The First American Invasion: The Beatles Takeover Essay

In 1960, Paul McCarthy, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, created a rock band in Liverpool named The Beatles, which without them knowing, would become the most successful and popular rock band in the 20th century. Popular enough that the group was the first group ever to perform at a sports arena because they needed a large enough space for all the people that bought the tickets. The Beatles became so powerful that contributed to a movement called “the British invasion”. Before The Beatles, all the musicians that made it

Paul McCartney once said, “We would say, ‘Try it! Just try it for us. If it sounds crappy, OK, we’ll lose it. But it might just sound good.’ We were always pushing ahead: Louder, further, longer, more different” (“All About Jazz”). The Beatles had complete access to Abbey Road studios free of charge, spending hours upon hours experimenting and writing music. They used the studio as an instrument in itself. They were the first band to push musical and technological boundaries. They took advantage of accidental occurrences in the recording process. You can see this in

After the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, and other accounts of tragedy, America was in deep melancholy and needed the void filled. When the Beatles stepped off the plane in ’64, they unknowingly initiated the revolution that sent vulnerable Americans out of the depths of

Everyone, Americans and Europeans alike, have heard-of, if not grown off of, a generation and culture started by an ensemble of four shaggy-haired Liverpool musicians that the world went mad over; no one can deny that no greater event impacted today's pop culture than "Beatlemania". But not everyone has heard the story behind the Beatles, who were they? How did they become the band and how did they make it big? What's the story of their struggle?

     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

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.

Questioning the correlation of commercial success and true artistry began in the light of mainstream music. Mainstream music has been given a negative connotation due to the supposed lack of originality of the artists. Repetitive chord progressions and meaningless lyrics compose the majority of “mainstream music,” making each song sound like the next . Despite these patterns in music, artists still ventured outside of what was societally normal and created music that was unheard of. Despite the potential risks in being an individual in the music industry, several groups achieved high success and maintain the popularity in the present. Creativity and commercial success can definitely exist alongside one another, and this paper will prove that through the music of the Beatles, the performance styles of David Bowie, and the grunge movement in Seattle which was fueled by Nirvana.

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

In the 1960s, The Beatles were formed in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. Members of the band included four talented musicians, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr. Group members, George, Paul, and John, all played music together during their teenage years. As teens, they were all influenced by Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Carl Perkins and they paid great intentness to these artists. With having such a spirit, The Beatles were such great trendsetters during their time in the music industry. The group popularized long hair, devil horns, and hallucinogenic drugs, becoming extensive influencers on the public. In a short period of time, The Beatles were able to capture the attention of many people through their music.

The British invasion began with the popularization of the rock group “The Beatles”. Their fame created an open door for other rock groups from england to make their debut in America. Although more intense, the music from the british invasion, and music influenced by it, also reflected the peace loving counterculture that was incorporated in folk music. Songs like “Revolution” by The Beatles and “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones clearly express the concerns that the public had for their own safety during war times. “Revolution” is about exactly what you would expect with the lyrics “We all want to change the world / But when you talk about destruction / Don't you know that you can count me out.” These lyrics, and akin lyrics found throughout this popular rock age, pushed many people to realize that it is better to be pacifist and fight anger with peace, rather than put american lives in jeopardy. Not only did these tunes reflect popular sentiment, they educated people on the importance of unity over segregation and

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

The Beatles were one of the most influential music groups of the rock era. They were able to conquer and influence pop culture with their music. Initially they affected the post-war baby boom generation of Britain and the W.S. during the 1960s, and later the request of the world. Certainly they were the most successful group, with global sales exceeding 1.3 billion albums. During the sixties, The Beatles using revolutionary ideas in their music inspired a generation of young adults across the globe to look at life from their perspective.

the Beatles. And they had to go to Germany to do it. In order to

Just try it for us. If it sounds crappy, OK, we’ll lose it. But it might just sound good” (Innovations In Practice). Overall, The Beatles deviated from the one man band to become much more inspiring, collaborative, and goal oriented. This was a result of relying on one another, openness, and authenticity, which helped them to produce creative and ground-breaking music.