In an industry as opinion-based as music, it’s hard for people to agree on anything. However, many do agree on this: The Beatles are the greatest band ever. But why? What makes these guys from Liverpool stand above everyone else? The answer is influence. The Beatles didn’t just dominate music in the 1960s and early 1970s—they reinvented it.
In 1963, The Beatles came out with their debut album Please Please Me. It had a very classic ‘60s rock sound to it, heavily inspired by Chuck Berry. The album became extremely popular in the UK, and a year later the band appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, and with this, Beatlemania was well on its way.
In two years, the band released four more albums with many popular songs like “Help!,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” and many more. But in their album Help!, although similar to the last ones, they brought a more mature sound, hinting at the possibility of moving on from their “catchy love songs” gimmick.
And boy did they ever. The Beatles released Rubber Soul, with a folk-induced sound inspired by Bob Dylan. The Beatles never looked back from there, releasing Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (White Album), and Abbey Road, five of the best albums in history, one after another. This level of creativity and productivity remains unmatched. In three years, The Beatles went from singing “I Want to Hold Your Hand” to having guitar solos loop backwards in Revolver, showing a level of experimentation and evolution that most artists never achieve in decades.
Beyond this, The Beatles changed the way we experience albums. They popularized the concept album with Sgt. Pepper, showing the world that an album can be more than just a compilation of songs. They revolutionized cover art, too. And they made performer-written songs expected of others. They played just about every kind of genre, and their influence is unmatched, influencing bands like Queen, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Oasis, and even current artists like Billie Eilish.
What The Beatles achieved in seven years could only be possible due to the band having three lyrical geniuses in Paul, John, and George. Ringo, who is often overlooked, is one of the greatest drummers of all time; he wasn’t flashy, but always knew exactly what the song required. And unlike any other artist or band that slowly fades away until their music is no longer good enough, The Beatles made arguably the greatest album of all time in Abbey Road and called it quits.
The Beatles were not a regular band—they were music’s revolution.