After several requests by Parlophone Records in England (and by Beatles manager Brian Epstein's negotiations with Capitol records), Capitol records decided to finally release a Beatles single. Along with the release of I Want To Hold Your Hand also came one of the largest promotional campaigns in the history of music, with $50,000 dollars spent towards Beatles promotions.

The song was first heard in America via a Washington D.C. disc jockey named Carroll James. He had a stewardess friend who worked for BOAC airlines, and as such brought him a copy of the single for him to play to his listeners. Because of the extra exposure from James and other radio stations playing I Want To Hold Your Hand, Capitol Records pushed up it's release date of the single from January 13, 1964 to December 26, 1963.

From the time it was first issued, I Want To Hold Your Hand shot to the top of the charts. Only Billboard charted the B-side with I Saw Her Standing There going as high as Number 14.