The Beatles Influence On American Popular Culture

The Sixties had been a witness to numerous historical events including the Vietnam War, the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the Civil Rights Movement to name a few. However, it is also the year American popular culture experienced a watershed development as British groups gained popularity in the US and became significant to the transatlantic counterculture. This paper, while focusing on the forerunner of the British Invasion – the Beatles – provides an overview of the British Invasion and examines its impact on American popular music. In doing so, it investigates the success and historical significance of the invasion in the evolution of popular music.
Until the British invasion, the transatlantic trade in popular music flowed one-way. Much of American popular culture – including Rock ‘n’ Roll – transmitted by American troops during
King,” had significant impact on American culture and popular music. Prior to the release of “I want to Hold Your Hand” in December 1963, the assassination of John F. Kennedy in November had plunged America into the slough of despond. While not intentionally exploiting this situation, the exuberant optimism of the Beatles and their record’s joyous energy granted cathartic release to the grieving nation; this helped set the scene for Beatlemania. The Beatles also played a key role in establishing personal freedom which is one of the attributes of the rising counterculture. Driven by the goal to redefine social mores, the proponents of the growing counterculture, American youths found in the Beatles an ideal representation of the sentiments of the times. For instance, the Beatles’ “mop-tops” haircut was widely mocked in 1964, however, it became an outlet for rebellion as many teenagers emulated the mid-length hairstyle. Simply put, the Beatles weakened the rigid gender-bound modes of appearance and