The Beatles: Popular Music In The 1960's

The Beatles Imagine yourself as a teen in the 1960’s. John F. Kennedy has recently been assassinated and the country is devastated. You turn on some new music released by the Beatles and suddenly, you are lost in the music that is sweeping the nation. You almost forget the fact that the popular president has been assassinated. The Beatles’ and many other artists’ music is still listened to and replicated today. The Beatles were a group of four men that created very popular music in the 1960’s. The British invasion was a phenomenon that occured when a stream of British artists were sent across the Atlantic. The phenomenon included music and fashion, and a big part was played by the Beatles, but there were several other popular artists that
were also present during that time. In 1964, the United Kingdom sent a stream of British artists across the Atlantic. One of the most popular bands that came to America was the Beatles. The Beatles were a musical group that consisted of four men. To summarize, “The Beatles’ triumphant arrival in New York City on February 7, 1964, opened America’s doors to a wealth of British musical talent”(Ira A. Robbins). Within a matter of weeks in January 1964 songs of the Beatles played on the radio non-stop and the Beatles had several appearances on the “Ed Sullivan Show”(shsu The British Invasion). Their appearances on the popular television program were important because thousands of Americans watched. This debut skyrocketed their career. From the arrival of the Beatles, the artists previously on the American charts were virtually swept away(shsu The British Invasion). Over the years, the Beatles became more popular in America.
By early summer, there seemed to be more British artists on the radio than American(shsu The British Invasion). America loved the new frantic beats that the Beatles brought. As stated in the article, “By late 1963, however, the nation was caught up in a communal sense of mourning, brought on by the assassination of popular president John F. Kennedy. The Beatles-- with their cheeky wit and catchy, upbeat pop songs-- proved to be the perfect anecdote to America’s collective depression”(shsu The British Invasion). This was important because America was brought back into the world of music, instead of dwelling on the horrible past. The Beatles’ music helped, but nothing could defeat the depression of the country. The Beatles played a very big part in the British invasion, sending happiness across the
country.
Other Artists Although the Beatles were most popular during the 1960’s, other British artists emerged.
As previously stated, “Only a handful of artists continued to thrive in 1964 and beyond. Some of these include the Beach Boys and the Four Season”(shsu The British Invasion). The first few British performers to achieve success on the American charts were Dusty Springfield, the Dave Clark Five, the Searchers, Billy J. Kramer, and Peter and Gordon(shsu The British Invasion). New artists found it necessary to include elements of the merseybeat sound such as the trademark jangly guitars and seamless three-part vocal harmonies(shsu The British Invasion). These other artists were important because they introduced a different kind of British music than the Beatles, so America could get a taste of the different styles of British artists. The Beatles played a distinct style of music and some Americans disliked this style, but other artists provided the style of music that fits each individual’s musical preference. There were many other artists that influenced the British
invasion.
Fashion
Not only did British artists bring music, they also brought fashion. America’s youth was, “always in search of culture symbols to both collectively identify with and flaunt in the face of an authority figure as an act of rebellion”(shsu The British Invasion). For example, “Elvis Presley’s heavily greased DA hairstyle of the mid-1950’s, The Beatles look engendered considered controversy on the part of the adult establishment when it first assaulted the public consciousness”(shsu The British Invasion). In addition, the mop-top hairstyle displayed by the band members of the Beatles became popular(shsu The British Invasion). America was looking for new trends to follow to mix it up from the American style they had be accustomed to.
Conclusion
The British invasion was important to the US. Music from the Beatles lifted America’s depression. British talent wiped away the musical deadwood that had previously been on the American charts. The music that came from the invasion is still listened to today and influenced music that we have today. Riffs and melodies are replicated and there are several bands that base their music purely off of the Beatles’ music. The invasion included music and fashion. A big part of this event was played by the Beatles, but there were so many artists that contributed and America couldn’t get enough of the British talent that had traveled across the Atlantic ocean and created record breaking music.