Who were The Beatles?
The Beatles were one of the most successful and influential pop music groups of the 1960s. This quartet of British musicians were rhythm guitarist John Lennon (October 9, 1940–December 8, 1980); bass guitarist Paul McCartney (born June 18, 1942); lead guitarist George Harrison (February 25, 1943–November 29, 2001); and drummer Ringo Starr (born July 7, 1940).
The Beatles became very famous in Britain. People started calling the excitement over the band Beatlemania. The Beatles became wildly popular in the United States too after appearing on Ed Sullivan’s television program in February 1964. Teenage girls across the country screamed and fainted over them, and boys copied the Beatles’ look. By April 1964 the top five hits in the United States were all Beatles songs.
Why were The Beatles so important in the cultural Revolution of the 1960s?
They looked very different from other musicians - dressing in tight fitting, matching suits with mop-top haircuts.
They made music that appealed to young people and adults.
They wrote their own music.
They played huge, live stadium shows.
Recorded long albums in studios.
The Beatles experimented with different musical styles.
They were leaders who spoke up about important issues. (Especially John Lennon)
The Beatles played a huge part in developing ‘youth culture.’ Teenage girls followed them everywhere they went.
Boys tried to copy their styles.