Topic > How The Beatles Started a Revolution in Music

The Beatles were a British rock band that brought a new style to teenagers in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They left an indelible mark and changed the world forever when they formed their group in 1957. They had an impact on the music industry, influenced pop culture, and dramatically reduced the amount of violent protests during the Vietnam War. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Beatles' musical style began with skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, but eventually evolved into a mash up of many different musical genres. The mix of sounds was a very important factor that contributed to the popularity of the British group. The Beatles were the first artists to give feedback on their record. Genres such as classical, Indian, psychedelia and hard rock were incorporated into the music produced by the Beatles. The sophistication of their style grew as the group became more popular and as the Beatles gained more experience. A very important way in which the Beatles became so influential was the use of feedback in some of their most popular songs. The use of feedback was completely accidental the first time musicians incorporated hardcore, high-pitched noise into their music. The accident occurred when John Lennon, the singer, leaned his Gibson electric guitar against a switched-on amplifier. The amplifier immediately sounded the loud feedback sound. Surprisingly, Lennon asked producer George Martin to include the sound in the song they were working on. The first song released by the Beatles that included feedback was the track "I Feel Fine". The song was featured on the album Beatles '65, released in December 1964. The song spent five weeks at the top of the British charts and was the first Beatles song to enter the top 10 of the American charts. The track remained the number one song in the US for 3 weeks. The Beatles were able to become so influential due to their global reach. They founded the revolutionary group in Liverpool, UK. This factor significantly increased the diffusion of their music. The Beatles made their first American appearance in February 1964 on the Ed Sullivan Show. The show was watched by approximately 73 million people, which provided the group with a lot of exposure. The Beatles also went on a world tour, which began in Copenhagen, Denmark, and continued in multiple locations around the world, such as Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand. It ran from 1964 to 1966. Not only did the British phenomenon change the music of the time, but it continues to influence the music of today. Many current artists credit the Beatles with inspiring their music and being a group to look up to. Artists like Billy Joell, Gene Simmons, Bruce Springsteen and many more. Modern-day artists continue to recreate and perform covers of some of the Beatles' most popular songs; songs like "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" were covered by Elton John, an artist who remains prominent in the music industry today. The Beatles also continue to sell albums, prolonging their legacy. The Beatles sell 72,000 copies of their album "Abbey Road" on vinyl every year, making it the best-selling vinyl album. In addition to their musical influence, the Beatles had also dramatically changed pop culture. There is no definition of the exact musical style created by the group and that is exactly what made them stand out. They designed a sound that set them apart and started a frenzy among teenagers and young adultsknown as Beatlemania. They were the first global craze of their time, selling over 1.3 billion albums worldwide. The Beatles are known for starting what some call "The British Invasion", in which British artists began to become increasingly popular in America. Not only was the Beatles' musical style new and innovative, they also brought a new look to the era. With their trendy looks, such as "Mop Top" haircuts, colorful dresses and chunky ankle boots. The Beatles also changed the rules of the game with their unusual Liverpool accents and the one big factor that set them apart: they did what they wanted. The Beatles were one of the first groups of teenagers to write their own music and compose it. The world was already in love with the Beatles, but the group's charismatic personalities only added to the British group's obsession. There was John, the intelligent but dangerous one; Paul, the cute and adorable one; George, the shy one; and Ringo, that fool. The personalities of the young prodigies appealed to anyone and everyone. The Beatles kicked off the "era of peace and love" during a difficult time for the country, the Vietnam War was progressing and tensions were high among the people of the United States. The group began writing songs such as "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", the song was a reference to the psychedelic drug LSD (Lucy). Drugs like this became popular in the late 1960s and 1970s, when the "hippie" lifestyle was at its peak. People, including the Beatles, wore long, shaggy hair, facial hair, and colorful, flowing clothes with different whimsical prints. The group's musical styles began to reflect their psychedelic lifestyle, they incorporated things like Indian-style music to attempt to recreate their experiences through music. Along with the “hippie” lifestyle the Beatles promoted, they also encouraged peace (Friedman). The country's younger population was dissatisfied with the Vietnam War and its events. Many college students and American citizens responded to the violence of the war with violent protests, which the Beatles disapproved of (Goodwin). The group has made many songs to try to discourage violence and push people to make a change in the right way. At a press conference in New York in 1966, a reporter questioned John Lennon, asking, "Would any of you care to comment on any aspect of the war in Vietnam?" He responded by saying, "We don't like it." After being asked to elaborate, he said: 'No. I've elaborated enough, you know. We just don't like it. We don't like war.' One of the ways the Beatles had a major impact on the war was through their music. The group created many songs that were meant to make a statement, but the most popular is titled "Revolution", the song is included in their. album The White Album. The album was released in August 1968. At that time the country was in the midst of a presidential transition, which made him impressionable and fragile. Lennon sang the lyrics "Well, you know, we all want change the world, but when you talk about destruction, don't you know you can leave me out." The Beatles' music clearly presents the musician's point of view on war and violence. Although "Revolution" was the most popular song that the Beatles written on the theme of peace, it wasn't the only one. “All You Need is Love” also played an important role in the Beatles' mission to create peace. "All we're saying is give peace a chance," Lennon sings . The statement of the song itself is self-explanatory, but the timing was ideal. The song was released in 1969. The previous year there were 15 violent anti-war protests which resulted inthe death or injury of people, in 1969 the number dropped to 3. People continued to protest against the war, but the Beatles had no intention of doing so. to stop the protests. Their efforts focused on the violent side of the protest. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay There is no doubt that the Beatles left a lasting impression on the world. They began a revolution of style, sound and ideals. They cannot be compared to anyone when it comes to their creativity involving music production, with the use of feedback and mash up of styles that they have brought to the music industry. British rock stars have lit a flame under the somewhat barren industry with their unusual styles and accents. They not only moved people with their music, but made them think, but they used their power to constantly promote peace. The Beatles are almost nobody. Works Cited Edmonds, Kemp. "How the Beatles Changed Music." 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"10 Best Anti-War and Protest Songs About the Vietnam War." Vietnam Full Disclosure, October 29, 2015, www.vietnamfulldisclosure.org/10-top-anti-warprotest-songs-about-the-vietnam-war/.Deckerre. “The Beatles: A Little History Behind the Influence.” The Pawprint, blogs.adams.edu/thepawprint/the-beatles-some-history-behind-the-influence/.“The Beatles.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 October 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles. "I feel good." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 October 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Feel_Fine.Rybaczewski, Dave. “'I Feel Fine' by The Beatles. The in-depth story behind the Beatles' songs. Recording history. History of songwriting. Structure and style of the song. BEATLES MUSIC HISTORY!, www.beatlesebooks.com/i-feel-fine.Griffy, Chris. “7 best Beatles covers.” AXS, Dec. 28, 2017, www.axs.com/7-best-beatles-cover-songs-126796.“The Beatles.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, April 2, 2014, www.biography.com/people/groups/the-beatles.“Beatlemania.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 October 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatlemania.Joe. “The Beatles' world tour begins in Copenhagen, Denmark.” The Beatles Bible, The Beatles Bible, May 31, 2018, www.beatlesbible.com/1964/06/04/beatles-world-tour-begins-copenhagen-denmark/.MH. "The Beatles have the 2 best-selling vinyl records of 2017." BIG 100, Iheart.com, January 4, 2018, wbig.iheart.com/content/2018-01-04-the-beatles-sold-the-top-2-best-selling-vinyl-records-of-2017/ . 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