Paul McCartney featured a who’s who of rock & roll for his unforgettable rendition of “Let It Be” at his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction! The Beatles legend was joined by Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, The Band’s Robbie Robertson, and more. The star-studded lineup created a gloriously chaotic cut of The Beatles’ classic, drawing 22 million views on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s YouTube channel. Joel opened proceedings with that instantly-recognisable piano intro and a passionate vocal.
Next up it was time for Macca to shine, and he sang the chorus hook that we all know and love. Robertson took an improvised guitar solo next, riffing on George Harrison’s licks. The Music Man has to say that the gig really felt like a celebration, coming 30 years after McCartney originally recorded “Let It Be.” McCartney was a real class act, warmly engaging the crowd in the sing-along and spending the guitar solos vibing with the other musicians, making them part of the celebration of his unmatched discography.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame upload of “Let It Be” became the fifth-most viewed performance in the history of the event. Fans gave plenty of love for the huge collab, adding comments such as “There will never be another generation of musicians like this one. Hands down” and “Never seen Macca singing without playing any instrument. This is the first time and it is so strange. It also made me realize what a true legend he is: singing isn’t easy at all but when you are also playing it gets 10 times harder.”
The Beatles are firm favourites when it comes to the R&R Hall of Fame. The sixth-most viewed video in the history of the event is George Harrison’s performance of The Beatles’ early hit “I Saw Her Standing There.” The Beatles six-stringer was joined by his Fab Four bandmate Ringo Starr on drums and too many other rock legends to name. The 1988 cut featured several of the same players as McCartney’s performance, namely Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel, as well as other big names such as Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan.
McCartney was first inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 by Mick Jagger as a member of The Beatles. Macca joined an elite crew of rockers who can boast two inductions to their name in 1999, when he was inducted into the hall as a solo artist by Neil Young.