially adopted an income tax in 1913

The US first levied income taxes during the Civil War, but modern income taxes became an American fixture in 1913. Two years earlier, Congress passed the 16th Amendment to give the government the right to tax individuals' and businesses' income. The US still technically levies the same federal income tax now as it did then—though it's evolved.

Listen to "Yesterday and Today," the 1966 Beatles album only released in the US.

Americans between the ages of 45 and 55 pay nearly 30% of all income taxes, paying an average tax rate of around 17%.

The Beatles once sued Nike

Nike used The Beatles' "Revolution" in an ad, sparking a $15M lawsuit over the song's use. While The Beatles and Nike ultimately reached an agreement, Nike ushered in the modern practice of using hit songs in advertisements, as opposed to jingles or covers.

Paul McCartney said the Beatles' 'Helter Skelter' was about a playground slide, but Charles Manson said it inspired him to orchestrate 9 murders.

Over a century ago, fewer than 1% of Americans paid income taxes—but the cost of World War II prompted the federal government to greatly expand the number of people required to pay income taxes.

Hear how the Beatles became the most influential band on Earth, with guest Conan O'Brien.

'All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.'

- Musician George Harrison (1943–2001)

The Clash's breakthrough hit wasn't listed on ‘London Calling’

“Train in Vain” was a hit in the US, something that hadn’t yet happened for other first-wave punk acts. But the song was added to “London Calling” at the last minute, after the record jackets were already printed, making it one of the more popular “hidden tracks” in popular music.

The Beatles' visit with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi helped inspire Western interest in Eastern spirituality

The Fab Four met with the guru—the creator of Transcendental Meditation—in 1968 in Rishikesh, India. The band's George Harrison and his wife had been interested in Indian culture for several years, but the meeting with Maharishi signified a meeting of Western popular culture with Eastern spirituality that would inspire the rising hippie movement.

Since 1913, Americans have paid income taxes at varying rates

In the 2020s, the top marginal tax rate has floated around 37%, relatively lower than previous eras. Some have called for boosting the rate significantly to tax the highest earners.

Paul McCartney announced his departure from the Beatles in a 1970 press release, surprising his bandmates.

Lorne Michaels jokingly offered the Beatles $3K to reunite on 'Saturday Night Live,' which John Lennon and Paul McCartney briefly considered.

The Rolling Stones got their name from a Muddy Waters song.

The Beatles sued technology company Apple in 1978 to defend naming rights to their record label, Apple Corps.

Some people believe Paul McCartney died in a car crash in 1966 and was replaced by a lookalike.

The 'playing card' and 'blueberry' taxes are among the strangest around the world

In Canada, companies making children’s breakfast cereals are granted a tax exemption if their cereal boxes contain free toys. While the exemption is limited to toys that are not “beer, liquor, or wine,” the cereal tax is far from the world's most eccentric tax.

Created in 1862, the IRS has a scandalous history

From Al Capone's tax evasion to corruption and bribery within the IRS, the government agency has had its fair share of scandals. This article details many of them, outlining corruption that reveals this seemingly boring agency as anything but.

Listen to 'Now and Then,' the Beatles' final song

The Beatles released their final song, "Now and Then," in October 2023, featuring a previously hidden John Lennon vocal. The track was initially shelved due to poor audio quality but was revived with the help of AI to enhance Lennon's performance....

See comparisons of different countries' taxation strategies

Taxes are a major revenue source for most countries, and how each government taxes citizens often reflects the country's economy. Developed countries tax at much higher rates than developing ones, and as a country grows its GDP, it also typically grows the proportional percentage of taxes it gains from its citizens.

Listen to the Beatles' 'Revolver,' the band's groundbreaking 1966 album.

The Clash's 'London Calling' cover parodied Elvis

The English band used Presley’s 1959 debut album as the template for the cover of its third record, an ambitious double album that explored rockabilly, reggae, ska, R&B, jazz and pop.

80% of Americans are bothered that some wealthy people don't pay their fair share of taxes

That's according to data from Pew Research Center. While most people are primarily taxed on their wages, many people in America's 1% derive much of their income from investments instead, which are often taxed at preferential capital gains rates. This structure was shaped by a series of legislative cuts that began in earnest with the 1978 Revenue Act and the 1981 Economic Recovery Tax Act.

The cover of 'Abbey Road' was shot in a quiet London neighborhood in 1969

The unassuming setting became one of the most famous attractions in the city and was the cover of the Beatles' last-recorded album. It was shot in the late 1960s, when the Fab Four was the most famous band in the world.

What is the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea?

The Isle of Man sits between Ireland to the west and Wales and England to the east. It is a self-governing British Crown dependency. This means it creates its own laws and collects its own taxes and currency, but is subject to the United Kingdom's defense systems and international treaties. Roughly 85,000 people live on the island, known as a tax haven for its attractive tax rates.

JP Morgan Jr. once angered the nation with his zero-dollar tax bill

In the aftermath of the Great Depression, Congress learned that Morgan and his banking partners had avoided paying any federal income tax in 1931 and 1932. By claiming their losses in the stock market, they seemingly erased what they owed.

In 2004, Prince paid tribute to George Harrison with a surreal solo

The 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony paid tribute to the recently deceased Beatle with a rendition of one of his most famous songs by Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood, and George Harrison's son, Dhani. Several minutes into the performance, Prince suddenly appeared center stage for a virtuosic solo. He ended it by tossing his guitar into the crowd. Tom Petty's drummer would later say, "Everybody wonders where that guitar went, and I gotta tell you, I was on the stage, and I wonder where it went, too."

How the federal income tax affected Prohibition

In the early 1900s, 30% to 40% of government tax revenue came from liquor, wine, and beer, a reliance that made Prohibition seem like a fiscal impossibility. But the passage of the federal income tax in 1913 changed the calculus, which helped allow the government to ban alcohol production and sales.

Both British and American pop art took inspiration from US culture

Pop art emerged in the mid-1950s in Britain and the late 1950s in America. American pop art focused on representational art and was directly inspired by living within American popular culture, using hard edges and distinct forms. Its British sibling, on the other hand, took a more academic approach, viewing American culture from a distance and employing irony and parody.

Watch this video to learn how US tax brackets actually work.