Summary: The Beatles During The Bigger Than Jesus

How Was "Sgt? Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" by The Beatles so Culturally Reflective and Innovative?

The Beatles are one of the most innovative rock bands of all time. They have not only changed the way rock and roll is looked at, but also the way that the music is recorded. They have influenced the artists of the 60s and the 70s, and also many generations later and to come. Originating from Liverpool, England, the Beatles, or the Fab Four, consists of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Topping the charts in ’63 with “Love Me Do,” and bringing in the highest rated viewing in history while performing on the Ed Sullivan Show, the Beatles are definitely a band that broke the sound barrier of rock

In the early 60s, Britain was known in America for essentially the Queen and tea. However, that all changed in February of 1964 when the Beatles touched down on American soil for the first time. Their first hop across the pond was no ordinary endeavor, as most British boy bands or performers had a hard time making it in the states. However, their venture to visit The Ed Sullivan Show ultimately changed America’s future. From that point forward, Americans began on their journey to find hope and expression through the Beatles’ music and their influence. In present day America, it is hard to imagine a day that passes by without the media mentioning the British Royal Family, the famous British supermodel, Cara Delavigne, or the British pop band, One Direction. However, most of these British obsessions wouldn’t be as prevalent in America today if it weren’t for the Beatles appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show or the pop culture phenomenon that ensued thereafter. If one thing is for certain, the Beatles invasion into the U.S. masked ambivalent socioeconomic affairs in the early ‘60s and accelerated the change in American pop culture.

     From the sounds of Elvis many other important bands of the sixties were inspired, even people a thousand miles away from America. One of these important bands was the Beatles. The Beatles took the rock sound and added more lyrical and musical complexity to the sound. The Beatles were the starters of the “British Invasion” in 1963 when they released “I want to Hold Your Hand” (Kallen, 2012, 31). After their first single they had immense success with other hits such as “She Loves You” and “Woooo!” The Beatles continued to reinvent their music on the various other albums throughout the sixties delving into complex, heavy existential concepts and psychedelic elements, becoming the most relevant influence for modern rock.

The Beatles were more than their music. They influenced the lives of millions of people unlike any musicians before them. They were the first and most popular band in one of the most important music movements in American history, the British Invasion. The year 1964 was the year both the British Invasion and “Beatlemania” came to America and forever changed the landscape of music in the United States by introducing the genre of pop, as it is today. The Beatles changed the rules of music. Many things that are considered normal now were pioneered by the Beatles such as: creating compilation albums, expressing their views on world happenings through the media, musicians in movies, and even mass media advertising. The beatles

Overall, the Beatles were more popular than Elvis Presley. As mentioned in the lecture- The Beatles, their music was already out in Britain before it was in the United States. They were really successful, more than what they expected to be. The lesson also stated “Early in their career, the Beatles wore matching outfits, and in spite of their distinctive haircuts, which were long for the time.” I still remember having an instructor tell me that when the Beatles came on stage first the first time in the Ed Sullivan Show, people were kind shocked in against their hair style since males had to properly cut and trim their hair a certain way. It was disrespectful to have long hair back in the day, so afterwards; the Beatles influenced and created

There have been many people, known as artists, who have tried to change the world through their art. “Art” can be paintings, music, dances, sculptures, literature, or photography. There are many ways to communicate and express ones feelings but The Beatles did it through their popular music. Although they didn’t focus on changing the world of politics or try to protest through their music they have songs that focus on those exact two things.

The Beatles started as an English skiffle group in the late 1950s. By the time they reached their peak popularity, the term “Beatlemania” was coined to explain the frenzied obsession with the group. A former associate editor from Rolling Stone drew a comparison between the Beatles and Picasso, calling them “artists that broke through their time period to come up with something that was unique and original.” Throughout their discography, the Beatles have time and time again released music that both broke musical trends and engrossed the masses. They have held an “unprecedented top five spots on the

In the 1960’s British artists took their modified edition of rock and roll, crossed the Atlantic Ocean and shared it with America. This concept would end up being acknowledged as the British Invasion. The British Invasion is the movement where bands from the United Kingdom became popular in the United States. It involved the virtual control of AM radio and the record industry in the United States by British artists, particularly the groups who had confirmed to be experts at recycling the American rhythm and blues and rockabilly songs of the 1950’s (Burns 2004). This movement is described as one of the most fascinating aspects of rock revolution that stimulated young American audiences by a second-hand version of American music traditions and filtered through British sensibilities (Winkler 1988). Due to The Beatles’ heavy influence on American music culture, it is still debated whether or not they were the greatest band of all time. There are many theories as to why America supported and embraced The Beatles’ success. The focal point shifted from the aftershock of John F. Kennedy’s death towards The Beatles and their rising popularity. This phenomenon changed the idea of rock and roll, as well as other

Known for being pioneers for rock 'n roll music in the 1960s the Beatles weren 't always musical celebrities. Coming from humble beginnings in

Psychologist and Writer Timothy Leary once famously said, "I declare that the Beatles are mutants. Prototypes of evolutionary agents sent by God, endowed with a mysterious power to create a new human species, a young race of laughing freemen." , and I completely agree as does most of history. The Beatles were one of the greatest and influential musical acts of all time. They were one of very few artist to have multiple songs on the Billboard 100 in the top 10 and are the only artist to sell over 1 billion records. During their 10 year legendary run, the group went through many changes, whether it be multiple “Fifth Beatles”, classical and “traditional” clean cut young Brits straight out of Liverpool to scruffy hipsters prospering in America, or their break up thanks to a certain Japanese-American woman, that cemented her legacy as a scapegoat in the 1970s. Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, & George Harrison changed the way people looked at British musicians and music in America in the 60s. In late 1957, John Lennon lead a band called The Blackjacks when he was at the tender age of 16. Months after their formation, Lennon met Paul McCartney who was a fresh 15 years old around the time. After he and Lennon realized the chemistry artistically between them , the two agreed for McCartney to be the band’s newly placed rhythm guitarist. The two along with their other bandmates began to achieve success in their local Liverpool, England "back yard". McCartney then told his

“You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world”. Those lyrics from the Beatles song Revolution were considered subversive to Soviet youth by the Communist leaders. In fact until the late 1980’s, Beatle music was banned or very difficult to obtain in Russia.(Woodhead) Their music was smuggled into the country. If a person was caught, he would be punished by the KGB. Yet, despite the efforts of the authorities, the youth of Russia managed to listen to the music. They knew the Beatles names, their hair styles and their music. The Beatles were a major factor in bringing down the Soviet Union by changing the mindset of Soviet youth.

Before the Beatles, music and television were heavily censored. There was still segregation in many parts of the country, and rock and roll music was in its infancy. The Beatles admired their mentor Bob Dylan and were little known in America. The critics called them the “ Yeah, Yeah, Yeah boys”(Hill) to mock them and make fun of them. The Beatles got no more than decent reviews from other countries they played for. Just before the Beatles came to America, critics and other professionals were not impressed. They believed the Beatles would only last a few months before turning into another Failed band. Newsweek magazine reported in late 1963 that the Beatles music was “A near disaster” and their

Have you ever found yourself in awe at the videos of the three-year-old singing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"? It doesn 't help either, that the little kid is so cute and chubby you just want to pinch his or her cheeks and talk to him or her in Barney mode. Well, today with one of the biggest boy bands, their career is essentially the identical way. The band One Direction, is a combination of five talented, handsome, young men who use their good looks to their advantage, basically the same way the pretentious and self-gratifying parent does when they put their child 's video up on YouTube. The boys themselves; Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, and Zayn Malik are anything but ordinary personality wise. However, in

From humble beginnings, The Beatles took the world’s stage overnight. Their songs were so good, that young girls screamed, and cried, and pulled their hair from just looking at them! John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr were—and remain, one of the best Rock & Roll bands in existence. The band, with their team, created some of the greatest songs we have ever heard in America, the U.K., and beyond. The Beatles created a new standard for Rock & Roll. Their influence is everywhere and their tunes play on today.