Every one knows them now and has listened to one, if not many, of their songs. However, before their TV debut on CBS 50 years ago today, not many people knew what the four English artists looked like. The Beatles revolutionized music and commenced something we now have dubbed the British invasion. After 50 years, it is time to look back on The Beatles' legacy and how this landmark in music history is being remembered.

Time magazine has published three installments of excerpts from a book on The Beatles' debut night on American television. The book, written by Bob Spitz, recounts that fateful night in which an unprecedented 60 percent of the American population tuned in to watch the four Liverpool natives. Lines wrapped aroung blocks full of eager teenagers sick with Beatlemania wishing to see The Beatles live. According to Nielsen ratings, an estimated 74 million people watched the show.

To celebrate their success and the 50 years in which they have influenced music and culture, CBS will have a special show tonight. The two remaining Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, will join David Letterman at the Ed Sullivan Theatre and reminisce the history of The Beatles. The special, called "The Night that Changed America," will air Sunday night at 8 p.m.

The show will have a star-studded cast with musicians like John Mayer, Keith Urban, Alicia Keys and John Legend, to name a few, giving their own renditions of popular Beatles songs. Despite being formally introduced into the American zeitgeist five decades ago, The Beatles remain cultural icons and will hopefully remain so for another fifty years.

What do you think about The Beatles? Do you enjoy listening to their songs or do you prefer the music from the modern-day generation? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.