The Beatles: Treading the Boards

The beaTles:

Their Music

John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr were just four young musicians from Liverpool when fame and fortune came knocking in the early 1960s. Their lives, and music as the world knew it, would never be the same. The Beatles are one of the most famous bands in history and their music spanned genres and styles throughout their decade together. The music of The Beatles persists even though they released their first album almost sixty years ago and broke up over fifty years ago. Beatles songs have long been cultural touchstones and have influenced artists from Billy Joel to Dave Grohl to Lady Gaga.

The music of The Beatles began as a convergence of several styles, including folk, rock, pop, and R&B. Early albums such as Please Please Me and With the Beatles capitalized on these influences to bring The Beatles to super stardom. As the group evolved, they experimented with other styles of music and moved towards more psychedelic and experimental sounds, especially with the albums Rubber Soul and Revolver. The release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band ushered in a new era of progressive rock music. Sgt. Pepper is often cited as the first true concept album, which became a hallmark of the progressive rock era. The Beatles even had a direct influence on the creation of heavy metal music with the release of songs like “Helter Skelter” and “Revolution.”

Dozens of artists have covered The Beatles’ songs, their music is still heavily streamed, and their legacy continues on in the generations of musicians who have directly or indirectly been influenced by their innovation and musical experimentation.

The Beatles, 1963. Photo credit: Pictorial Press Ltd.

“Money (That’s What I Want)” “We Can Work It Out” “She Loves You” “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” “Help!” “I Saw Her Standing There” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” “I Am the Walrus” “The Fool on the Hill” “Let It Be” “Do You Want to Know a Secret?” “Eight Days a Week” “Good Day Sunshine” “And I Love Her” “When I’m 64” “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” “Love Me Do” “Something” “Can’t Buy Me Love” “Got to Get You Into My Life” “Helter Skelter” “Here Comes the Sun” “Across the Universe” “All You Need is Love”