The Beatles

The Beatles Artistfacts

  • 1960-1970
    John LennonVocals, rhythm guitar1960-1970
    Paul McCartneyVocals, bass1960-1970
    George HarrisonVocals, lead guitar1960-1970
    Stu SutcliffeBass1960-1961
    Pete BestDrums1960-1962
    Ringo StarrDrums1962-1970
  • They were called The Quarrymen, then Johnny and the Moondogs, then The Silver Beetles before settling on The Beatles.

    The group name was a play on "The Crickets," who were Buddy Holly's backup band. John Lennon liked how both names had double meanings: they were both names of insects, while cricket is a popular international sport and "beat" is a musical term. When The Beatles finally met members of The Crickets, they were surprised to learn that they never thought of their band name as having anything to do with the sport - they don't play cricket in America.
  • Their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964 drew what was at the time the largest audience in the history of American television. Crime in America dropped noticeably that night, especially juvenile offenses.
  • They are the only band with six Diamond albums, meaning sales of 10 million each in America: Sgt. Pepper, Abbey Road, The Beatles 1962-1966, The Beatles 1967-1970, The White Album, The Beatles 1. Led Zeppelin has five Diamond albums.
  • The Beatles made five movies: A Hard Day's Night, Help, Yellow Submarine, Magical Mystery Tour, and Let It Be.
  • When they hit it big, The Beatles were subject to massive taxes in England, which they sheltered by forming a public company to control their publishing rights. This company was bought out in 1969 and put up for sale in 1984, which is when Michael Jackson famously outbid Paul McCartney for the publishing rights to most of the Beatles songs. Jackson paid $47.5 million for the catalogue of over 200 songs, which in 1995, when Jackson needed cash, he merged with Sony for $95 million.
  • They toured the United States three times: in the summers of 1964, 1965 and 1966. Their Shea Stadium concert in 1965 was the first rock concert held at a stadium. A decade later, acts like Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk and Kiss regularly played stadiums, which by then had much better sound systems.
  • All four Beatles have appeared on the TV show The Simpsons: Ringo in 1991 when Homer finds paintings of him in the attic and Marge explains how she sent one to him in the '60s (he finally gets the painting and writes her back), George in 1993 when Homer recalls being in a barbershop quartet and at a party George introduces himself and Homer only wants to know where he got his brownie (in the same episode Homer's band does a reunion on the rooftop and George's limo pulls up and he says its been done), and Paul in 1995 when Lisa is introduced to him and Linda by Apu when she needs advice on vegetarianism.

    John Lennon appeared on the 2008 episode "Tree house of Terror XIX." He rides out of heaven on a yellow submarine and says, "All we are saying is, 'Let's eat some brains!" >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Michael - Murrieta, CA
  • The most #1 albums in the US chart by a group is 19, by The Beatles, thanks to various Anthology and compilation albums. Their chart-topping tally is more than double the number of those held by Elvis Presley and The Rolling Stones, with 9. Their latest chart-topping album was aptly entitled 1 and was released in 2001 which sold 13.5 million copies around the world in its first month, making it the fastest-selling album.
  • A Beatles cartoon ran on Saturday mornings on ABC from 1965 to 1969, making John, Paul, George and Ringo the first real people animated in a weekly series. The Beatles didn't voice their characters - John and George were voice by one actor and Paul and Ringo by another. Initially the open credits theme was a guitar riff from "A Hard Day's Night" segueing into "Can't Buy Me Love," which was over a cartoon sequence of the lads running down a fire escape, just like a scene in A Hard Day's Night. The second season's opening theme was "Help!", while the third season's theme was "And Your Bird Can Sing," over a different cartoon sequence that showed each Beatles' face being morphed into a cartoon.

    In 2001, Cartoon Network released an episode of their then-popular cartoon The Powerpuff Girls titled "Meet The Beat-Alls." The plot of the cartoon was that four of the villains that the Powerpuff Girls always battled and defeated joined forces and became one powerful group. The villains were Mojo Jojo, Him, Princess Morbucks, and Fuzzy Lumpkins. Their group formation and success mirrored that of the Beatles, and the cartoon featured hundreds of references to Beatles songs, album covers, etc. The Beatles themselves even made a cameo near the end. Near the end, Mojo meets a female monkey named "Moko Jono", a play on Yoko Ono. Like Yoko was blamed for doing, Moko pretty much helped to break the villain group up. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Tom - Marble Falls, AR and Patrick - Bremen, GA
  • McCartney's first wife, Linda, and Lennon's second, Yoko, both went to Sarah Lawrence College.
  • Lennon wanted Jesus, Gandhi, and Hitler on the cover of Sgt. Pepper. He had recently taken a lot of heat for saying The Beatles were "Bigger than Jesus," so they decided not to.
  • The Beatles are the best-selling group of all time, estimated to have sold over one billion records worldwide. They have had more #1 singles and albums than any other musical group, and had the fastest selling single and of all time with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and 1 respectively. They also spent the highest number of weeks at #1 in the album charts - 174 weeks in the UK and 132 weeks in the US. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Taike - Lungtan, Taiwan
  • Abbey Road is the name of the recording studio they used. They used it for the name of the last album they recorded, and shot the famous cover in the crosswalk outside. At one point, they planned to call the album "Everest" and shoot the cover with the band at the base of Mount Everest, but they went the simple route instead. The photo shoot took 30 minutes.
  • They are always listed as John, Paul, George and Ringo because that's the order they joined the band.
  • Their songs hardly ever appear on compilation albums with other artists, as Apple Records has rarely allowed it.
  • They had a hard time getting a record deal in the US. They were turned down by five different record companies before finally being signed to Capitol.
  • None of The Beatles could read music, but they could apparently write it - all of them learned to play by ear. They honed their skills with constant early performances: early club gigs lasted hours, but after they hit it big, their concerts ran about 30 minutes.
  • When Lennon shared an apartment with Sutcliffe, he would sometimes sleep in a silk-lined coffin that he had stolen from a garbage dump.
  • Each member of The Beatles has an asteroid named after him. An Arizona Research Lab named them in the mid-1980s.
  • They were the first pop group to be made into wax sculptures at Madame Tussaud's wax museum in London.
  • In the US, they had 20 #1 hits, 43 Top 20, and 53 Top 40 hits. Their first was in 1964 and the last was in 1996.
  • Apple Records was around before Apple Computer. The computer company had to agree not to enter the music business when they took their name. This became an issue after computers could play back songs. At the time computers just went "beep," Apple Records was happy, but as soon as you could record and play back a song - that was an infringement. The legal issues were finally resolved in 2007, with Apple Computer owning the Apple name but licensing it back to Apple Records. This paved the way for The Beatles music appearing on iTunes and other digital services. In a statement, Apple Computer boss Steve Jobs said, "We love The Beatles, and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks... we wish Apple Inc. every success and look forward to many years of peaceful cooperation with them." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Quentin - Perth, Australia
  • Their American and UK releases were often very different. For instance, three songs on the Revolver album were left off the American version but included on another album: Yesterday and Today. When they released Sgt. Pepper, the group put a stop to this practice, insisting that it and all future albums be consistent across countries.
  • Their first four releases have either "You" or "Me" in the title: "Love Me Do," "Please Please Me," "She Loves You," "From Me To You." This was done intentionally to create a relationship between them and their fans. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mike - Mountlake Terrace, WA. U.S.A
  • On Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of all time, The Beatles hold the #1 spot with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, as well as the #3 and #5 spots with Revolver and Rubber Soul.The White Album was listed as #10 and Abbey Road was 14. That's 3 albums in the top 5, 4 albums in the top 10 and 5 albums in the top 15. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Giancarlo - Strawberry Fields, MI
  • By the end of 1970 the Beatles had sold more than 500 million records. Guinness reported sales of 545 million Beatles records from 1963-74. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France
  • In 2006 George Martin and his son Giles produced the music for the Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas production Love, which is based on The Beatles music. Martin went back to the master tapes and used pieces of about 130 songs to create 26 tracks for the soundtrack. The project was approved by McCartney and Starr, as well as the estates of Harrison and Lennon. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France
  • In 1976 Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels offered $3000 during one of the show's episodes for the Beatles to reunite. John Lennon and Paul McCartney, both of whom happened to be watching the show together at Lennon's home, considered walking over to the studio which was just one and a half miles away, but decided not to because they were tired.
  • In 1969, the Detroit disc jockey Russ Gibb played a portion of "Revolution 9" backwards, and some listeners heard the phrase "Turn me on, dead man." This flamed rumors that Paul McCartney was dead and replaced by a surgically enhanced lookalike. Evidence included the Abbey Road cover, which supposedly portrayed John as the priest, Ringo the undertaker, Paul dead (his shoes are off), and George as the gravedigger. Note that Paul, who is left-handed, is holding a cigarette in his right hand on the cover.
  • The Lennon/McCartney songwriting team was extremely prolific. "We never had a dry session," McCartney told GQ in 2018. "We never went away from the session going, 'Ah, we couldn't get it today.' We always finished a song, which is pretty remarkable."
  • From a geopolitical standpoint, The Beatles tell quite a story. Liverpool, a port city of strategic value in World War II, was bombed relentlessly by the Nazis in 1940 and 1941, around the time John, Paul, George and Ringo were born. But after the war ended in 1945, Liverpool recovered much faster than other English cities thanks in large part to an enormous American military base that was set up in nearby Burtonwood. In the mid-'50s, soldiers brought rock and roll records from America that made their way around Liverpool, including in Brian Epstein's shop. They also wanted to hear this music live, which gave Liverpool bands incentive to learn the songs. In the early '60s, The Beatles cut their teeth playing in Germany, the country that 20 years earlier was bombing their homeland. They refined and rebuilt rock and roll, then imported it back to America, where it began, in 1964.

Comments: 196

  • Josh In Champaign from Champaign, IlExpounding on the notes regarding Apple Computers and Apple Records. Jim Reekes was the sound designer at Apple Computer in the 1980's when lawyers at Apple Records decided to sue over sounds being produced on the Macintosh (now known as Mac). Jim had to go through and change the names of sound files to remove all references to music and he changed one simple beep to "Sosumi". :) Later he changed the boot up sound, without permission, to the chords played at the end of A Day In The Life. There's a video from CNBC interviewing Jim on YouTube if you'd like to hear him tell the stories.
  • Sergio from Eastbourne, U.k.I saw The Beatles live in February 1963 at the Carfax Assembly Rooms in Oxford. If that sounds a tiny venue, that's because it was. It was a first-storey dance floor with tables and chairs around the edge. Located within 50 yards of the recognised centre of Oxford (Carfax), the occupants beneath this venue are today, the HSBC Bank. I don't think the 'Carfax Assembly Rooms' have been used as such for decades.

    In 1963, the 'stage' was about 6 inches higher than the dance floor and barely big enough to accommodate the four-piece Beatles. I was 16 years old at the time and I didn't dance so I bought a beer from the bar and stood directly in front of the 'stage' most of the evening. There was very little or no screaming as I recall. I remember thinking just how cool Ringo seemed whereas the others seemed quite busy playing, singing and adjusting stuff.

    Little did I know then that so-called Beatlemania would start just six months later. I would guess The Beatles were on stage for 1.5 to 2 hours. Long by later standards but much, much shorter than their Hamburg gigs from which they had then only recently returned.

    Memories...agh...memories.
  • Meocyber from Alma. Co.Musical super genius's , DaVinci, Einstein , Lincolns of the 20th century. Im completely lucky they super novaed into millions of peoples lives, plus mine. And in the end.....
  • Kurt Schewe from Kc MoWhat can I say? They came to kc. My older sister went. I was too young. I saw Paul and wings in May of 76' in kc. Kansas, then again in early 90's at arrowhead stadium in kc mo. I was in marine band in 1972 to 1975. We used to travel around the country and play in parades and concerts. I was walking through times square and my buddy said "hey there's John Lennon". I said bull and turned around. Tt was him, giving an autograph to someone. I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to bother him. I waited till he was done. He turned around and continued walking. I hollered at him "hey John". He turned around and I waved at him. He waved back. I am 66 tomorrow. That was a good day.
  • Bridget from CoThese guys are a lot of fun to reference! Especially once on the 2nd to last day of January this year, my favorite Youtuber was playing Roblox , and his friend suggested they play an obby, his other friend asked what an obby was, and he said, "It's a Beatles album; Obby Road." She replied, "Obby Osbourne?" and he replied, "Abbey Dabbey,!" The references are easy to see through, since my history teacher caught it when he overheard me talking about it the next day.
  • Amybeth from Cranston Ri UsaMy birthday is on Easter Sunday and I will be 64! My wishlist... to have Sir Paul McCartney sing When I'm 64 to me dressed as the Easter Bunny!
  • Richard from Tullamore, IrelandOK re Cry for a Shadow, I just found information about it on the list of songs on another page in this website.
  • Richard from Tullamore, IrelandMichael of Ponce, Puerto Rico, in your list of other number ones, I have never heard of your no.5 Cry for a shadow - #1 Australia, #7 in the Phillipines. Despite being a Beatles fan since 1963. Did they sing it themselves?
  • Mary from Grand Rapids, MiFOR ALL YOU PAUL IS DEAD-ers
    Let me convince you
    1. Paul is not dead simple as that
    2. Paul was knighted so wouldn't the queen notice that it was a different Paul? Eh hem yes she would
    3. The whole left hand playing such and such/abbey road it's called flip the cover BAM walking opposite...Aka backwards
    4. You say the "face isnt lined up correctly" well sorry to burst your bubble it's called getting older.
    5. Well it's 2012 and a Sir Paul McCartney is walking, breathing, LIVING, and I'm pretty sure zombies do not currently exist
    Nuff said
    LET IT BE
  • Mecid from Baku, AzerbaijanThe Greatest Musicians of The Greatest Band. Thank you four your contribution to world music John, Paul, George, Ringo. The Beatles Forever
  • James from Dublin, IrelandThe most influential and succesful artist in music history.Although there is quite a difference between success and influence, and actual quality. In my opinion Led Zeppelin and the Stones were far better at their peak than The Beatles nevertheless a great band.
  • Cameron from Deltona, Fli'm getting tired of the fighting, why don't we all take a boat ride to Pepperland, where all you need is love, and everyone gives peace a chance
  • Kosta from Alpine, TxThat's incorrect about Mal Evans. His ashes were never found. It was John who, when he heard that they lost his ashes, said "they should look in the dead letter file."
  • Terry from Stoke-on-trent, United KingdomDuring the week of 4th April 1964, The Beatles had the top 5 singles in the American Top 100....No. 1 Can't Buy Me Love....No. 2 Twist & Shout....No. 3 She Loves You....No. 4 I Want To Hold Your Hand....No. 5 Please Please Me.
    Apparently, they also had 7 more singles on the chart that week at lower positions. Total of 12 singles on the chart in the same week.
    Quoted from Wapedia Beatles record sales.
  • Reese from Carroll, Beninok, i have to say this, no one get mad at me.
    The Beatles wanted love, and peace. but on their Artistfacts page, people are fighting. people are talking about Led Zeplin and other people who ARENT the Beatles!! so all im saying is, please stop fighting, and talk about The Beatles!!
  • Giovanni from Lynhurst, NjTo Steve again

    Read what Robert Fripp said about the Beatles on Cambridge Companion to the Beatles. He stated he wanted to finish what the Beatles left off on Sgt Pepper. Who cares about lyrics when you have the Beatles melodies and chord progressions. If you want to go there the Beatles were writing about much more mature and adult songs like "In My Life", and "Norwegian Wood" while the Who singing "My Generation" and the Stones had not even written a full original album yet. The Beatles were writing about death and loneliness on "Eleanor Rigby" while the Velvet Underground were singing about drug dealers. Who are you kidding? Please Please don't say they did not write adult orientated songs you got to joking?

    You play a Beatles song on any tonal instrument and the melodies and chords are striking. I play their music as the Stones, Led Zeppelin and it' really no comparison the Beatles were gifted at melodies and chord progression. Another thing please don't compare the Velvet Underground to the Beatles. If you want serious experimentatin try "Tomorrow Never Knows", "Within You Without You" or "Revolution #9".

    Were the Beatles perfect? That is not fair to expect that from anyone and you will find out the Beatles have been covered by every genre of music. Jazz music is filled with Beatles covers. I can't say that about Led Zeppelin or the Velvet Underground who are OK.
  • Giovanni from Lynhurst, NjTo Steve from Cambridge

    First many consider Paul McCartney the finest all-around musician of the 60's. Many consider the Beatles the greatest songwriters period. George Martin considers them the greatest songwriters/performers period. George Martin helped but most of the ideas were theirs and they were basically producing themselves right after Sgt Pepper.

    Take a song like "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" it has four contrasting sections with various time signatures and at one point using a polyrhhthm which Ringo had to perform or.

    Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" has a rhythmic alternation of 3/4 and 4/4 meter and it's use of tambora drone on the verse. The song has three distinct sections with parts going from a slow psychedelic section and then to a rocking section. The guitar colors also change from a slide guitar which doubles the vocal to the next section guitar through a Leslie speaker.

    You have to be skillful musicians to pull that off and I know I cover those songs. Not to mention this goes way beyond what the Kinks and the Rolling Stones were doing.

    You keep mentioning "You Really Got Me" as the first metal song. It's barely hard rock. The reason people mention "Helter Skelter" because many view it as an early proto-type to Heavy Metal.


    On Revolver the Beatles were inventive in their songwriting, their use of instruments and new recording techniques.

    The expanded approach of instrumentation, sounds and textures not normally associated with pop music hinted on Help and Rubber Soul starts in earnest with Revolver. Also the psychedelic use of the studio in terms of backward tapes, unusual vari-speeding effects, and the use of multiple loops would become their trademark sound of psychedelic music. They basically 1-upped everyone one of their peers with this style especially heard on "Tomorrow Never Knows".
    Indian instruments was featured prominently on the album, especially on "Tomorrow Never Knows," which John Lennon wrote while inspired by the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Segments of "Taxman" are put into "Tomorrow Never Knows" backwards.. Also using the recording technology as part of the composition it's background features a series of loops and electronic noises with bass and tamboura drones throughout the track

  • Reese from Carroll, Beninjust to let everyone know, it doesnt matter how old you are to like the Beatles. im ten and my 6 year old brother likes them.
  • Steve from Cambridge, United Kingdomto carolyn from phil: the beatles were great because lennon and mc'cartney were the most succesful songwriters ever and because they had huge popular appeal-thats because primative peoples in all corners of the world and both 3 yr olds and 93 yr olds can access their catchy poppy tuneful songs full of harmonies-unlike the stones or led zep who require slightly more aptitude to appreciate-i think song writing is the greatest art form in music-so im not under-rating the beatles-and ive been a beatles fan for over 40 yrs.
    however there is no doubt to anyone who has even a rudementary knowledge of music that the beatles werent particularly gifted-they used george martin.session musicians and studio techniques to perfect their sound and thus stopped touring partly cos they couldnt reproduce the studio sound live after 1966-cos it was largely fake or too difficult for them as musicians and thats fine as i dont rate live music personally and i love studio technique.
    ringo was as far as i have always been made aware to believe -a poor drummer and a source of humour-and when george martin says they were talented musicians and had an ear for music he meant-intelligent-commercial-far-sighted and willing to listen and learn and get out the best sound eventually and through any means.
    jimmy page and john bonham of zep fame-are both masterful musicians as are countless thousands of others who are far more virtuoso than john or paul or ringo or even george.
    u state carolyn that helter skelter is the first heavy metal song -lol -please carolyn let me make u aware of the plaudits given to u really got me-which was 3 or 4 yrs before helter skelter and acclaimed everywhere as the first heavy metal song-also be aware of the cream-the first super-group ever or so they r called-who played a rocking bluesy style very much akin to blue cheer/deep purple/led zep/hendrix/iron butterfly and also black sabbath [as u like ozzy osbourne so much] cream began in 66/67 and pink floyd also released many quite rocky heavy tracks circa 67 as of course did the extremely influential velvet underground -but this is all irrelevant cos rock guitar goes back well into the 50's -the reason heavy metal per-say is attributed to the kinks song u really got me -is its stark aggressive riff full of attitude and very dominant.a poppy version of that sound can be found in the pop song wild thing by the troggs from around the same time-covered live by hendrix.
    i dont consider helter skelter to be heavy metal or heavy metal-ish or even hard rock-its a funny little fast pop song and very weak by beatle standards -i have liked heavy metal myself in the past -ie sabbath and many other bands and i see no relationship in sound or structure between helter skelter and the post 68 metal sound that dominated the 70's and modified into the 80's-however i do see u really got me 64/5 leading to the cream and hendrix and floyd and the velvet underground and onto purple and zep and eventually to sabbath 69/70 and the miriad of metal bands that followed-many of which were led zeppelin fanatics like ac/dc and queen and leopard etc
    as much as i love the beatles and have a soft spot for them as they were my favourite band as a young child-i grew out of them by the age of 15 and aquired more sophisticated tastes ie the stones/led zep and v.underground who i then grew out of and turned to the cocteau twins at the age of 22 etc etc.
    im happy to accept the beatles are the biggest band ever carolyn -although i tend to think the other posters on this site have a valid point-without publicity and pushing a sophisticated and raunchy and non poppy sound led zep appear to have matched them in some ways in the popularity stakes and even surpassed them in some measures-however as i said i am happy to accept that the beatles reign supreme in that they can be enjoyed by 3 yr olds and 93 yr olds-in any country on earth however primative -which the stones or zep will never be able to do understandably-im equally certain without their massive publicity the beatles would never have been as popular as they were/are and also certain that with any publicity at all zep would be far far more popular than they have been to date-so carolyn -why are u so obsessed and so delusional and so full of anger and venom carolyn? why cant u just accept that comparing zep and the stones and the beatles is like comparing apples and oranges-it can never be done-there are many beatle-like middle of the road poppy pop bands who u can compare to the beatles -ie elo,coldplay,beach boys,wings,moody blues etc etc -u can easily say they are not as proficeient and as popular as the beatles and it would make more sense-but the stones and especially zep are far too adult orientated to compare to the beatles-or would u also compare floyd,hendrix,v underground and sabbath to the beatles ? as i dont ever see sabbath for example-being played in nurseries and nursing homes and hospitals etc as the beatles obviously are-and why is that so?its cos most infants and very old people wont understand or like sabbath or any other raunchy or sophisticated type of music-let alone bands like yes or crimson or the cocteaus or joy division etc etc-so carolyn in summary-i am happy to accept the beatles are great-they are the most popular band-the biggest selling band possibly and the most popular song writers ever-but no way were they great musicians and no way did they invent heavy metal and no way are they simply better than any other band -just because they are more popular or poppier-i really think u r too obsessed carolyn and its sad cos u r missing so much musical experience,awareness,fun and if u dont push yourself to explore and like new musical forms u will never develope yourself and please stop insulting everyone who doesnt yield to your bullying and dellusional thoughts regarding the beatles-everyone likes them on here-but u r incapable of hearing an altternative view or listening to open minded posters -many of whom seem to be far more aware than u-u just look for ridiculous quotes to support your half baked prejudicies and nasty hateful views about music and music lovers.
  • Kraig from Nashville, TnSome more info about the "Paul Is Dead" hoax. The V.W. was sold at auction for, I believe, 2300pds. The owner replaced the license plate a dozens of times due to treasure seeking fans. Paul had no shoes on, on the album cover because it was a warm day and he just slipped them off to be more comfortable. Eight shots were taken by the photographer, who stood on a step ladder, (when traffic permitted) to get the pictures. The first few shots, Paul had his shoes on. He just lived around the corner from Abbey Road Studios in St. Johns Wood and the boys would meet there for breaks in recording or a number of other reasons. One time they went there to watch one of their all time favorite movies called "The Girl Can't Help It". By the time the famous Abbey Road album pictures were shot, they were completely sick and tired of posing for album covers and photographs in general. Who the hell could blame them! Please respond with facts and comments. I'd love to meet others who loved them too. God Bless, Kraig, Nashville,Tn.
  • Kraig from Nashville, TnI saw The Beatles live in August '65. I've studied Beatle history for the last 45 years. I am no expert but I'm pretty hard to fool. I've been a studio musician here in Nashville for the past 22 years. Please help me settle a bet between 2 of my friends. Who 'really' played the guitar solo on "Something"? I don't believe George did. I also don't believe many of the books I've read on this subject, especially Mark Lewisohn's book. There are so many blatant errors in it. Thanks, Kraig, Nashville Tn.
  • Ben from Pepperland, AbI've been reading these comments for around 15 minutes and the fighting just sickens me. How sad that the Beatles tried so hard to promote peace and now their fans are fighting over such stupid issues involving whos a better band. Ok, Led Zeppelin kicks ass, but the fact of the matter is that they didn't exceed the beatles record sales. Lets not take hypothetical scenerios in our synopsis' (qoute from Jose: if zeppelin had released the amount of albums the beatles did, they would have outsold the beatles pretty easily) Ok, maybe thats true. But the fact of the matter is that they didn't, so just leave it.

    In my humble opinion I like the Beatles more than Led Zeppelin because of their vast span of music genre and ingenious music structure. Led zeppelin gets a bit old after listening to it for a while. They're still both terrific bands though!
  • Neil from New York, NyIn some alternative universe devoid of reason your logic regarding the Beatles versus led Zeppelin record sales might make sense, fortunately in this one it doesn't. Using your logic, if a mediocre film maker makes enough films he would eventually out box office Spielberg. The Beatles continue to sell while Led Zeppelin's sales have plummeted. With the release of their re-mastered albums last month the Beatles are expected to be the top selling group/artist of this decade.
  • Micric from Manchester, United Kingdomthe beatles were without equal can anyone tell me which beatles record did michael jackson release please
  • Chloe from St. Louis, Mois anyone else finding it ironic that fans of the same four guys who said "all you need is love" are fighting and cursing at each other on their page? seriously, people!
  • Chloe from St. Louis, Mofantastic group...im incredibly obsessed, and i dont know who i would be if it werent for them. no one in my family likes the beatles, so the first time i was really exposed to them was when my brother played a 'gig' for this rock class he took. it was a beatles tribute. i will always remember seeing him on the stage in the basement of this bar, with his guitar around his neck singing Hey Jude. i would be a completely different person without that place- it was at another one of these gigs that i heard my first pink floyd song, who i also obsess over.
  • Tom from Marble Falls, ArEvery time I think I've heard every Beatle song there is, another one I've never heard pops up. My new favorite from the Fab Four is "And Your Bird Can Sing." It's one from the "Mop-Top" era and it's pretty addictive!
  • George from Springfield, MoAnyone out there know anything about the Beatles R&R in the 60's or 70's in southern MO at a place called Pigman Ranch? I own a buckboard from there that they supposedly rode in, but would like confirmation... HELP!
  • Paul Bert Bilog from Los Angeles, CaThe greatest and the most successful band that ever walk on earth. The music innovators of the century.
  • Donna from College Station, Tx"HEY JUDE" was top single in Oct 1968 according to Billboard Oct 8, 1988 (the 20 years ago list) One of my all time favorite Beatles songs.
  • Jordan from Winnipeg, CanadaHow are people even COMPARING The Beatles and Led Zeppelin? They were both INCREDIBLE bands and they both had their success. All of this garbage about who is better is obviously a matter of personal opinion, and opinion is impossile to be backed up by facts like album sales and such. They were both brilliant, so stop polluting this message board.
  • Steve from Manchester, EnglandOh and by the way, Zeppelin was recording and famous for 11 years while the Beatles only were for 7. You can't blame them for releasing the wealth of brilliant original material that they seemingly endlessly created, even if they did release more albums than Zeppelin. Zeppelin were unoriginal and confined to the usual limitations of a group with the 4 of them staying in the same four roles, while all the Beatles sung, played tons of instruments and and wrote songs in a multitude of different genres. Every Zeppelin song sounds almost identical, with a prominent bass riff in the background and slower music with soft vocals interlaced with louder music with no vocals or screaming. And on a final note, Beatles have sold over 1 BILLION albums and Zeppelin 300,000.
  • Steve from Manchester, EnglandTo the people that claim Zeppelin is/was more popular than the Beatles compare their compilations. Zeppelin released mother ship a few days ago and a month later worldwide sales are a little under 400,000 with the album peaking at 7 in the U.S. When the Beatles released 1 a few years ago, it became the fastest selling album in history, selling 2 million copies in the U.S. alone and stayed at #1 for 8 weeks during the highly competitive pre-Christmas weeks. 1 has now sold over 20 million copies worldwide. In addition the Beatles' 1 was essentially a reissue of an older album, and the Beatles have released dozens of other compilations 2 of which are also certified diamond, while Mothership was the first compilation album released by Zeppelin and received extra press from them "reuniting."
  • Steve from Manchester, EnglandThe Beatles are the most influential and popular musical group ever(arguably the most popular people in history). Their influence on the music influence is incalculable, everything from music videos to feedback were created by the Beatles, and they hold almost every record for music sales. The Beatles are almost indisputably the greatest band of all time. R.I.P. John and George
  • Lucyinthesky from Philadelphia, PaAnd Jose, Brian Wilson said when he first heard The Beatles brilliant 1965 Rubber Soul album he was blown away by it,he said all of the songs flowed together and that it was pop music and folk rock at the same time and this is what he said he couldn't belive! He said this is what inspired him to make Pet Sounds!
  • Lucyinthesky from Philadelphia, PaAnd Jorge, there a few music reviewrs who say on their sites that they don't like Led Zeppelin either and if you type on google.com in quotes.I hate Led Zeppelin" or "I don't like Led Zeppelin" oe Queen too,you will find many pages where people are saying this too!
  • Lucyinthesky from Philadelphia, PaJose, normally you would be right that just because I or someone doesn't like certain music groups or "artists" it means they are bad,but in Led Zeppelin's,Queen's and Pink Floyd's case yeah it really does!!!! THe Who,The Rolling Stones,Jimi Hendrix and of course especially The Beatles are all a zillion times better than Led Zeppelin and Queen!!!!

    And you are also right that often high record sales doesn't always mean great quality, except in The Beatles case it does as The All Music Guide says in their excellent Beatles biography,that they were one of the few music artists that were the best at what they did and also the most popular at what they did at the same time! But THe Recording Industry Association of America *does* list The Beatles as the biggest selling band of all time. Also go to acclaimed music.net which compiles tons of music reviews from many different rock music critics from decades and you will see The Beatles are rightfully at # 1! Led Zeppelin is at a puzzling too high # 5, they really should be 1 million on the list!
  • Teri from Chicago, IlHey Tyler!
    Is it True that Paul played lead guitar in 1960-61 and only took over bass when Stu left the band?
    When they were the Quarymen were there 5 members?
    One more question...
    Did Pete die from complications due to a head injury suffered after a gig in the parking lot from some thugs who beat him up?
    Thanks.
    Anyone - if you know. please post your answers.
  • Jose from Guanacaste, South AmericaJimmy from somewhere, VA. John Bohnam did not die in 1979, it was on september 25 1980. and yes, if zeppelin had released the amount of albums the beatles did, they would have outsold the beatles pretty easily. it wouldn`t have mattered if they released not so great albums.PRESENCE which is their least selling album (and it is not so great musically compared to their greater albums) sold 3 million copies. if they had released any album, it would at least sell a million copies
  • Jimmy from Somewhere, VaIf Bonham hadnt died in 1979 then zeppelin wouldve been together probably to this day and released 15 more albums probably which wouldve killed the beatles totals because they had something like 19 albums and zeppelin almost beat them with 8 so if u multiply the album sales by 2 3/5 (the number of beatles albums divided by zep albums) they wouldve been far and away the best selling of all time. consider that zep had 4 diamond and beatles had only 3 zep sold way more per album. so i think zep is the greatest band of all time. theyre the only band ever to have 4 members who are possibly the greatest ever at what they did
  • Jose from Guanacaste, South AmericaIt?s long, but it?s worth reading. Do you wanna hear something that is really cool? Well let me tell you that LED ZEPPELIN was bigger than the BEATLES in album sales(I?m not saying better than them I think they?re the two greatest bands ever), let me tell you why this is true. I know that the Beatles have been certified 170 million albums in America #1 on the list by RIAA, and that Zeppelin have only been certified 109,5 million (as if it were just a few albums), and currently holds #4 spot (behind ELVIS, and GARTH BROOKS who IS just another example of how album sales have nothing to do with musical quality because I think he sucks, but I bet he will keep selling albums for decades). With that said, lets see the facts, 1- LED ZEPPELIN released 8 studio albums, 4 of them which went diamond (IV: 23 million, PHISICAL GRAFFITY: 16 million, II: 12million, HOUSES OF THE HOLY: 11 million), and the other 4 are multi platinum (LED ZEPPELIN I: 8 million, IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR: 6 million, III: 6 million, PRESENCE: 3 million). On the other hand, THE BEATLES released like 19(there?s confusion to the amount of albums released) studio album counting those of England and the ones released in the U.S. all of which 3 went DIAMOND: WHITE ALBUM: 19 million, ABBEY ROAD: 12 million, SGT. PEPPER: 11 million. Also, many albums that went platinum and multi platinum: A HARD DAY`S NIGHT: 6 million, MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR: 6 million, RUBBER SOUL: 6 million, MEET THE BEATLES: 5 million, REVOLVER: 5 million, HELP: 4 million, LET IT BE: 4 million, BEATLES `65: 3 million, HEY JUDE: 3 million, SOMETHING NEW: 2million, BEATLES FOR SALE: 1 million, BEATLES IV: 1 million, PLEASE PLEASE ME: 1 million, YELLOW SUBMARINE: 1 million, YESTERDAY? AND TODAY: 1 million, and WITH THE BEATLES: 500,000 copies. With all that, of course that in what I mentioned, I didn`t add any compilation or live albums nor any singles, just STUDIO ALBUMS. You can see that ZEPPELIN has more studio albums that went diamond: ZEPPELIN: 4 DIAMOND whereas BEATLES: 3DIAMOND. Also, zeppelin worst selling album sold 3 million copies, and it was just one album while the BEATLES had many album that only sold 1 million copies. I forgot to say that double albums like PHISICAL GRAFFITI and THE WHITHE ALBUM sold half of what it says there cause RIAA counts them as units, so, PHISICAL sold 8 mill, and WHITE ALBUM sold 9,5 mill. If you do the math it would be Zeppelin:77 million albums sold (with physical graffiti selling only 8 million), and Beatles:82 million albums (with the WHITHE ALBUM selling 9,5 copies), a difference of 5 mill, but you have to take into account that Zeppelin only had 8 albums, and I mentioned 19 Beatles albums, so the Beatles sold 4,3 million per album while zeppelin sold 9,6 mill per album, pretty unbelievable huh? And that?s not it, LED ZEPPELIN IV sold more than any Beatles album, 23 mill, and ABBEY ROAD sold 12 mill (since the white album has sold half of what the actual sales say because is a double). So ZEPPELIN are the biggest rock band ever (at least in the U.S.) cause they have the biggest albums (based on studio albums not compilation or singles). I still think they are both equally good (and BTW zeppelin still sells tons of albums nowadays). Also, see this, ZEPPELIN DID NOT have a publicist in their early years, they rarely gave interviews, they released only a few singles in the US, only one in the UK(they were extremely against releasing singles cuz they believed in albums as a whole), they were pretty private, they didn?t promote their albums nor their singles, they didn?t like to appear on magazine covers (they only appeared on ROLLING STONE once I think I was in 1975 or 76, because of CAMERON CROWE who they liked, but they hated the magazine), their biggest selling album, didn?t even have a name or the name of the band in the cover, the only way fans could know anything about the band was by going to their concerts cause they didn`t appear on TV nor on magazines, and there are many other reasons. Now try to picture this, would the BEATLES have been as successful as they were if they had refused to appear on tv, magazines, also, how big would the beatles be if they hadn`t released singles, nor promoted their albums the way they did. Also, if they had refused the press like ZEPPELIN did. I don`t know about you , but the Beatles wouldn`t have been as big, if they had done the things ZEPPELIN dared to do. What do you think? The only reason I posted this is because I was tired of some people bragging about the BEATLES not having any competition as sales is concerned, and that that made them the greatest. Ps I really don?t care for album sales cuz they don?t prove how great a band is. you gotta give credit to the guys of LED ZEPPELIN.
  • Michael from Ponce, Puerto Rico, OtherThe Beatles? other #1s
    1 Act naturally - #1 Japan; A-side of ?Yesterday?
    2 Ain?t she sweet - #1 Sweden, also hit #7 in Denmark
    3 All my loving - #1 Australia, Finland, Canada and Norway, #4 in Holland and Malaysia, #5 in The Netherlands, #7 in Argentina and Germany
    4 Boys - #1 Australia
    5 Cry for a shadow - #1 Australia, #7 in the Phillipines
    6 Day tripper - #1 Hong Kong, Australia and Norway
    7 Don?t pass me by - #1 in Denmark (2 weeks)
    8 Eleanor Rigby - #1 Australia and New Zealand
    9 Girl - #1 Argentina., #2 in Peru, #5 Spain and Finland, #7 in Italy and #8 in France
    10 Got to get you into my life - #1 Canada
    11 If I fell - #1 Hong Kong and Norway, #2 in The Netherlands, #3 in Holland and Belgium
    12 I?ll follow the sun - #1 Sweden, #2 in Israel, #5 in Hong Kong and #9 in Norway
    13 I saw her standing there - #1 Australia, the Phillipines, Malaysia and Peru
    14 I should have known better - #1 Australia, Denmark and Chile, also hit the Top 10 in eight other countries
    15 Komm, gib mir deine hand - #1 Germany, #3 in Austria
    16 Long tall Sally - #1 Denmark and Holland, #3 in Australia, Hong Kong and Finland, #6 in Japan (in mid-1965) and #7 in Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium
    17 Michelle - #1 in France, Norway and New Zealand, #2 in Finland, #3 in Hong Kong, #5 in Argentina, #6 in Germany and Switzerland and #8 in Malaysia
    18 Norwegian Wood - #1 Australia and #5 in Hong Kong
    19 Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da - #1 in France, Germany and New Zealand and five other countries. Top 10 in at least eight more
    20 Rock and roll music - #1 in 11 different countries including Denmark (12 weeks) & Norway?. #2 in Australia. Top 5 on seven other nation?s charts
    21 Roll over Beethoven - #1 in Australia, #2 in Norway, #6 in Phillipines and #8 in New Zealand
    22 Strawberry fields forever - #1 in Holland
    23 Tell me what you see - #1 in Hong Kong (1966)
    Michael Ramos, Puerto Rico
  • Lateeka from Kelowna, CanadaI don't get how people can argue what is better music when everyone has their personal prefences.. OBIVIOUSLY they had/HAVE their fame a fortune and are very successful! it's all legendary great tunes, like it or not. tough.
  • Jorge from Manchester, EnglandCarolyn, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd and Queen are the best bands of all time. You must be mentally ill not to like those bands.
  • Jose from Guanacaste, South AmericaOk guys. First I have to say that I?m a huge BEATLES and LED ZEPPELIN fan. I really love both bands and really think they are the two greatest bands ever. I?m gonna talk facts instead of opinions as some of you have (also, you can?t call a band bad just because you don?t like it CAROLYN). Both bands are amazing and will live forever (believe me, I love both bands, they changed my life and they are the first thing I listen to when I get up, and the last thing I listen before I go to bed, but I can?t pick which is better because they?re both amazing). I Love good music; therefore, there are many bands I like to listen to (mostly classic rock though). Believe me album sales have absolutely nothing to do with a band?s quality, just look at the BEACH BOYS, their PETSOUNDS (a really amazing album and the mayor influence for sgt peppers, or least that?s what MCCARTNEY has stated) album has been called the greatest ever many times (I do think it is the greatest album only tied by SGT. PEPPER), and it only reached #10 on the billboard?s albums chart (se in this and many other cases sales have nothing to do with quality). Another example is THE WHO, they weren?t as successful as the Beatles or Zeppelin, but they were just as influential. Also, look at BEETHOVEN or MOZART, their music doesn?t sale that much among the general public, but they were the greatest musicians to have ever lived (or at least that?s music critics say). The same happens with many other great and influential artist like CHUCK BERRY, BUDDY HOLLY, RAY CHARLES, MUDDY WATERS, JAMES BROWN, etc. most of them don?t get the credit they really deserve (maybe they are critically acclaimed, but not in album sales).also, they don?t sell as many albums as they did when they first came out, but that DOES NOT make them any less influential.
  • Anna from Paris, Txthe beatles are by far my favorite band of all time, and this is coming from a 15 year old... and someone wrote that their lyrics weren't all that deep, and i'd have to say, that while some of their early stuff isn't, they need to remember "let it be" and most of the songs on the white album... most of them are very deep.
  • Matt from London, EnglandLed Zeppelin had 5 albums go diamond (one of which went diamond twice over), whereas The Beatles had 4 albums and 2 greatest hits go diamond.
  • Lucyinthesky from PaDerick,

    Most of Beethoven's music was classical instrumental music and Paul Mccatney didn't have to write lyrics to move you either as I said it's always mostly been his great *music*!
  • Lucyinthesky from PaThank you so much Dave for what you said about The Beatles it's all so true! And Murray what you said is also very true especially Paul McCartney who not only was and is one of the greatest bass players ever,but could play just about everything great! He played the guitar great,the piano and drums prety good too.
  • Dave from Bronx, NyThese guys are the highest selling musicians of all time and their songs at least in rock are the most covered of all times. The Beatles went from I Want to Hold Your Hand to Tomorrow Never Knows in two and half years and still remained on top who else in rock has transfromed their sound that much and remain on top. The Beatles contributed to MerseyBeat, The British Invasion, Power Pop, their use folk with rock conviced the Byrd's to go electric, arena rock, Raga Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Progressive Rock with Revolver and Sgt Pepper's, Art rock with their use of tape loops and avant garde and one of the first heavy metal songs with Helter Skelter. The Beatles are most responsible for classic rock radio and album orientated radio. The Beatles are the biggest reason that rock and roll went to rock. The Beatles proved that a rock group did not need a frontman to succeed or have a major selling album without singles. The Beatles are the top guys in rock music.
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlExcept that Beethoven didn't have to use lyrics to move you. and infact he did write lyrics, if I may: The opera Fidelio.
  • Lucyinthesky from PaTyler,

    What those same ignorant people don't understand is that John was always somwhat more of a great poet and lyric writer,although he was a very talented singer and musical composer too, but even though Paul can and has written great lyrics, he often didn't and he doesn't have too and even when he did it wasn't what made the songs great,it's usually his *MUSIC*! Paul's father James McCartney was an accomplished classical jazz pianist who was the leader of his own jazz band called Jim Mac's Band and they were really popular in clubs in the 1930's. Paul and Wings recorded an old instrumental Paul's father wrote called Walking in The Park With Eloise on the 1976 Wings At The Speed of Sound album. So Paul inherited his father's *musical* talent to the extreme! He's more of a Beethoven of rock who sometimes writes great lyrics except Beetoven didn't write any!
  • Lucyinthesky from PaI forgot to mention that John Lennon always said he just really loves rock and roll,and he certainly wrote a lot great rock! One of his idols from his teens was Chuck Berry one of the early pioneers of rock.
  • Lucyinthesky from PaTo also debunk this totally ridiculous myth and mispeception that some younger people have that The Beatles were a boy band like true artificial manufactured boy bands like NSYNC and The Back Street Boys, the truth is The Beatles were *NEVER* a boy band in any way shape or form! They started out playing 8 hours a night in the sleazy strip clubs of Hamburg Germany wearing black leather pants and jackets,smoking,cursing,hitting each other on stage and going to bed with many young women groupies,and taking speed pills to stay awake ! It wasn't until their manager Brian Epstein became their manager and created their fake cleaned up image which John Lennon hated and resented the most. The Beatles were a true *Rock* group like The Rolling Stones The Who etc. It really would have been news to John Lennon that he wasn't the founder and the leader of a true rock band,and a boy band was the epitome of everything he hated! His ashes must really be turning! If you look up the site Rock on The Net it says few could argue that one of the best if not the best rock groups of all time is The Beatles. The wikipedia free online encyclopedia also explains they were a great innovative *rock* group,and the 2000 College Webters Dictionary defines them as a British *rock* group! Also Brian Wilson said on a 1995 Nightline Beatles tribute show, that Sgt.Pepper is the single greatest album he ever heard. He played with A Little help From Friends on the piano and he said I just love this song. He then said that John Lennon and Paul McCartney were the 2 greatest song composers of the 20th century. He said when he first heard their brilliant 1965 album Rubber Soul,he was blown away by it,and he said all of the songs flowed together,and it was pop music but folk rock at the same time and this is what he couldn't believe.This is what motivated him to make Pet Sounds. On this same tribute show there were many music artists from al different types of music young and old black and white,including a young black musician,a middle aged black opera singer,Meatloaf, Steve Winwod also said how great they were, and classical violinist Itzhak Pearlman said he plays his children Bach,Beethoven and The Beatles. Elton John was interviewed on a CBS morning show in 1991 and he was asked who he musicaly admired. He said you can talk about your Rogers and Hammerstein,but for the quanity of quality songs Lennon and MCCartney did in such a short period of time,they were the two greatest song writers of the 20th century. Classical composer and conducter Leonard Bernstein said this about them also!
  • Lucyinthesky from PaAlso, George Martin has produced many other music artists since The Beatles and yet he still says he has never worked with anybody as brilliant as The Beatles. There is an excellent thorough book called,The Beatles Recording Sessions by Mark Lewisohn which is a detailed music diary of The Beatles remarkable 8 year recording career. In this book their recording engineers Geoff Emerick,Norman Smith who went on to work with Pink Floyd,Ken Scott who went on to work with David Bowie,and Alan Parsons,who was a highly impressed Beatles fan and one of their engineers on their last two albums,Abbey Road and Let it Be,all describe in details how truly innovative,creative and inventive especially John and Paul were in the recording studio. One of the many impressive things Geoff Emerick describes is early 1966 George Harrison played backwards guitar on John's song I'm Only Sleeping,the most difficult way possible when he could have taken the easy way. And he says it took George 6 hours just for George to do the guitar overdub,and he then he made it doubly difficult by adding more distorted guitars. Geoff says this was all George's idea and that he did all of the playing.Also when George was only 14 he would stay up until 2 in the morning playing the guitar until he got the chords right and his fingers were bleeding. There are also many music professors teaching courses on The Beatles at good universities. One of them is award winning music professor and composer Dr.Glen Gass at Indiana University. He's been teaching a course on rock music and The Beatles since 1982. On his site for his course it says the main purpose of this course is to get students to have a better appreciation for this amazing group and their extraordinary recordings. Dr.Gary Kendal's Beatles course is the most requested at North Western University,and University of California has a course on Beatles albums. A music professor with the last name of Heinonen at JYVASKYLA in Finland also teaches a Beatles course.
  • Lucyinthesky from PaI forgot to add that Geoff Emerick said John was one of the first to own a melotron and kept it in a polished wooden cabinate. And their tape operator Jerry Boys said that The Beatles used it in ways nobody had thought of. Also in March 1967 when The Beatles were recording Sgt.Pepper Pink Floyd wanted to meet them at the their recording studio. George Martin said he would have to ask John and John said it was Ok but The Beatles were not that friendly or impressed with them. And The Rolling Stones were good friends with and big fans of The Beatles and Mick Jagger was at 4 Beatles Recording Sessions and Keith Richards was at 2 of them with him. The Beatles even wrote one of The Rolling Stones first hits with the song,I Wanna Be You're Man in early 1964. There is a picture in The Beatles Recording Sessions book of Mick Jagger sitting in between John and Paul in their recording console during the ir Revolver album sesions. I want to mention that A Hard Days Night is the first great Beatles album and it was recorded a year and several months before I was even born!
  • Lucyinthesky from PaTo debunk the people promoting and believing the myth that The Beatles were not very good musicians I want to tell you all this important information. First of all George Martin The Beatles producer is a very musically talented guy himself and he is a classicaky trained musician from The Gulidhall School of Music as a teenager. He's quoted on an excellent web site called,The Evolution of Rock Bass Playing McCartney Style by Denis Alstrand, as saying thereis no doubt Lennon and McCartney very good musicians,they had good musical brains. He then says but you don't need your fingers to have great musical brains, as it turned out they could play their instruments very well. He says that Paul is certainly one of the greatest bass players ever,a brilliant guitarist,a competent piano player and a good drummer.

    On this same site Stanley Clarke, Will Lee, Biliy Sheehan,and Sting all say what a great,melodic and influential bass player Paul has always been. The 1992 Rolling Stone Album Guide also calls Paul a remarkable bass player as well as calling John and Paul the 2 greatest song writers in rock history.The All Music Guide says this about them also and also says how they introduced more innovations into popular music than any other act in rock,they also call John and Paul among the best and most expressive singers in rock.

    Eric Clapton said that George Harrison was a fantastic slide guitar player when he and George were interviewed during their 1992 Japan tour and were asked what they admired about each other. George played guitar on the Cream song Badge too.Eric Clapton also says John Lennon was a very good guitar player and he would know since he played live in concert with John as a member of his John Lennon Plastic Ono Band in 1969.Ozzy Osbourne has been a huge Beatles fan since he was a teenager and She Loves You is one of his favorite songs. He said in a 2002 online Bender Magazine interview,that Paul McCartney is a genuis and The Beatles Are The Greatest Band To Ever Walk The Earth! He also says,not loving The Beatles is like not loving oxogen!
  • Craig from Springfield, OrThe Beatles were fairly musically interesting (If they had extremely... virtuoso people such as Zeppelin they would
    not have been the Beatles), they were plenty influential,
    they had a great sound and played beautifully together..
    But I really could use some better lyrics. They aren't bad
    lyrics by any standard but they don't have near as much
    depth or that awsome poetic feel like Plant or Simon do.

    (Paul Simon)

    AMAZING band and they are all musically talented, i just
    ment your aren't going to have the most musically incline
    or interesting backgrounds
  • Sal from Bardonia , NyThe Beatles are the highest selling self contained music act of all time just not in rock music. The Beatles have been cited most as an influence by rock musicians and certainly they're songs are the most covered of all time. The Beatles are most responsible for Rock&Roll turning into Rock Music. They had six number one songs in 1964 at a time when the Rolling Stones,The Kinks, The Yardbirds and many other British Invasion acts first singles were cover versions. Some of the many Beatles innovations are the 12 string Rickenbocker jangle sound, backward vocals, backward guitar, Indian Classical with Rock, using full symphony orchestra rock, Big stadium rock,Direct Injection on Bass, Full albums with no conventional pauses between tracks and much more than that.They helped such subgenres as the, Briish Invasion, Merseybeat, Power Pop, Folk Rock they did it before the Byrds as noted by Roger McGuinn, Raga Rock, they merged Avant garde with rock before The Velvet Underground, they are one of the first rock bands to extensively use Musique Concrete, they made huge contribution to the future of Progressive Rock and many people think songs like Revolution and Helter Skelter are early Heavy Metal. The first influential recordings of such instrumnents like the sitar, mellotron, volume pedal, 12 string Rickenbocker guitar, tabla, piccolo trumphet and Abbey Road helped the popularity of the synthesizer and I don't mean the first use I mean the first influential. Some people like Pierro Scaffuri don't know the difference between the first to use something and the first to be influential and the Beatles were the ones who were first to be influential or made a huge contribution to those subgenres I rest my case.
    Sal, Bardonia, NY
  • Ben from Baltimore, MdYou're very right Tyler. Sgt. Peppers is a great album. But The Beatles had many great albums. Abbey Road, Sgt. Peppers, The White Album, Rubber Soul etc. I mean, they had six diamond albums. If any band had one diamond album, that would be considered their masterpiece. So The Beatles had six masterpieces. I just chose the first one that came to my head. And no I don't disagree that The Beatles were the greatest band ever. In fact, if you're just looking at their numbers, they were the greatest band ever.
  • Derrick from Raleigh, NcI agree with you about Sgt. Pepper, personaly my fav beatle album, but no not "people" but certain People care. When I say I dont care yeah your right I dont dissagree with there the best but I certainly do not agree with it either, its just that I dont care, you could say the Eagles are the best and I still wouldnt care. But one thing that does bother me is when people are ignortant, you assume we care because the media says we do, yup the real attitude of a conformist.
  • Derrick from Raleigh, NcWell, Im glad to see that this all seems to be settled, and thank you Ben for agreeing with There is no "Greatest band ever" That said it all right there, were all different obviously, and anyone who thinks other wise, just must not be right in the head or sumthin.
  • Ben from Baltimore, MdI'm sort of in agreement with you Tyler. But do remember, that people like different kinds of music. Now Gerrit, I believe that people overall like to listen to music that makes them happy. I mean really, who enjoys being sad and in a bad mood? I agree with Tyler when he said that heavy metal bands with "dark" lyrics don't sell outside their fan-base because there aren't as many people who like "dark" lyrics. People in general, I believe, like to be happy. Now I don't know, maybe this music makes you happy, to each their own. I believe that there is no such thing as "The Greatest Band Ever". It all depends on what music you like and what appeals to your ears. Some may say The Beatles are the greatest ever. Some may say Led Zeppelin is the greatest ever. Some may say AC/DC is the greatest ever, some may say Pink Floyd, all of which have valid arguments of why they could be "The Best Ever". All had certain record sales that went through the roof. The Beatles hat Abbey Road, Zeppelin had Led Zeppelin IV, AC/DC had Back In Black, and Pink Floyd had Dark Side Of The Moon. Everybody has a different preference. It is your opinion Gerrit so I'm fine with it. It's not like you said that they were the worst band ever or something stupid like that just to start trouble like some people do.
  • Gerrit from BelfastI grew up with this band because my father has the whole catalogue and is a big fan. I don't like them that much really, but I won't deny their legendary influence on music. I will even happily admit some of my favourite bands have been influenced by the Beatles. And yes, they have some excellent songs. But overall I find them a bit overrated, but that's just a personal opinion. They're a good band, definitely, but not in my all-time top-10. Their first albums are not complex enough, and their lyrics were a bit of a turn-off to me as I like in-depth and dark lyrics. Albums such as Revolver, Sgt Peppers, or Abbey Road have some excellent examples of high-quality songs with good lyrics. Overall though, when looking at their entire career, I'm not very wild about this band, however without denying their influence on music and without saying it's a bad band. I just think they're not the very best ever. I like their music when I hear it and see why it became so legendary, I just feel very rarely tempted to play it myself. They're good, but they don't move me emotionally like some other bands do. Good band alltogether, but far from the best. That's my opinion though, feel free to disagree!
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlWow, i can't belive this conflict of intrest is still going strong as ever. haha.
  • Ben from Baltimore, MdI will have to say I very much agree with your statement Tyler, I think some people just like to cause problems.
  • Ben from Baltimore, Mdhaha yea it was pretty heated, my guess is because they were cussing out each other basically dan said "F**k the beatles and their music" basically, and matt called him a F*****g F*g. so yea thats my guess as to why they were deleted, the cursing. it was intresting though, dan was saying that hes a led zeppelin fan and pink floyd, thats why i said that i was too. o well.
  • Ben from Baltimore, Mdnow now Matt and Dan, we can do without the name calling. Dan, let me explain something to you, obviously you don't like the beatles and thats cool. BUT the reason so many people like the Beatles (somewhere in the 70 million range which is a little more then 1/5 of the US population) is because the music just appeals to their ears. Why do you like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd? Because it just appeals to your ears, you just like it. Now I am a huge Led hed, I love Led Zeppelin and I love Pink Floyd, so I will agree with you when you say that they are some of the greatest bands to ever pick up an axe. Yes the Beatles sound like pop but thats what rock was in the 60s. I mean, what does Elvis Presley sound like? Now, he doesn't really sound a whole lot like rock, but in the 50s he was rock. The definition of rock has changed over the decades. But you have to agree, whether or not you like the Beatles, that they were a great band just by their accomplishments. I mean if they were crap then they wouldn't have the record for most number 1 albums and most diamond albums (6) right? If you wish to see further, look below at mine, and derick's conversation a few comment boxes below yours.
  • Chad from Algona, IaDoes any body know how the beatles got there name well all of the loved Buddy Holly & the Crickets and thats how Paul mcCartney has the rights to Buddy Holly there is a photo on the internet it has shows Paul dressed like Buddy Holly and trust me it looks funny
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlI dont know but im really excited about it. Ill be going thats for sure
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlI was finally able to see the trailer, something to do wiht my vid card regardless I fixed that annd saw it, It looks awsome!
  • Jay from Columbia, MoWhat does the trailer show?
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlHas anyone seen the Trailer for The U.S VS John Lennon?
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlI think technicly Thriller is the best selling album to date... somthing like 51 million copies have been sold, Thats insaine and alot of money.
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlWell to answer Jay first off,
    10. sixty Four
    9. Little help from my friends
    8. Strawberry Fields forever
    7. Paperback Writer
    6. Get Back
    5. Another lover...(i think thats the name)
    4. Come together
    3. Hard Days Night
    2. Hey Jude
    1. My all time favorite, Sgt. Peppers Lonley Hearts Club Band!!
  • Jay from Columbia, MoYou're right, thats the exact same thing. Is it the same person as was comparing The Beatles to Metallica? Michael Jackson and Metallica are completely different.
  • Ben from Baltimore, MdCan you guys believe that they're having this SAME conversation on the Michael Jackson page? They're comparing him to Metallica, Pink Floyd, and Nirvana. AND they're saying that The Eagles Greatest Hits is the #1 selling album of all-time and not Thriller, which is VERY wrong.
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlI didnt know that, I odnt have the anthology but I have seen alot of it, I cant recall off hand anyhting I would want added. I just havnt seen it all though so thats my fault.
  • Jay from Columbia, MoI wonder if many people on this comment board have The Beatles Anthology DVD. Well I do, I was very pleased with the set, but thought it could use some more information and preformances about, and from Rubber Soul. Anyone else with the Anthology, post thoughts.
  • Jay from Columbia, MoOut of all the bands that tried to be like The Beatles, the only one that accomplished this was Badfinger. Which is really no surprise since one of their biggest hits (Come And Get It) was written by Paul McCartney. Well anyway, for all The Beatles fans here, I highly suggest listening to Badfinger (The Very Best Of Badfinger; best greatest hits). You'll find the two are similar, at times anyway.
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlRight on Jay! Im glad to see were all getting along now
  • Jay from Columbia, MoThe Beatles were without a doubt, the greatest band of all time. They had more influence on the world than Elvis or anyone else (nothing on Presley, he's great). Music today would not be the same, or even be as big of a part of our culture if it weren't for The Beatles. John, Paul, George and probably even Ringo can't be compared as who was best at what, because if they were not together, as The Beatles, they would not be the same, or as amazing as they were. George Harrison was not the greatest guitarist of all time, Ringo Starr was not the greatest drummer of all time, but it didn't matter The Beatles would not be what they were, and still are today without any one member of the group. Top 10 Beatles picks (not in order): 1. Something 2. All My Loving 3. And Your Bird Can Sing 4. I'm Looking Through You 5. Let It Be 6. Don't Let Me Down 7. In My Life 8. Martha My Dear 9. Here, There, And Everywhere 10. All You Need Is Love. I think the best Beatles album is Rubber Soul, or a close tie with Abbey Road. It's amazing what a drastic change The Beatles went through, as the years went by. From songs as light as Please Please Me, to tracks as intense as Helter Skelter. Or carefree songs like I Want To Hold Your Hand to meaningfull and moving songs like Let It Be. The Beatles did something for music and the world for that matter than no one can compete with. R.I.P. John Lennon and George Harrison.
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, Fland for the record how come you people cant see things like Ben and ma self do. All music is great everything. I love music Everything from Classical music to Slaughter to Slipknot back to the beatles up to metallica back over to pink floyd and King Crimson then back to The Grass Roots then jump on down to the Turtles haha, Seriously you can like Rap and the Bealtes you can like Metal and Bluegrass its all about what you let your mind tell you. If you dont try new things ever then you dont desrve to have the gift of choice and life.
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, Flwhats that comment about fred down there haha sounds like some ones crushin on one another, kinda weird slash creepy... very creepy ha. I odnt think I've ever seen a guy express his love for another guy over a forum... haha.
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlNice point, I as well have wondered that for a while, but theres a few other bands excluded form there list I have noticed but can not recall off hand, what suprised me even more is that among this, Kraftwerk is included, ha.
  • Ben from Baltimore, MdOh yea definetly you can like both. You can like The Beatles and Metallica, you can like AC/DC and The Grass Roots, you can like Twisted Sister and Michael Jackson, you can like Led Zeppelin and The Eagles, I like all of these bands and I know there are people who are the same. All of these bands are great, but shouldn't be compared because of the different audiences they appealed to and how different their music sounded. I like The Grass Roots to, I have their greatest hits. I wonder why they aren't on this website though?
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, Fland if "NO ONE cared" as you so rudley put it WHy do they have a credintials on this site, why do they have 11 studio albums which 7 went platinum, Do not accuse me of comparing the two bands, I never did, ok. You need to check your self before you talk, I mean its real easy to sound tough on a screen. *tyler runs away crying*
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, Fland this is for Tyler, Im glad to know that the only thing that matters in likeing a band is how succesful they are. Thanks for pointing that out to me, you know Im glad to know theres nothing about.... oh whats that word... Talent yes thats it Im glad to hear tallent does not have to be involved. Just Success. *Do not put words in my mouth I never said the beatles did not have Talent*
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlYeah I get yeah haha, I like that comparison. But yes I do agree with you completley. They do apeal to different audiances but I dont know why its so hard fo rpeople to accept that you can like both... I do and for the record I like Grass Roots as well ha, I have there first LP.
  • Ben from Baltimore, MdThank you for correcting me derick and I apologize for the error. BUT even if you omit that fact, you must admit, the remaining facts are still quite amazing. Yes I understand Metallica is an awesome band but their music sounds COMPLETELY different than The Beatles, so there's no point in comparing them because they have different audiences, and they were around different times. Thats like comparing AC/DC to The Grass Roots. Different sounding music, different time span, though not as much of a difference in time span between AC/DC and The Grass Roots as The Beatles and Metallica.
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlListen Ben I dont know how long you have been around, but clearly it hasnt been long at all, or you would know that just about every band can not read sheet music yeah alot can but a majority could not. Earlie metallica could not listen to kill em all and tell me thats not amazing that that just "came " to them as you said. Eddie Vahnhalen couldnt listen to Eruption and tell me thats not awsome! so dont talk unless you know.
  • Ben from Baltimore, MdListen. The Beatles were the greatest band of all time. 6 diamond albums. 6 DIAMOND albums I mean c'mon that alone is amazing. They had amazing songwriters (though I agree with the AOL thing I think Bob Dylan is #1 alltime), and amazing singers. I mean 27 of there songs went #1. Have u ever looked in the Billboard's Top 40 book? They've got like 3 pages of their top 40 songs. Try 53 top 40 hits. C'mon, thats INCREDIBLE. And what makes them even more amazing is the fact that NONE OF THEM CAN READ MUSIC!!! Paul McCartney, to this day, cannot read a note of music and yet has, along with John Lennon, written some of the greatest songs ever. Those of you who are musically talented, have you trued writing tunes, and I mean good ones. Ok, now try writing a great tune that will go #1 WITHOUT knowing how to write music. It's not that easy. This stuff just comes naturally to them. Paul McCartney said once that the song "Yesterday" came to him in a dream. It just comes naturally. THAT is why The Beatles are the greatest and most musically talented band of alltime. Prove me wrong.
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, Fland to add to the previous comment about McJones, who cares? uhh oh yeah thats right no one!
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScEven you try to compare the Beatles and Metallica you really can't because they are very different. It's the same with the Beatles and the Stones.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScAs I have said before, I like the Beatles better, but Metallica is a good band.
  • Greg from Little River, ScYou guys don't relize that Mcjaones Is also Fred From SC
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, Floh and I agree with I forget who wrote it but it was somewhere in here The BEatles did not save rock, No one saved rock every band that has ever played rock or metal even if they have sucked all contributed to the evolution of rock, thats how we know what we like. ofcourse common sense could tell you that.
  • Derick from Land O Lakes, FlI totally agree with Josh, and for the record I never saw anthing in "Mcjones" comment to make him not recpect the band or even to go as far as him hating the band, I do agree wiht him as well I think we all have are differences thats what makes us individuals. No one wants to be a robot I say lets respect one anothers Veiws. and Once again I agree with Josh both bands are full of very tallented people.
  • Josh from Plainview, NyWhen I was away at college my roommate was a big Metallica fan and I was obsessed with The Beatles. At first I didn't really like Metallica, but after a while they started to grow on me. Now I consider The Beatles and Metallica to be my two favorite bands. What I am saying is despite the fact that they're so different they're both really good and there is no reason to dis one in favor of the other.
  • Guy Mcjones from Bamburg, Scand I agree with you no more of this metallica crap, and I have never compared those two I wouldnt have the audacity or the ignorence to do such an atrocity. lets talk facts, and they did save rock and roll they contributed, and im tired of fourms i dont think ill be returning, Ill go elsewhere like Toms music in Bamburg SC. He has original Beatle Vynal in which I have bought quite a few, seriously is quite a place if you can find it I would def recamend going there. He has an original Sgt. Peppers Collectors Lunchbox tin that comes with the entire collection of the Pepper army its beatful and sadly not for sale. =(
  • Greg from Little River, ScOk McJones, If you don't appreciate this Rock band, then you can go somewhere else. And please Dude, stop tryin to compare Metalica to the Band Who Saved rock n' roll.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScThe Beatles were definitely better as a band. That's what I think anyway. As several have stated, it's one of htose deals where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
  • Xavier from Pune, IndiaIm really sick of this Giancarlo guy posting his self obsessed comments here. Lets face it, Im not a big Beatles fan, as some of u guys here. I prefer their latter, rock oriented songs (Although I have all of their songs). But I wanted to know more about the Beatles, thats the reason i saved this page, but after reading so many painful Giancarlo comments, i got a headache. Giancarlo, U are the biggest hypocrite coz, u were the one who told Fred from SC (Metallica was a great band pre-The Black Album ) that anyone whose opinion counts like VH1 and Rolling stone magazine has Beatles as their no1 band. Let me tell u that the same Vh1 goofed up and did not feature The Beatles anywhere in their list of 100 greatest artists of Hard rock, even though songs like Helter Skelter and I want you(She's so heavy) are considered pretty heavy for their times. And u go forward and critisize the AOL list, because Bob dylan and not Lennon/Mc Cartney was listed as the greatest songwriter. And u expect us to agree with you. That's absurd! You cannot impose your opinions on anyone. Coz that's what u've tried to do right from the start of this discussion. And by the way, If you read carefully, the guy that first posted the metallica comment actually said that Metallica might never ba as popular as The beatles, but he still likes Metallica better. So it was a huge Hue and Cry for nothing!
  • John from Flint, Mi"odd how keith moon and john lennon died in the same timeframe"

    when you say that you are talking about a four year difference its not as close as johnny cash and june carter cash unless your talkin in about 5 year timeframes no just one year
  • Ian from Lethbridge, CanadaTaike: "Ringo and George overrated musicians? Ringo never called himself a great drummer and George never called himself a great guitar player. Talk about modesty. They didn't have the need to push themself on the foreground like many artists tend to do. They played as a band's supposed to play. The Beatles called themselves a little band but look at what they've achieved. If you want great musicians then you might be better of in the world of classical music or jazz. But keep in mind what this 'little band' has done to music. There will never be anything like The Beatles again... ever! For a band that's no more for over three decades they still outsell most current bands and artists. And that's what's music is all about, to make an everlasting imprint. ///////////////// Couldn't have put it better myself! Thanks!
  • Patrick from Humboldt, Iaodd how keith moon and john lennon died in the same timeframe and so did entwistle and harrison
  • Taike from Lungtan, TaiwanRingo and George overrated musicians? Ringo never called himself a great drummer and George never called himself a great guitar player. Talk about modesty. They didn't have the need to push themself on the foreground like many artists tend to do. They played as a band's supposed to play.
    The Beatles called themselves a little band but look at what they've achieved. If you want great musicians then you might be better of in the world of classical music or jazz.
    But keep in mind what this 'little band' has done to music. There will never be anything like The Beatles again... ever!
    For a band that's no more for over three decades they still outsell most current bands and artists. And that's what's music is all about, to make an everlasting imprint.
  • John from Flint, MiGiancarlo, The Fifth beatle is a common term for someone that did any work with the beatles such as yoko ono, eric clapton, tony sheridan, and my favorite apu from the simpsons claims he was during their stint in india so when you think about it there are many 5th beatles yours truly your fellow michigan beatles expert
  • Greg from Little River, ScI LOVE YOU FRED, FOREVER ALLWAYS...............
  • Ashley Jade from Cleveland, Ga"There is no maybe...they are. No need to speculate." I guess you have a point. For me they are tied with Pink Floyd as my favorite bands
  • Joseph from Grand Ronde, OrI hope you remember that is the music, not record sales, that count. What's better? A huge production movie that costs millions of dollars? Or a independent film that actually moves you? I was just talking about the distinct voice of Mick Jagger because someone on here said Lennon's was better. The Rolling Stones have stuck to blues roots for years, haven't they now?
  • Joseph from Grand Ronde, Or You're right Mick Jagger was a better singer then those Beatles. It's the distinctivness(?) that counts. Yeah, you're right, I can't tell you anyone who even matches Mick's (or Keith's)distinct and unique vocal qualities. Yeah, but you are right that everyone sounds like Lennon. Excatly what did the Beatles start? No, I don't know what was great about SPLHCB, thanks though. Oh, yeah, the Beatles were kind of a boy band thing. Yeah, I know, they didn't stick to blues roots. And John Lennon was so cool for going with the crowd and loving peace and the world and worshiping himself (not that peace is bad). What? The Rolling Stones almost lost it but came back to do some really good albums?

    Just remember, you don't have to go and conform and just say "Oh, the best band ever was the Beatles." Nobody has the right to that, it's just opinion. When the Beatles ended, some really good albums got released. (Led Zeppelin (untitled), Sticky Fingers). People actually got to listen to something else for a change. So whoever listens, just remember, open your ears to other ideas and you might learn to like something else. Because you just might find John's "goody goody" voice to be boring after hearing SPLHCB a thousand times. You might want to hear Mick's: Sounds could be straight out of the delta, tinged with country, soft spoken, or screaming like an animal. Or Robert's: Low as the ground and high as their zeppelin and everything in between. Because, you might get bored of hearing something different in John's voice like the scream in revolution a hundred times.
  • Chad from Reading, PaThe Beatles were a decent group but as musicians for the most part they sucked. George Harrison is by far one of the most overrated guitarists ever. I've never heard anything special from him. Ringo is also extremely overrated his beats are really basic and his few fill are uninspired. McCartney was a good bassist but nothing special. No doubt they were one of the best vocal groups around though. None of them were as good as Robert Plant or Freddie Mercury though. There sonwriting is also overrated. I've never been able to get into there mainstream music or much of there rock stuff. Bob Dylan is a much, much, much, much, better songwriter. Seriously the Beatle's lyrics suck though. The Page/Plant songwriting duo is also much, much, much better then the Beatle's songwriting.
  • Legacy User from Legacy LocationThe Beatles invented Rock. 'Nuff said.
    Metallica - Heavy Metal redneck who haven't come up with anything that hasn't already happened 20 years before.
  • Nikki from Brampton, Canadathe beatles are awesome! yeah it sounds cheesey but my mom introduced my to them lol. but they are wonderful!
  • Ian from Lethbridge, CanadaI couldn't agree with you more!
  • Jeevan from Brampton, CanadaThe Beatles were a really great band. They have a lot of songs that I like. They were awesome!
  • Ian from Lethbridge, CanadaYes, we do have the Rolling Stones, but one time I conducted a poll on the internet. Beatles VS Rolling Stones, and The Beatles got 80% of the votes. I think they truly are the greatest band of all time!
  • Paul from Uk, EnglandMaybe they are the best, but theer are also the Rolling Stones?
  • Ashley Jade from Cleveland, GaThe Beatles very well may be the best band of all time
  • Mike from Germantown, United StatesI read an Article a while back about why hte Beach Boys Never finshed their album Smile. It was The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album that did Brian Wilson in.
  • Fred from Myrtle Beach, ScWhy are we comparing bands, is this fourm no to discuss the greatness of the beatles?! Yet we sit here and try and convert other Readers and hurt feelings and all that junk when the REAL problem is that 50 CENT has a VIDEO GAME coming out and its about Killing COPS! What a load of crap! if were gonna bash then bash that, other wise how bout we get on an interesting subject about the beatles eh?
  • Gerard from Honikiwi, New ZealandYes, The Beatles are the greatest band of all time, they were more original than Elvis (i.e. writing their own songs), far better singers than Bob Dylan (lyrically I don't know) and more mainstream-friendly than Led Zeppelin, if The Beach Boys had done sMiLe (or SmILe, sMILe; I don't know) before Sgt. Pepper's maybe not.
    They didn't have a guitar virtuoso like Jimi Hendrix, or a ladie's man as overtly... as Elvis or anything like that, they just had something else...
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI was born in 1988, so I'm 17, and I wish I had been there, but of course I wasn't. My dad obviously remembers being a huge fan of them. He said that he and his cousins played Sgt. Peppers over and over again when it first came out.
  • Alegeegee from Londonwere you lot there? - cos I was! and beyond a shadow of a doubt these guys were extremely special - they are the most significant group to ever impact on the music scene. they and Elvis must be the benchmarks of all rock/pop music
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI think a lot of people love the Beatles George.
  • George from Itaberaba, BrazilThe best musicians ever. I love The Beatles.
  • Dan from Columbia, MdThe most influential R&R band ever! No one ever has or ever will do for music what the Beatles did. No band ever had so much talent, from writing, singing the ability to play so many different instruments; it's unbelievable how talented they were!! Their songs are timeless.
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScGiancarlo: I get your point. The Beatles wrote such great songs about many different things, and in many different styles of music. Bob Dylan did that to a degree too, but noone seems to accomplished as much as the Beatles. And about Buddy Holly I get your point, but he also influenced a lot of people including the Beatles, and without him Elvis and Chuck Berry and people like that Rock n Roll wouldn't exist most likely. The Beatles and Bob Dylan just expanded the definition of Rock n Roll to include many different things including subject matter, and types of musical instruments used.
  • Aidan from Seatle, Wythe beatles are the best rockband ever! people dont like them becausethey arnt popular if they where people would only be writing good commets,I love the beatles im lisening to them right now
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScGiancarlo: I get your point completely but you shouldn't underestimate Bob Dylan's songwriting talents. You've listened to his music, haven't you? If it weren't for Bob Dylan the Beatles wouldn't have written some of the songs they wrote later in there careers together.
  • Enrico from Smithtown, Nyno, my friend, Bob Dylan IS the greatest songwriter of all time.
  • Dylan from Philadelphia, PaThe Beatles could neither read or write music, which was surprising to me because their songs are so great
  • Cakemas7er from Newcastle, EnglandI just can't pay the Beatles enough credit for all their songs. Each time I play a Beatles song I find something new that makes me like it as my favourite again! I just can't make my mind up over any of them!!

    Also, anyone who thinks "Band 'x' is better" should just go to the page for that band. Do we go over to your favourite band's page and go "The Beatles are better! Blahblahblah"
  • Nobody from None Of Your Buisness, Nythe beatles are a good band to listen to when your bored to death
  • Stewart from Woodstock, CanadaThe comment about Paul's sleeve crest in the Sgt. Pepper photo is wrong. It's actually an OPP crest - which stands for "Ontario Provincial Police" (you just can't see the while of the 'P' and it looks like a "D"
  • Fred from A Place Far Away, ScThat and well McJagger cant sing ha. I mean We all saw how his solo carrer went, and as we know Paul certainly is doin good by himself we all know JOhn and George could sing, Ringo is okay but Hes heck of alot better than McJagger Ha
  • Frank from Patchogue, Nyi aleays loved the beatles! they were my favorite group when i was 4 and they are still my favorite at 46. i think even thpough they ended in 1970, they still run rings around the stones because the stones albums sound the same. its always the same noise. the beatles were more dreative and versatile. funny though my favorite solo album is not by john or paul but george-all things must pass. i dont think john or paul were ever able to equal that great album. i also think that george became a great stel guitar player. i laugh when i think of jagger trying to write a song like let it be and trying to sing it with his out of tune voice. its cracks me up. and one more thing for those who say the beatles were not good live? well paul sounds great on stage and george sounded great at bangla desh. put them back together and the stones couldnt stay in the same county with them.again imagine jagger trying to sing something or helter skelter. no way in hell.robert plant may do a good job at some of the rockers, but not mick. he just cant sing to begin with. if you go back to the albums the beatles were always at no.1. the stones were at no3 or more. they just couldnt make an album like abbey road or pepper. they dont have it in them. but i do urge anyone who has not heard all things must pass to pick it up. its great!
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, Sccream's an awesome band! There's a lot of talent there. It would have been great to see them in london when they performed at Royal Albert Hall for their reunion.
  • Fred from A Place Far Away, ScCream really should be on top.. should be? They are! I love Cream
  • Matt from 1, AlI love Cream as well...its just that even though the Yardbirds werent "amazing"...they certainly brought several people to the forefront of music...including Clapton, Beck, and Page. They may have aonly lasted a few years but they even had influences on the beatles (especially Clapton as he was a good friend of George). But i must say that the Beatles still influence this generation...even if it is in generic "psuedo-punk" music.
  • Fred from A Place Far Away, ScOh and Anwiya Just so you know i was comparing to metal bands. Not to dif genres.
  • Fred from A Place Far Away, ScAnd as i said in a previous comment a big beatles fan.
  • Fred from A Place Far Away, ScAnd no im not quite a while back someone Said that metallica was a no talent band and that the beatles dominate all So I took it upon myself to register and give my say. So no I wouldnt do this with the intent of annyoing ppl Your all so blinded with stikin up for each other you prob didnt see that. SO next time read all the posts The post that person put up is no longer here and neither is my reply cause this has been goin on for a year or so now.
  • Fred from A Place Far Away, ScThen why bring it up? If its as iregardless as you say then why acknowledge it? Only Someone who trully had issues with a band being better than the other and refuses to see the truth would make such a statment. So lets look deep inside... OH AND THERE it is metallica. dont run from yourself.
  • Anwiya from Sterling Heights, MiFred in one of your posts you ask why we should compare Metallica to the Beatles when in fact you were the first person to mention Metallica on this page. You make a bigger fool of yourself when you compare the two bands again in your next post.
  • Fred from A Place Far Away, ScAnd Ill tell you another band who beats all these by a long shot, King Crimson May not be as popular but the populas has never really been right I mean look whos running the country, Look what was #1 song this year BYOB, Look what were talking about im supprised anyone acknowledged me. But who knows maybe populas was right once... once. But with what? Who knows and who cares, But its still amazing that Metallica have beeing around for 20 years still being the same ppl sept for the untimly death of Cliff Burton, and the leaving of Jason Newstead, But hey 3 players in 20 years aint bad. Now The beatles were around what uh 59-69 ey 10 years aint bad But they most def did better once they split up. *no offence twords John Lennon* Untimley death happens to us all But Im sure if James Hetfiled died they would have quit and probly woulndt have started back. But fact is more hits or not theyve been around longer and... They play better and... There Metal and the beatles are rock, why are you comparing them?
  • Fred from A Place Far Away, ScIssues may be things that I have but upon taste I know Oh yes I agree whole heartedly Led Zepplin is better than metallica, they one of metallicas biggest insperations and There is no argument to win the inevetable is surpassing all of you overly Obssed ppl I do more than music my self But Metallicas Being a newer Band in comparison to the beatles ahd beena round 20 years and is still just as popular as when they hit it big Just like Ozzy and te stones they will stand the test of time.
  • Anwiya from Sterling Heights, MiI know a guy named Giancarlo Martinico. If you ask me I think his favorite Beatle is Paul.
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScFred from South Carolina has issues.
  • Tanya from Rotterdam, NetherlandsTrue, Giancarlo. It's surprising how The Beatles keep turning up as "band that influenced us", still today. After more then 40 years! And the remarkable thing is, that those are often bands that don't inevitably sound like The Beatles.
  • Fred from A Place Far Away, ScYa they'll remove them when there forgotten. and if you say they are then why do you know about them?
  • Audrey Hepburn from La La Land, New ZealandTHE BEATLES ROKKKKKKKKKKK 4EVA MY NAME IS AUDREY HEPBURN I AM 99 YEARS OLDDDDDDD LOL LMAO.......I LOVE THE BEATLES BECAUSE I AM 99 EYARS OLD...WDH????????????????????

    NYWAYZZZZZZZZ BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScHey Jeanette. I know what you mean. If people would listen to the Beatle3s, they'd actually like them. I've been a fan when I was little, about 9 or so, and I've always liked them, even when I listened to other people like Britney (you know who)... lol, and n'sync. Btw, Mariah Carey and Kelly Clarkson are pretty good singers, but I can't stand Britney You-know-who.
  • Fred from A Place Far Away, ScWell Giancarlo Martinico thats were actual thinking comes into place not half minded peaced out pot thoughts, because if you knew anything youd still know Metallica is considered the biggest metal band in AMERICA right now, and the beatles aree considered "ONE" of the best no one is the best theres never a best someone is always better and always will be. Thats just how it is. SO accept it or get high and ignore it like you usally do.
  • Moose from Xdftg, Croatiabeatles are okay...
  • Jeanette from Irvine, Caokay the beatles are not my ABSOLUTE favorites i have to admit i like led zeppelin better, i'm sorry everyone, but i put beatles second and totally AWESOME! everyone likes the beatles when they finally listen to them, even people whose musical taste i hate. these people in a van at my camp were listening to retarded music like mariah carey and kelly clarkson and then a beatles song played and they all complained and said we had to change it, but then i asked them if they even knew any beatles songs and they're like "um yeah yellow submarine" and that was it! i swear they'd like it if they listened to it! the one of them who listened to the beatles (and the retarded music) DID like the beatles, which proves one thing: THE BEATLES ROCK!
  • Greg from Garden City, NyTHE BEATLES ARE , BY FAR, THE SINGLE BEST BAND EVER ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Lexie from St. Louis, MoJordan-- I too love the beatles, but I dont have orgasms over them the way you do. Heh, I think I just pissed off everyone on the Radiohead post by saying that they will be forgotten in 40 years and because of that cannot hold their heads as high as Paul McCartney.
  • Fred from A Place Far Away, Scwell obviously you dont know the boys of metallica well other wise you would know Yes they were very greedy Lars admits that and He states it in the movie, but they have changed alot and are no longer on drugs and dont completley care about money they care but not so much about the downloading they even have there own sight for free music download. So screw you you no nothing fool. And yes the beatles rock But metaalica can play there insturments better.
  • Clare from Hmilton, CanadaAlthough I'm not personally in Generation X, I'm Echo, I don't think it's really fair when people start claiming they are the Beatles' biggest fan. It's as if you are trying to take ownership of them,and you are above the rest of us,when as long as they and their brilliance have been around they've been such a big part of so many people's lives.
  • Jason from San Francisco, CaJust to put you all in line, I am the biggest Beatle fan of Generation-X. Their music prevented me from killing myself or robbing a bank. Their music has has been with me since I was a child, through school, college, grad school. The drugs, the bad times, the good times. The tears, the bliss. Here there and everywhere; and to my life now in San Francisco (the Beatle capital of America.

    McCartney is a VERY underrated bass player. John Lennon's voice is electric....it's techno, before there was techno. Harrison....mystical, reflecting the individual, and Ringo, the person we all wish we could know. George Martin, their producer.......his star always shines brightly.

    They were a product and style of their times, and they are now here with the legacy of their music...for all time.


  • Jimy from ReykjavÃ?k, IcelandThose who like to slander the Beatles as being soft.. they have never listened to Abbey Road.. "She's So Heavy" is a very heavily riffed, infact so, that US rock band Type O Negative covered it (in a medley alongside Day Tripper and If I needed someone), virtually changing nothing (save the sound).. and for those who still lack the brainstems to understand the impact this band has had on a wide variety of rock, we can name a big fan, Ozzy Osbourne, one of the fathers of metal is a big beatles fan, so big, that in fact "dreamer" by O.O. sounds as though it was written by mr John W. Lennon himself..

    as for those who dont appreciate the beatles for at least their originality, and songwriting skills... theyve obviously never made music themselves
  • Tanya from Rotterdam, NetherlandsIndeed, they often (especially later on) wrote their music apart. But after it was written the other one would look at it, and make some essential changes. And those changes were what made it real Lennon-McCartney productions. Everything they did after The Beatles lack that extra quality, in my opinion.
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScTanya you're right some people just don't see it do they? I met a kid at school once who said he just couldn't stand The Beatles. i asked him why and the only reason he gave was that his grandmother mae him listen to them all the time. I didn't say anything else about it, but I think that's kind of a stupid reason.
  • Tanya from Rotterdam, NetherlandsOnly non-Beatles-fans can divide Lennon and McCartney in two, musically, and really think that it matters to have a preference. But actually it doesn't. Lennon without McCartney lacks a talent for great melody making, McCartney without Lennon lacks the subtle irony and special unique touch. McCartney without Lennon is very sweet, Lennon without McCartney is a bit boring. Together they were brilliant. Not together they were okay. (And Stefanie, I totally agree with you, but I'm afraid some people won't see it. Let it be;-)).
  • Ellen from Graz, AustriaThe beatles are the band that changed music forever. where would we be without their great influence? i mean, all of those bands and one-hit-wonders...in 10 or 20 years no one will give a damn about them. they re-invented pop-music. they wrote some of the greatest songs in the world, such as "hey jude", "get back", "i am the walrus", "blackbird", "lucy in the sky with diamonds", "helter skelter", "revolution 1", ...etc. i think all of them were great musicians. it's crap to say "hey, i think mccartney was better" or "mccartney was dumb compared to lennon".... it doesn`t matter. They created this music TOGETHER. that's the important thing.
  • Steve from Toronto, CanadaI remember going to see the Beatles in concert (11 yrs old,Aug /1966 Toronto, Canada)I went down to the stage to get a better view of them.What a sight.Afterwards they came down off the stage.I was no more than 6 ft from them.Gosh I wish that I had had a pen and paper and a camera.I have been to many concerts over the yrs, but they were the best.By the way, my concert ticket at the time cost just $3.00 dollars.Years later in 1996 I got to meet Pete Best at a Toronto Beatles Show

    Steve Martin
    Toronto, Canada
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScObviously the only Beatles music you have listened to is their earlier stuff,which they did in 1964 and 1965. i know that you don't think the Beatles are that great,but if you want to get a full perspective on what kinds of music they did just listen to any album of theirs beginning with rrubber Soul, which is where they started experimenting wwith other instruments, and it's also when their records started taking a different direction. From that point on, they weren't as poppy as they had previously been. probably the best Beaatles albums are sgt. Peppers and The White Album, because the Beatles experimented with more instruments, even adding orchestras. On The White Album they did some hard rock with songs like "Helter Skelter" and accustic music with songs like "Blackbird." They also experimented more with psychedelic sounds in songs such as "Revolution number 9" and lastly, on Abby road, they showed that their musical experimentation wasn't limited to psychadelic music with songs lie "Come together." What I'm trying to tell you is that the Beatles experimented more with music, and were greater than you think. Pop boy-bands, even really talented ones wouldn't experiment and try different kinds of music, or have as much influence as the Beatles did. i'm not saying the guys in Metallica weren't talented, but they haven't reached as wide an audience as the beatles did. Besides, without proups like The Beatles, The who, the rolling Stones, The Kinks, Led Zeppelin, and others, hard rock wouldn't be what it is today, and music would'nt be either. So even if the people of Metallica weren't directly influenced by the Beatles, maybe one of their idols was. In fact, Kirk cobain of Nirvana was a beatles fan So The beatles influenced more people than you may think, and people that you wouldn't they would be influencing! So don't post a comment here unless you know what you're talking about,which it seems to me like you don't. I know this is a long comment, but I think I've said enough.
  • Tanya from Rotterdam, NetherlandsDid you know that Kurt Cobain was a huge Beatles-fan? Okay, that's no heavy metal, but it proves that The Beatles had their influence on more heavy bands too. Micah, I'm curious: do you really think anyone outside England (Wales and Scotland excluded....?) and the United States don't know The Beatles?! Did you know they crossed Holland long before they were famous (okay, on their way to Hamburg, but still)? I know that many Americans think the sun turns around the United States, but - call me Gallilei - it's not. Anyway: The Beatles had their hits throughout Europe long before they broke through in America. And we never burned their records over here, honey... Oh, and I don't believe in Satan, so I'm not so worried about that.
  • David from Pasadena, CaMan I do not know how to give the Beatles enough credit. They are the most awesome band of all time. Everything from While My Guitar Gently Weeps, to I Want You (She's So Heavy), to Helter Skelter, to Getting Better, to I'm Only Sleeping, to A Day in the Life is incredible. No one beats the beatles
  • Jude from Los Angeles, CaI challenge anyone to name a band whose B side songs were as popular as those of the Beatles. Who doesn't know "Day Tripper," "I Saw Her Standing There," "From Me to You," "I Should Have Known Better," "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You," "If I Fell," "Eleanor Rigby," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Revolution," "Come Together," "Helter Skelter," and "Twist and Shout". . .just to name a few?
    - Susan, Chicago, IL
    Um.. Susan EVERYONE KNOWS THOSE SONGS?? Have you ever heard of underrated track songs in certian ALBUMS like And your bird can sing, Because, Do you want to know a Secret, Blue Jay Way,The End, If I needed someone?? DO YOU!??
  • Isar from Pune, IndiaHello Everybody..I am from India.. the land the Beatles came down for meditation..Just wanna tell you that the best of the Beatles songs were written on the banks of the river Ganges in Rishikesh-India. Dear Prudence,I will, Accross the universe...and a lot many. What I want everyone to know is that I am such a great beatles fan that I somehow procured all the Beatles LPs( British and American) and to hear them safely till I die, I procured more than 104 record players and stylus'(of all brands)..so that I can hear them only on LPs.. And yes..before I forget Do You Know That JOHN was going to embrace ISLAM before he was killed..It is said that Mark David Chapman shot him because he was going to become a MOSLEM.
  • Jordan from Ontario, Canadain my opinion, the "Paul is dead" thing is one of the greatest publicity stunts ever-- but, they would have had a better case with John: it would be easier to believe that John, who was a handsome guy, who became, well, not-so-handsome, was replaced with a freaky-looking double.
  • Ryco from Port Orford, Orhow about the last chord of "Day in the Life"? After about 2 !/2 seconds you can hear someone move his/her piano bench -- there's a definite little scrape. Bet'cha anything it was John!
  • Bob from Las Vegas, NvIt's as simple as, in a 100 years, even a 1000 years (if were lucky enough to make it that long) The Beatles will still be great. People will still recognize songs like "Yesterday", and "I Want To Hold Your Hand". Ask a random person to name 5 Metallica songs now. It a 100 years it will be, "Metallica who?". But The Beatles will live forever
  • Quentin from Perth, AustraliaThe first noted "Video / Film Clips" especially made for TV where the group just didn't "mime" a song in a studio was made by The Beatles. They didn't wish to tour but they were happy to make a film clip. These included 'Strawberry Fields Forever". These clips are rarely seen nowdays and were shot in colour. Since then, most groups make a film clip to promote their songs. Nothing new under the sun!
  • Shirley from Ocean, NjI was 12 when The Beatles came to America and like someone on the comments said, I still get shivers up and down my spine when I hear a Beatles song. They were truly the greatest band ever. Paul and John were the most brilliant song writing team and they didn't have to jump up and down on stage, and break their instruments to become popular. Their songs made sense; they were catchy tunes. They went from silly songs (which in my opinion were the best) even though I own everything they ever made. They changed with the times and evolved, making the 60's the greatest decade to live in. Keep in mind, I can't think of too many groups where each individual went on to all become stars individually. Look at Paul McCartney today at 62; sounds better than ever and is still a hunk. The Beatles, yes, they will live forever. Metallica????????????????? is even an insult to use in the same sentence as The Beatles.
  • Luna from Esbjerg, Denmarkone of the many things that make the Beatles one of a kind, is the interveiws! most of them are SO funny..! Here is a few exsamples;
    Press: How did you find America? John: Turn left at Greenland.

    press: Are you a mod or a rocker?
    Ringo: Im a mocker

    Press: What do you call that haircut?
    George: Arthur

    Press: Are you going to have a leading lady for the movie youre about to make?
    Paul: We are trying to get the Queen. She sell England you know!

    Arent they GREAT..! You gotta love the Beatles..
  • June from Los Angeles, CaThe Beatles have helped define music and culture in our life time as much as Bach, Beethoven, etc. did during their era!! I feel so very priveledged to have grown up listening to each song/album as it came out. My first memories are very innocent, not really understanding the depth of their lyrics and songs. I just loved the music for what it was, and found these four guys from England really intriguing! My Dad tok my sister and I to the Hollywood Bowl for the '64 concert, and the next year a girlfriend from school scored us 7th row box seats!! (Aug '65.) I remember I couldn't really hear the music for all of the screaming! There is a pond in front of the stage at the Hollywood Bowl. Girls were jumping in the pond trying to get to the stage, and the police were dragging them out soaking wet.
    As I got into my late teens and twenties, I came to understand the depth of Beatles music. I cried for days after Lennon's assination, as I knew there never could be more lyrics/songs from this genius. I also cried when Geroge died. He may not have contributed as much or "the same" as Lennon/McCartney, but he also gave us many wonderful songs and how much he had helped humanity with his concert and money.
    In 2004 I finally got to Liverpool. My husband son and I were in London for a week. We took the train up to Liverpool and took the "Majical Mystery Tour". It is a MUST for any serious Beatles fan to go on this tour. It is the actual bus from Majical Mystery tour that is used! You see all of the things they sang about, places they wrote about and you can wrap your mind around everything. Your life experience with The Beatles comes full circle. It is so impressive to see how 4 teens made it out of that little sea town and beat the odds to become the BEST in the world.
    NOBODY is better than The Beatles. Although I do go see The Stones each tour, they are still 2nd place as far as talent. McCartney did all of us a huge favor by performing Beatles songs on his Driving Rain tour.
    OK, long comment. It'sad that kids today don't have the same unique forum that we did.
  • Loretta from Liverpool, EnglandJanuary 30th should be a holiday. The rooftop concert was the greatest achievement of mankind.
  • Susan from Chicago, IlI challenge anyone to name a band whose B side
    songs were as popular as those of the Beatles. Who doesn't know "Day Tripper," "I Saw Her Standing There," "From Me to You," "I Should Have Known Better," "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You," "If I Fell," "Eleanor Rigby," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Revolution," "Come Together," "Helter Skelter," and "Twist and Shout". . .just to name a few?
  • Alan from City, MiMatthew left "The Long and Winding Road" off his list of Beatle singles.
    The Quarrymen were (at various times):
    John Lennon, Pete Shotton, Bill Smith, Ivan Vaughn, Nigel Whalley, Eric Griffiths, Colin Hanton, Rodney Davis, Len Garry, Paul McCartney, George Harrison (Paul joined first, later George.), John "Duff" Lowe, and Ken Brown. No Stu and no Pete Best.
    Some of the other "Paul is Dead" clues:
    At the end of I'm So Tired, John is supposedly saying "Paul is dead now-miss him, miss him.
    In Magical Mystery Tour, John, George and Ringo wear red flowers, Paul black.
    Paul is wearing something on his arm with the initials "O.P.D." which was construed as "officially pronounced dead" (really "Ontario Police Dept.").
    Day in the Life is supposedly about Paul's car crash, as well as crashing noises in Revolution #9. And of course, the Walrus was Paul.
  • Amanda from Blah City, MdThe whole Paul is dead thing... SO fake!Especially the thing about John saying "I buried Paul." at the end of Strawberry Fields Forever. He's saying "cranberry sauce" because he thought it would be funny (strawberry, cranberry, get it?) At least that's what Paul said in an interview a while ago. Listen to it, it definitely sounds like cranberry sauce.:)
  • Jodi from Lavernia, TxI just wanted to share how the Beatles reached every corner of the United States. In a very small Nebraska community, we had the coolest music teacher. During junior high, we had sort of a music history class that we had to take, Mr. Nickel taught us about THE BEATLES! It was great, helped us to understand the music, break it down, recognize how amazing the writing and the musical talent was. We even got to delve into the whole Paul is dead thing, it was GREAT for a kid in junior high in the mid-80s. I won't say the Beatles were great, they ARE great. Thanks Mr. Nickel!
  • Emory from Baltimore, MdDid you know Ringo Starr owns the largest Chevrolet dealership in Durango, North Dakota. It's true.
  • Yu from Demarest, PaWhen it comes to beatles, it's not about skills. For example, George Harrison was clearly not the fastest guitarist. What made them historical is their creativity and how well they crafted the songs. For that reason, I belive they are underrated as musicians. No influence on real rock? You're an idiot. Anyone will agree that the Beatles were classic rock musicians. They continuously changed within only 8 years during their time and they influenced variety of style of music (which is rock & roll - it's abstract and amorphous). Led Zeppelin is amazing, but how much did they change? Granted, all 4 of them were highly skilled musicians, but I think Led Zeppelin was the one who more or less influenced guitar sounds.

    And John Lennon said "The Beatles are more POPULAR than Jesus Christ" not bigger, better or more powerful. If you were John Lennon, amazed by how everyone in the world is talking about your band, wouldn't you jokingly blurt it out? He maybe have been wrong or right, but that doesn't matter. They got away with it.

    And shame on you for that comment on Lennon's death. He died because of the crazy obsessed fan. A f-ing awful payoff. 6 shots for the man who enriched millions of people's lives.
  • Tony from Liverpool, Englandthey were not the first band to use strings on a Rock/Pop song. I think you'll find Buddy Holly and the Crickets did this well before. raining in my heart. Also the band the Beatles took insiration for their name from. They did however have a lot of "first": The first gatefold sleeve album (St.Pepper). First band to print Lyrics on an album(not considered important until then!!) The first rock/pop band to use a synthesizer (maxwell's silver hammer, but actually Something was the first recorede using one). The first to issue a Double "A" side single (Penny Lane/Strawberry fields) this was due to an rgument between Lennon and Paul about who's song should be the A side of the single. (personally I would have put them both on St.Pepper, kicking off Georges Within you without you and made the best album unbeatable. there are countless more. But in the argument of other bands being better remember this, most songs you know well and are classics, played every day on air and covered even now, were not even singles. Most were album tracks and even "B" sides. These songs are truly better than most bands could drem of writing and they were not even issued as singles and were fillers sometimes.
  • Simon from Brno, Czech RepublicPaul wanted to call the album "Ever Rest",not "Everest",because their engineer Geoff Emerick smoked the cigarettes with name "Everest".
  • Shaun from Perth, Molennon and mccartney enjoyed throwing unusual things in to the mix when they recorded-things like dog whistles and sounds which are now no longer creatable exactly because the machines no longer are used.also on tommorrow never knows,lennon wanted to sound like "a thousand monks on a hilltop"and covered the microphone with all sorts of things including a milk bottle and even hung upside down to try and achieve this.lennon incidentally hated the sound of his voice on record,bizarre but true,and was the initial reason he would try to hide it. but as time went on he grew to find it more interesting as a way to impart visual thoughts into his songs.on one of the songs on sgt pepper it can be heard that "we will f--k you like supermen" when played backwards-only i cant remember what song!!also help was the name given to the film of the same name only after dissatisfaction over the title "8 arms to hold you",which it was originally.i cant be bothered to write more but will soon.i am a huge beatles fan and have even been to all the houses they grew up in -leaving from australia!!ps,great site
  • Tiga from Mount Carmel, PaIf Paul was 27 when the Abbey Road album was released and it said 28 IF, then it could be a valid clue-for the fact that the Beatles knew 'hidden messages' sold very well and hid 'PaulIsDead' clues in their records. So Steve, you posted it wrong, instead of him dying at age 28, he would BE 28 IF he hadn't died. Don, steve did the math write, he just worded it wrong. Even so, just because the Beatles hid 'paul is dead' clues in their records, it doesn't mean paul had really died. 'Hidden messages' would sell more records, and not that the Beatles needed any help, they put 'hidden messages' in anyway.


    RE: "28 IF" Paul McCartney was only 27 at the time of the release of ABBEY ROAD, so this goes to show you just how much bunk the whole "Paul is dead" thing really was. These conspiracy freaks couldn't even subtract!
    - don, rapid city, SD drencrom68@hotmail.com

    Another "Paul is dead"clue On the cover as they cross Abbey Road,there sits a VW with a license plate that reads "28if"which is what Paul would have been when he "died"
    Steve, Willmar, MN steve7681@charter.net

  • Brittanie from Liverpool, EnglandThe Beatles are by FAR the best band of all time. They started so many new things. They were the first group to have strings on a Rock/Pop song, for one. And they did so many different types of music.

    Everyone at least likes a few Beatles' songs. Even if they didn't know the Beatles wrote or sang it.
  • Jenny from Anytown, CaI used to know a TON of facts (back when I was the biggest Beatles freak you can imagine LOL). Here are a few I can still remember just off the top of my head:
    1. George mentioned once on a TV show that his favorite candy was jellybeans. As a result, the Beatles began getting PELTED by fans with these everytime they had a concert.
    2. The Beatles reportedly spend the entire shooting of "Help" in a marijuana haze. (I'm not sure if this is confirmed or just a rumor.)
    3. Astrid Kirschner (Stuart Sutcliffe's girlfriend) was the one responsible for the creation of the Beatle's trademark mophead haircut.
    4. The Beatles' first TV appearance in the US was not on the Ed Sullivan show. It was actually on the Jack Parr show a few weeks before.
    5. George Harrison's first visit to the US was in 1963 when he went to see his sister. After the visit, he said, "I think we can make it there."
  • Steve from Willmar, MnAnother "Paul is dead"clue On the cover as they cross Abbey Road,there sits a VW with a license plate that reads "28if"which is what Paul would have been when he "died"
  • Noam from Ein Zivan, Israelthey were all vegeterians at some part of their lives.
  • Clint from Newton, KsKansas is (I believe) the only U.S. state to have towns named St. John, St. Paul, St. George and Ringo.
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