There should have been nothing special about Sgt. Pepper. April to June 1966 had seen the recording of the previous album Revolver, the Beatles' seventh successive UK No. 1, whose diverse and innovatory material and approach to production were to provide the impetus for journalists like Melody Maker's Alan Walsh to bemoan the fact that pop music was growing up. In May 1967, prior to the release of Sgt. Pepper, Walsh was complaining that the Beatles (together with groups such as the Hollies and the Beach Boys) were losing contact with their fans through their growing reluctance to tour, to appear on television and to be interviewed. Indeed, the autumn of 1966 had seen what was to be the Beatles' last tour, a decision that had been brewing for some time (due in large part to their inability even to hear themselves on stage because of the incessant adulation) and which was brought to a head by the nasty incident following their apparent failure to accord ‘proper’ respect to Imelda Marcos, wife of the Philippine dictator, on the Philippine leg of that tour.

In late November 1966, they began recording work on ‘Strawberry Fields forever’, which was intended to appear on the as-yet-unnamed eighth British album. In one sense, this was to mark a new departure. Having decided not to tour any more, the Beatles' entire musical effort could be devoted to the studio.