Beatles Albums USA

No less than six albums were released in the USA in 1964, as the American label Capitol sort to catch up with the UK releases and spread things out a little. The first album to be released was on Vee Jay records and was called - Introducing... The Beatles. It came out in two forms. Meet the Beatles!, The Beatles' Second Album, (sic, as it was on Capitol) A Hard Day's Night (which included George Martin scored instrumentals from the film)  Something New, Beatles '65 (sic, it came out in December of 1964). 

Beatles Albums UK

In the UK two Beatles albums came out in the UK, both on Parlophone. A Hard Day's Night was the third studio album, released on 10 July 1964. The first side contained songs from the soundtrack to their film of the same name. In contrast to the Beatles' first two albums, all 13 tracks on A Hard Day's Night were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, showcasing the development of their songwriting partnership. Beatles for Sale the fourth studio album was released on 4 December 1964.

Rolling Stones

In 1964 The Rolling Stones released two albums, both on Decca in the UK and London in the USA. (The track listing in the UK and the US was slightly different for the first album.) Their debut album was self-titled and their second album was called 12 X 5. Most titles were covers but not all.

The Hollies

Stay with The Hollies (American title: Here I Go Again) is the debut album by the British rock band The Hollies. It was released in January 1964 on Parlophone Records.

The Animals

The Animals is the self-titled debut album by the British band the Animals. It was released in the UK in October 1964 on Columbia Records. That same year an American version of the album was released.

Manfred Mann

The Five Faces of Manfred Mann is the debut UK studio album by British based band Manfred Mann. It was first released in the UK in September 1964 by HMV.

The Manfred Mann Album was the debut American studio album, released the same month on Ascot Records. It contains the hit single "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", as well as covers of various R&B hits.

Kinks

The self-titled debut album by British band the Kinks was released in 1964. It was released with three tracks omitted as You Really Got Me in the United States.

Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show

On February 9 The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, marking their first live performance on American television. Seen by an estimated 73,000,000 viewers, the appearance becomes the catalyst for the mid-1960s "British Invasion" of American popular music. (Ed Sullivan was cagey enough to put them on at both the beginning and the end of the program in order to keep the audience tuned in throughout). The idea that crime rates plummeted at the time is false and arose out of a sneering comment to the effect that all the criminals were watching the Beatles.

Beatles' First American Number One

On February 1 The Beatles sprang to the #1 spot on the US singles charts for the first time, with "I Want to Hold Your Hand". This marks the start of the British Invasion.