Like 'em or not, The Beatles have become the biggest thing in pop music since Elvis Presley turned up a decade ago.

The Beatles' first American single, "I Want To Hold Your Hand," was released by Capitol Dec. 30. One week later, it was the No. 1 record in the country on three out of four record tradepaper charts. The following week, it was tops on all listings. Early in its third week of release, it passed the million mark in sales, a fact which is at this writing being certified in an audit by the Record Industry Association of America.

Capitol issued its album "Meet the Beatles," on Jan. 20. By Jan 27, it passed 400,000 in sales. The LP, too, appeared on the charts after a week on the market. As far as can be determined, nobody, not even Presley, has achieved such rapid volume with a single or an LP.

It should be noted, too, that all this is happening without the group ever having set foot in the United States. That, however, will be remedied Friday afternoon Feb. 7 when the group arrives at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport for appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, the first of which will be aired Feb. 9.

BEATLES AT CARNEGIE

Last week it was disclosed that The Beatles will give three concerts during their U.S. trip. The first is scheduled the night of Feb. 11 at the Coliseum in Washington, D.C.

The following night, The Beatles will give two concerts at, of all places, Carnegie Hall. The first begins at 7:30, the second at 10:00 and the New York Police Department is still wondering how it will get one crowd out and the other in.

First public announcement of the Beatles' Carnegie appearances was made in the New York papers last Sunday (1/26). The advertisement stated that tickets would be available only at the Carnegie Hall box office, which would be open at 9:00 a.m. Monday. By 3:00 p.m. Jan. 27, the concerts -- 2700 seats for each performance -- were completely sold out.

Voyle Gilmore, Artists & Repertoire Vice President for Capitol said he would fly to New York and personally record the Carnegie Hall concerts. The resulting album -- to be titled "The Beatles at Carnegie Hall" -- will probably be issued in April.

MAGAZINE COVERAGE

Meanwhile, it is say to say that, before the Beatles arrive, there will not be a major American periodical which will not at least have a Beatle article in the works.

Among those already out with sizable pieces chronicling Beatlemania are: Life, Time, Newsweek, Saturday Review, New Yorker, McCall's, Mademoiselle, Vogue, New York Times Magazine and ad infinitum. Wire services have moved thousands of words about the phenomenally successful English group, and the jam-up of media requesting interviews with The Beatles is quickly getting out of control.

In the past few weeks, Beatlemania has done a lot more than sell a lot of records.

A Beatle-cut hairdo was created by Hollywood hairstylist Gene Shacove and among his customers now sporting the new coiffure are Janet Leigh and the Mmes. Milton Berle and Steve McQueen. A record store in New York has tied-in with a neighboring barber shop, the latter offering a free Beatle hair-cut with every copy of Capitol's "Meet the Beatles" and vice-versa.

BEATLE ICE CREAM

Beatle fan clubs are sprouting like crabgrass, and Beatle wigs are the rage on high school campuses. United Artists has announced that a Beatles movie, as yet untitled and wihout a finished script, will begin shooting in March In England.

Beatle buttons, Beatle sweatshirts, and even Beatlenut ice cream are being readied for the marketplace. Where it will all end is an absolute mystery. All that is known is that Beatlemania is off to a more riotous start than anybody, including the Beatles, ever dreamed.

RETURN TO SHOWS / THE BEATLES ON ED SULLIVAN