Who Does Paul McCartney Really Think Is Responsible For The Beatles' Split?

The Beatles are regarded as one of the greatest bands of all time. Originating from Liverpool, England, the rock and roll band performed at some of the world's grandest stages, winning millions of hearts and giving birth to the fan frenzy phenomenon termed Beatlemania.

The Beatles had a remarkable impact on their listeners — both fans and celebs alike. In an interview with MTV in 1995, David Bowie explained, "[The Beatles] gave the British the illusion that they meant something again, you know, and we love hearing that," per Far Out Magazine. But the band's popularity wasn't just limited to England. The Beatles debuted in America on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in February 1964, causing a commotion with both its in-studio audience and viewers at home, as the show was watched by 15 million people, according to NBC. Speaking on the influence the band had on public, Bob Dylan once said (via Rolling Stone), "It was obvious to me that they had staying power. I knew they were pointing the direction that music had to go. It seemed to me a definite line was being drawn. This was something that never happened before."

But all things meet an end, and so did The Beatles. The band split in 1970 after the release of their hugely successful album "Let It Be," according to Birmingham Mail. Decades later, speculation still remains about who was responsible for the split — and now, Paul McCartney claims to have the definitive answer.

As Paul McCartney recently revealed on the BBC Radio 4 interview series "This Cultural Life," The Beatles' split was the "most difficult period" of his life. McCartney elaborated that the group was still producing "pretty good stuff" and noted that he wanted the band to continue. "This was my band, this was my job, this was my life...," the singer-songwriter said (via The Guardian), adding that it was John Lennon who always wanted to "break loose."

In fact, McCartney touched upon the widely-held belief that Lennon's wife Yoko Ono played a role in the band's breakup. "The point of it really was that John was making a new life with Yoko. John had always wanted to sort of break loose from society because, you know, he was brought up by his Aunt Mimi, who was quite repressive, so he was always looking to break loose," he said. According to The Guardian, McCartney added that Lennon was fascinated by the idea of leaving the band and found it to be "quite thrilling."

When speaking of the rumors that McCartney himself caused the group to disband, he refuted the idea that he was responsible. "I didn't instigate the split. That was our Johnny." In fact, McCartney added that he, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr were "left to pick up the pieces" after the split.  McCartney said, "Oh no, no, no. John walked into a room one day and said 'I am leaving The Beatles.' Is that instigating the split, or not?"