Recorded the day after the Beatles’ Ed Sullivan debut and rushed out on Capitol Records within a month, “A Letter to the Beatles” captures a very specific moment of mid-’60s panic. The Four Preps — the West Coast group behind “26 Miles (Santa Catalina)” — watched the British Invasion threaten their own fanbase, and Stu Phillips produced their musical response in real time.

Oriole Records famously turned down the Beatles in 1962 — then rushed out this fan-song answer to “She Loves You” in 1964. Studio group The Carefrees (built by producer Reg Warburton, based on “We Love You Conrad” from Bye Bye Birdie) got a “MISS!” from UK’s Juke Box Jury, but the U.S. release hit #39 on Billboard — making it the most successful Beatles novelty record ever, and the only one to crack the Top 40.

Motown Records put out A Bit of Liverpool by The Supremes on October 16, 1964. British bands dominated the charts. After The Supremes’ hit “Where Did Our Love Go” went to number one, Motown boss Berry Gordy decided to jump on the British music wave.