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The Beatles

The Beatles - Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney

Vocals, Guitar, Various

The Beatles - Kim Thayil

John Lennon

Vocals, Guitar, Various

The Beatles - Matt Cameron

George Harrison

Vocals, Guitar, Various

The Beatles - Hiro Yamamoto

Ringo Starr

Drums, Various

Formed: 1960
Location: Liverpool, England
Genre: Rock, Pop Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Folk Rock
Years Active: 1960 - 1970
Meaning of the Name: Inspired by Buddy Holly and the Crickets
Way of Working: Led by Lennon & McCartney
Associated: Plastic Ono Band, The Quarrymen

Essential Releases

The Beatles - Rubber Soul

Rubber Soul (1965)

Exhilirating step foward in pop music as an art form. Pioneering work in folk rock.

The Beatles - Revolver

Revolver (1966)

Masterpiece. Introduced psychedelic elements and innovative studio techniques..

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely
Hearts Club Band
(1967)

Soundtrack to the Summer of Love.

The Beatles - Abbey Road

Abbey Road (1969)

Uplifting album created during internal conflict.


It's a rite of passage for every music fan to be lectured by their elders on why The Beatles are the Best Band in the World™. I'm pretty sure it's what Moses said to the tribes of Israel after coming down from Mount Sinai. Joking aside, the question becomes: 'why do so many people regard The Beatles as the greatest band of all time?'

The answer lies not only in their technological innovations, pioneering studio production, and critical work establishing genres ranging from folk-rock to psychedelia, but in the way they defined the very concept of the modern band. They upended the traditional notion that singing, songwriting, and overall musicianship are separate endeavours, and in doing so, charted a course through popular music that evolved alongside the '60s, into a state of creative and cultural nirvana.

In the Tin Pan Alley/Brill Building era, professional songwriters provided the likes of Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra with their material. Additionally, specialist session musicians recorded in the studio. The Beatles were, in contrast, a 'self-contained' band that wrote, sang, played, and composed their own work, as well as handling the necessary charisma-based duties.

Considering the band's immense impact on music history, it is staggering that their recording career spanned just seven active years (roughly 1962–1969). Their evolution from mop tops to creative visionaries bookended a decade, making them a perfect fit to soundtrack the socio-political transformation of the '60s.

As working-class Liverpudlians who conquered the world, their early success challenged the strict confines of the British class system. In April 1964, they dominated the US Billboard Chart by holding the top five positions simultaneously. During the counter-cultural renaissance of the mid '60s, the band embraced the kaleidoscopic world of LSD to pursue an on-trend path of expanded consciousness. Tracks such as 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' (1967) exemplify.
"Picture yourself in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies."
As the decade drew to a close, they became politically active and advocated for non-violence during the Vietnam War, crafting iconic anthems of peace such as 'Revolution' (1968).
"We all want to change the world.
But when you talk about destruction don't you know that you can count me out?"
In summary, The Beatles were a defining force in the most culturally impactful decade of the modern era. They shared radical new ideas with an audience of millions, both reflecting and steering bold cultural change that shaped the world we live in today. Modern life wouldn't be the same without The Beatles because their actions gave birth to the creative blueprint that shapes the assumptions around what real musicians 'should' be.


Skills

*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.

Emotional Impact

i Does it connect with the heart? What does it make you feel and how much of it?
95

Mental Impact

i Does it connect with the head? Social issues, interesting observations, clever lyrics, similies etc.
95

Originality

i Are they unique? Did they break new ground, use new techniques or create new genres.
100

Artistry

i Using creativity and imagination to present themselves in a unique way. Example, Wu-Tang Clan as Shaolin and Marvel characters etc.
100

Authenticity

i Do they really mean what they say? Is it autobiographical, personal?
90

Live

i Stage presence, working the crowd, performance. Miming, forgetting lyrics reduce this.
70

Production

i Studio techniques. More important for electronic music including hip hop.
100

Musicianship

i Their ability to play individually and as a group. Technical skills. DJing. Freestyling for hip hop.
90

Singing

i Technical attributes.
90

Songwriting

i Storytelling. Cohesive themes. Is the song about something? Stan by Eminem is an example of excellent songwriting.
100

Danceability

i Does it make you move? Do you tap your foot, nod your head or move your whole body?
70

Fun

i Is listening to it a good time? Are the lyrics funny? Depressing themes lowers value.
80

Consistency

i Have they put out good music across their careers. Two good albums and 5 band ones will reduce this value. Reduced for Pixies due to their post-reunion albums.
90

Range

i Fast, slow, ballads, party jams. Do they go beyond their own genre?
100

Cool

i Laid-back, icy detachment, unflustered.
95

Charisma

i Factors include appearance, force of personality. Elvis making people faint etc.
100

Commercial & Critical Success

Awards >>>

  • Academy Award WINNER! 1971 - Let It Be - Best Music (Original Song Score)
  • Grammy Award WINNER! x4
  • Grammy Award Nominee x16

Certifications >>>

  • Please Please Me - Platinum in the US & the UK; Gold in Canada & Australia
  • With the Beatles - Gold in the US, the UK, Germany, Australia & Canada
  • A Hard Days Night - Platinum in the UK, Gold in Australia
  • Beatles for Sale - Platinum in the US; Gold in the UK, Australia & Canada
  • Help! - Platinum in the UK; Gold in Australia
  • Rubber Soul - Platinum in the UK & Australia; Gold in Germany
  • Revolver - Platinum in the UK & Australia
  • Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Diamond in the US; Platinum in the UK, Australia, Canada & Germany, Gold in France
  • The Beatles - - Diamond in the US; Platinum in the UK, Australia & Canada, Gold in France
  • Yellow Submarine - Platinum in the US; Gold in the UK &Canada
  • Abbey Road - Diamond in the US & Canada; Platinum in the UK, Germany, Australia & France
  • Let It Be - Platinum in the US, the UK, Australia & Canada; Gold in France

Charts >>>

  • Please Please Me - Number 1 in the UK; Number 5 in Germany & France
  • With the Beatles - Number 1 in the UK, Canada & Germany; Number 5 in France
  • A Hard Days Night - Number 1 in the UK, Australia & Germany
  • Beatles for Sale - Number 1 in the UK, Australia & Germany
  • Help! - Number 1 in the UK, Australia & Germany; Number 5 in France
  • Rubber Soul - Number 1 in the UK, Australia & Germany; Number 5 in France
  • Revolver - Number 1 in the UK, Australia & Germany; Number 5 in France
  • Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Number 1 in the UK, the US, Australia, Germany & Canada; Number 4 in France
  • The Beatles - Number 1 in the UK, the US, Australia, Germany, Canada & France
  • Yellow Submarine - Number 1 in Canada; Number 2 the US, Number 3 in the UK, Number 4 in Australia & France; Number 5 in Germany
  • Abbey Road - Number 1 in the UK, the US, Australia, Germany, Canada & France
  • Let It Be - Number 1 in the UK, the US, Australia & Canada; Number 4 in Germany; Number 5 in France

Critics >>>

  • We would be here all day.

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