[2][3] McCartney did not participate in the project but did not discourage others from giving interviews,[3] such as former Wings drummer Denny Seiwell[4] and filmmaker Sir Michael Lindsay-Hogg.

Volume 1 was received favorably in The New York Times as a "well-planned encore" to McCartney's 2021 semi-autobiographical work, The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present.

"[5] In The Times, Daniel Finkelstein gave a mixed review, complaining that it was too long and was a substandard "imitator" of Lewisohn's work, while praising the depth of research.

[6] The Irish Times gave a mixed review, offering that the book was "often compelling", but also "so exhaustive it's almost like swimming through treacle to get to something that little bit more interesting".

[7] Rolling Stone writer Rob Sheffield described the book as a "comprehensive, painstaking, dazzling and definitive chronicle.