Why are the Beatles so Popular?

[Drong]

Um... they used all manner of keys... "Day Tripper" is in E major, "Something" is in A minor, etc... What is this "Secret Key" you speak of? I would like to know so I can use it... but I'm reasonably certain that no such thing exists.

However, certain intervals and melodies when used strategically over certain chord changes can produce an emotional reaction... but we've known that since well before the Baroque period.

actually there is, sorry i can't recall off the top of my head but there is a few keys that work really well, and frankly i'm not going to spend my time looking it up, but suggest you go do it on your own, it's been discussed many a time

and btw you do contradict yourself in your own argument

Err no he doesn't, first he's talking about key then he's talikng about chord changes, not the same thing.

Anyway as has been said here alot of times they were the best because of the huge amount of influence they have had on music since, most bands when asked of their influences will include the beatles, or include a band who would state their influences as the beatles.

Plus they made some of the best songs of all time and were not afraid to try new things (the white album anyone?)

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

Music is just one of those things where everybody's opinions will always differ. I love the Beatles, personally. I love a lot of different genres, but I absolutely hate R&B, most rap, hip hop, and I'm on a love-hate relationship with country music. Some country songs are among my favourites, while you couldn't pay me to listen to others. Some people spend hundreds of dollars on a stereo system for their car so they can blast hip hop songs that I consider a form of torture. I'm not a racist until I watch hip hop videos and want to kill everybody on the screen.

I like the Beatles. I also like some punk music, but hate some punk music, too. How popular is Green Day, and I can only think of maybe one or two songs of theirs that don't make my eyes implode.

Not everybody is going to enjoy the Beatles, and not everybody is going to think they're the greatest band of all time. However, you look at certain bands/artists/groups and see how much they can impact the music scene, or even define an entire generation, and that tends to be how we come closest to objectively identifying what a "great band" is. I have some friends who HATE Nirvana, and they're probably my favourite band. Another one of my favourites is Flogging Molly, but it's rare I even encounter anybody who has heard of them. Another one of my favourites is Hole, and my friends have decided that they hate them, even though they haven't even heard one of their songs.

Why are the Beatles so popular? Because they appeal to a large number of people. It might not appeal to you, so how are we supposed to explain it?

I just want to say that I have heard Flogging Molly.

 

[amadeus3000]

Being 21 years old, The Beatles never were "my" teenage music band. As a kid and teenager you often try to be different from your parents. Despite not listening to them, my parents liked John Lennon & Co. So a no go for me. Of course I knew their important songs. With 9 years I even wrote a resume about their work. Because the school asked me to. But more than that? No way.

In some twisted way however, I couldn't deny the fact, that they were and are important for the pop music. So when a few years ago, the Grey Album was "released" something woke my interest. It was a weird combination of unauthorized use of copyright material, a close-to-zero-interest in both artists (Jay-Z and The Beatles) and a beautiful mash-up.

So I started listening to The Beatles. And despite only owning two Best Of albums, I simply love them. So why are The Beatles so popular? Because they have everything of a good, old French wine: It takes time to appreciate their taste and the more they age, the better they sound.

PS: Sorry for any unusual English expression. It isn't my native language.

 

[werepossum]

Revolution
Strawberry Fields Forever
All you need is love
Blackbird
Yesterday
Come Together
Dear Prudence
Hey Jude
Let it Be

Those are all reasons why The Beatles are a classic band. Can anyone say they've heard any of those songs, and not liked them?

Yeah, I never really cared for any of those songs either except for "Come Together", and the first two have the effect of fingernails on a chalkboard for most people. (Well, I really don't remember "Blackbird" and "Dear Prudence", and you're actually the first person I can remember saying "Revolution" is good.) The Beatles were technically very talented, had a new sound, constantly recreated themselves, and as someone else pointed out had two talented songwriters. I hadn't heard the thing about the Beatles vs Stones, but it makes sense - I love the Stones and have always been "meh" toward the Beatles. Were they really any better then, say, the Animals or Herman's Hermits? Probably in sheer talent, definitely in songwriting.

And come on, everybody knows the greatest band of all time is the Dead!

 

[magnus gallant]

i think there are a lot of people these days who like the beatles for pot and long hair and being a bit out there (these days at least) but when it comes right down to it, these guys were at the right place at the most perfect time. when you listen to the songs, they're catchym but when you analyze the songs, they're genius, they were so ahead of their time, and if you like any kind of progressive music, yo ucan understand how the beatles tried new things, but all of it was very thought out, and very complex

paul mcartney is an asshole though, i hate him almost as much as bono

 

[Jeroen Stout]

There's no arguing over taste.

Saying that on a message board is like going to a neo-nazi meeting and saying "nobody ever wants WW-2 again"

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

The original Boy Band. It was either the Beatles or the Stones.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

There's no arguing over taste.

Saying that on a message board is like going to a neo-nazi meeting and saying "nobody ever wants WW-2 again"

I call Godwin.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

If people don't stop mentioning Pink Ffloyd I may be sick

 

[runtheplacered]

The Beatles were the product of marketing genius. Although their music might or might not be better, their popularity is no different then any other famous person today.

For instance, they paid young girls to scream and cheer as they walked into a concert hall, or a hotel or some such thing. That got people motivated to want to scream and cheer too, which become viral.

Although as others said, a bit is also attributed to being at the right place at the right time. You just can't forget the marketing that goes behind any mainstream band. Which is probably why I listen to such a small amount of mainstream music. Well, one of the many reasons.

 

[Saskwach]

There's no arguing over taste.

Saying that on a message board is like going to a neo-nazi meeting and saying "nobody ever wants WW-2 again"

Perfect metaphor; no one there will listen but at least you can feel superior while they tear the world apart.

 

[laikenf]

i think there are a lot of people these days who like the beatles for pot and long hair and being a bit out there (these days at least) but when it comes right down to it, these guys were at the right place at the most perfect time. when you listen to the songs, they're catchym but when you analyze the songs, they're genius, they were so ahead of their time, and if you like any kind of progressive music, yo ucan understand how the beatles tried new things, but all of it was very thought out, and very complex

paul mcartney is an asshole though, i hate him almost as much as bono

One word "REVOLVER". What the Beatles and Sir George Martin achieved in the recording studios was unheard of. Lots of experimentation went on because they really wanted to make conventional music sound "unconvetional". What I mean is pretty much what magnus gallant is saying: once you listen carefully (set aside the tunes them selves) you will notice a full arrange of sound bites and oddities (specially in the second half of their carreer) that give the songs the "texture" that regular instruments just couldn't give them. The songwrighting was great, but the arranging and the studio mastery was where they really shined and thus paved the way for other artists of the era that used the studio as their main "instrument"

And by the way, I HATE JOHN McARTNEY TOO.

 

[magnus gallant]

^agreed
thats what i was trying to say, but this person took it farther, you need to look beyond the music, to what each noise and instrument is doing, because theres nothing like it

john lennon got what was coming to him, thats right, i said it , haha no thats terrible, but lennon was getting out there a bit too much with yoko, and pauls just a complete ass haha

 

[Jacques 2]

The Beatles are the Gordon Freeman of Rock & Roll, they were the right people in the wrong place at the right time.

 

[rader023]

The same reason you ask why the beatles are so popular, is the same reason people cant believe how somebody doesnt like the Beatles, like someone mentioned personal taste.

To me the beatles are still relevant and I am always discovering/rediscovering songs that i'm into.

So the answer is they are popular because more people like them than dislike them. The real question is why do you care?

 

[oni565]

It all depends on what type of music you like really, I am a huge Beatles fan and listen to nothing but Beatles but that's because it's my type of music

 

[Grimm91]

Simple, they were the first "rock band" in history. Up until that point in time the people had never heard such a revolutionary type of music.

 

[pigeon_of_doom]

Its more than just their influence in their own time. I'm a massive beatles fan and I was born in 90. I think they wrote good catchy music with good lyrics. To say they were a product of marketing isn't giving the band members adequete credit I feel. They have written some of the most iconic songs of all time which still haven't dated as badly as many other bands. Just my opinion.

 

[blogger42]

The Beatles were popular for the same reason Bob Marley and Ziggy Marley are it because there music touched people in a way band like Metalica and Lead Zepplin could never do they were popular because there music truly made people happier just by hearing it they were popular because there music helped people.

 

[blogger42]

people liked them also because it helped explore them selves not even with having to be on LSD or Pot like for me there song "Here Come's The Sun" helped me focus on alot of school work and it reminds me of the girl i love