What was the first band to be signed by Apple Records, a record label founded by the Beatles in 1968 as a division of Apple Corps Limited?

Badfinger were a Welsh rock band formed in Swansea, Wales that were active from the 1960s to the 1980s.Their best-known line up consisted of Pete Ham, Mike Gibbins, Tom Evans, and Joey Molland.

The band evolved from an earlier group called the Iveys, formed in 1961. They became the first group signed by the Beatles' Apple label in 1968. They renamed themselves Badfinger, after the working title for the Beatles' 1967 song "With a Little Help from My Friends" ("Bad Finger Boogie").

From 1968 to 1973, Badfinger recorded five albums for Apple and toured extensively, before they became embroiled in the chaos of Apple Records' dissolution. They had four consecutive worldwide hits from 1970 to 1972: "Come and Get It" , "No Matter What", "Day After Day", and "Baby Blue".

Their song "Without You" (1970) has been recorded many times, including a US number-one hit for Harry Nilsson, and decades later, a UK number-one for Mariah Carey. Pete Ham is now largely remembered for being the writer of that song.

After Apple Records folded in 1973, Badfinger struggled with legal, managerial and financial issues, leading Ham to commit suicide in 1975. The other band members struggled to rebuild their personal and professional lives against a backdrop of lawsuits, which tied up the songwriters' royalty payments for years. In 1983, Evans tragically also committed suicide.