At age 15, Paul McCartney joined a skiffle band called The Quarrymen, fronted by a 16-year-old John Lennon. Shortly after, George Harrison joined the band as the lead guitarist. Those two sentences, in isolation, mean very little; however, what they go on to set up will change the fabric of music history forever. What started as a few teens writing music together evolved into The Beatles, the most important band that has ever existed.
There seems to be a common debate about whether or not The Beatles are overrated. Many people out there turn their noses up at the band and say that they aren’t as good as people make out. These people are completely missing the point. Regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of The Beatles and the specific music they made, their impact on the industry, paired with the various styles and sounds they popularised, continue to resonate today.
It has nothing to do with taste and everything to do with impact. If you hear The Beatles’ harmonies and songwriting and cringe at the thought of it because you prefer something noisier and post-punk inspired, you need punk for that sound to happen, and for punk, you need rock, and for rock, you need The Beatles. This applies to the majority of modern genres, or if not their specific sound, the way they approach making music.
We know how important The Beatles were because we have the benefit of time on our side. We can look back at the success of the band and each individual member, keeping one eye on modern music and making the connections between the two. That being said, there were moments throughout the band’s career where you could tell how influential they would become.
10 defining Beatles moments:
‘Love Me Do’
We cannot justify the end without there being a beginning, so what better place to start? On October 5th, 1962, The Beatles released their first ever single, ‘Love Me Do’. It featured a prominent harmonica and originally didn’t have much percussion; however, it was re-recorded with Andy White on drums and Ringo Starr on tambourine.
While the song didn’t reach number one and didn’t project the band into stardom, it contained everything the public would eventually find endearing about The Beatles. The harmonies embedded within the track, its upbeat nature, and the joy contained within every second would set the groundwork for many Beatles songs. Anyone who heard the track knew the band were on to something, and it was only a matter of time before…
The Beatles take over America
After playing a residency in Hamburg and the release of their debut album, by 1964, The Beatles had taken over America, and the British invasion officially began. It had initially kicked off towards the end of 1963 with the release of ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’, which brought a new exciting sound to all those who heard it. It was evident that The Beatles weren’t going to be a fad. The power within their music resonated far and wide, and it was difficult for people to deny that the band were anything other than a group of geniuses.
