<P> The commercial reception was unspectacular initially, with the record - buying public wary after Wings' preceding releases . On the UK Albums Chart, Band on the Run climbed to number 9 on 22 December, remaining there for a second week before dropping to number 13 . On America's Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart, it peaked at number 7 on 2 February 1974 and then spent the next six weeks in the lower reaches of the top ten . The album went on to achieve considerable success, however, thanks to the popularity of the two singles culled from it--"Jet" and the title track . Writing in 1981, Bob Woffinden described Band on the Run as the first Beatles - related release to be "planned with a marketing strategy", as Capitol Records now assumed a fully active role in promoting the album following the removal of Klein's ABKCO Industries as managers of Apple . Although McCartney had been reluctant to issue album tracks as singles, the public's apparent disinterest in Band on the Run led to him ceding to the recommendations of Capitol's head of marketing, Al Coury, who had similarly pushed for the inclusion of "Helen Wheels". McCartney therefore authorised single edits for the two new A-sides . </P> <P> "Jet" was issued on 28 January in America, with "Mamunia" as the B - side for the single's initial pressings, although this was soon replaced by "Let Me Roll It", which was the B - side for the UK release, on 15 February . The single's success provided new impetus for the album, which hit number 2 in the UK at the end of March and topped Billboard's listings on 13 April . Apple issued "Band on the Run" on 8 April in America, backed by "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty - Five"; the UK release followed on 28 June, with the non-album instrumental "Zoo Gang" as the B - side . Due to the popularity of "Band on the Run", the album returned to number 1 on Billboard on 8 June, when the single simultaneously topped the Hot 100 . In Britain, the album finally hit number 1 on 27 July, for the first of seven consecutive weeks at the top . On the alternative UK listings compiled by Melody Maker, Band on the Run remained in the top ten from 26 January through to 23 November 1974 . During that time, its chart performance similarly reflected the popularity of the two singles, with the album spending three weeks at number 2 in April, and six weeks at number 1 throughout August and the first week of September . </P> <P> The album topped the Billboard chart on three separate occasions during 1974, and was the top selling album of that year in Australia and Canada . In Britain, it came second in the year - end standings, behind the compilation The Singles: 1969--1973 by the Carpenters . Through this success with Wings, McCartney established himself as the most commercially successful of the four former Beatles . Rodriguez views the album's arrival at number 1 on Billboard, in April 1974, as the moment when McCartney usurped George Harrison as the "ex-Beatle Most Likely to Succeed", so beginning a period of public acclaim that reached its zenith with the Wings Over America Tour in 1976 . </P> <P> Band on the Run was eventually certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America; it would go on to sell 6 million copies worldwide and become EMI's top selling album of the 1970s in the UK . Its continued success through 1974 was also beneficial in allowing Wings to recruit a new guitarist and drummer, and to integrate them into the band before beginning new recordings . </P>

Who is on the cover of band on the run