Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney has written more famous melodies than almost anyone. In the Beatles his songs ranged from 'Yesterday' and 'Eleanor Rigby' to the hard-rocking 'Helter Skelter', and his melodic bass playing became one of the band's signatures.

His homemade solo debut McCartney, with 'Maybe I'm Amazed', and the quirky, sun-drenched Ram, made with Linda McCartney, showed his playful side, and with Wings he became one of the biggest acts of the 70s, especially with Band on the Run and 'Live and Let Die'. Later records such as Flaming Pie and McCartney III, the latter again made almost entirely alone, have kept him busy into his 80s.