Composition and style II Mary Soto

C.I. 25.401.601 Section #2T

The Beatles influence

Did you know the Beatles were included in Time magazine's compilation of the twentieth
century's 100 most influential people, and also they actually became the best-selling band in
history, with estimated sales of over 600 million records worldwide? That is right, The
Beatles have had a profound influence not only on the musical industry and politic, but
also on hairstyles and clothing,

One of the most profound effect The Beatles caused was on the musical industry. Rolling
Stone magazine's Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll defined the impact of the Fab Four not
only on rock & roll but on all of Western culture as simply incalculable; “they proved that
rock & roll could embrace a limitless variety of harmonies, structures, and sounds; virtually
every rock experiment has some precedent on Beatles record”. According to this article this
band improve the use of feedback in pop music recording, creating a huge impact on the
musical industry, furthermore they show us Rock songs don’t always need to have happy
endings, or traditional drums and guitars to become hits.

By the other side The Beatles made an astonishing political revolution. The professor
Marcus Collins, of the Department of Politics and International Relations at
Loughborough University in the UK, has researched how The Beatles influence political
trends, “All they wanted was political freedom” he said, they wrote “Revolution” as the
first song The Beatles sang direct towards politics, John Lennon wrote this song inspired
by the political protests against the Vietnam War in early 1968 they created a freedom
movement in the music, this band made so much polemic bringing their innovators ideas
and causing a revolution on the 60s society.

Another effect this band caused was on the hairstyles and clothing. The Fashion Institute
of Technology of New York said on an article “The Fab Four created a new fashion trend
on the 60s, being unique, expressing themselves and changing their style as time
progressed”. The mop-top also known as The Beatle haircut was a revolutionary haircut on
that time as well as the collarless suit, the Beatle boots (Cuban heeled boots), the Peacock
style; floral shirts, paisley scarves, velvet jackets and acid colors, and finally the John
Lennon glasses that actually became a signature element of the legendary musician's look.

To conclude The Beatles made a huge impact on the America culture, since the fashion;
creating a new trend, through the music; providing a different style of music, till the politic;
supporting the freedom movement, this band became one of the most influential band on
the world. “When real music comes to me - the music of the spheres, the music that
surpasses understanding - that has nothing to do with me, cause I'm just the channel. The
only joy for me is for it to be given to me, and to transcribe it like a medium... those
moments are what I live for." John Lennon.