Beatlemania

Not that they need an introduction but The Beatles were an English rock band who formed in Liverpool in 1960 the band comprised of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they peaked in 1964 and stayed around until their break up in 1970.

It is not be denied that The Beatles heavily influenced the music industry but their influence on both the social and cultural revolution of the Sixties arguably goes further than anyone else at this time especially in Britain.


Naturally, The Beatles impact was at its highest when they were an active band during the Sixties and 'Beatlemania' (around 1963-1966). The Beatles influence on Britain originally was seen as 'rebellious', this was not helped by their release of 'A Hard Days Night' in 1964 which saw them chased by police in the video therefore backing up their up 'disrespect' for authorities. Although it is hard to see a band such as The Beatles as rebels and anti authority, they still we're seen as rebellious and poor role models for the younger generation in the Sixties.

For many people, the Sixties are the Beatles and the Beatles are the Sixties, they were most likely the most influential people in the Sixties, definitely in Great Britain, they helped popularise the Hippie Movement outside of the United States as well as spreading the word of the Antiwar Movement against the Vietnam conflict.

The Sixties was one of the most definitive decades in terms of Art, Music and Culture and the Beatles played a vital role within these areas, by doing this they essentially changed the lives of youths across Britain and the world. They were important in the sixties as it was a generation who embraced counterculture and The Beatles were just that, their new ideas, songs, generation gap and drugs were just part of how they had an impact.


Many of the cultural movements in the 1960s were helped along or inspired by the Beatles, especially in Britain. The bands rise to fame and both national and international prominence highlighted the now youth driven postwar society. They and the younger generation drove the change from American dominance over the cultural influences during the Sixties which led to the generation at the time following in the footsteps of the Beatles and pushing for this change compared to nothing their parents generation had seen before, therefore showing how big the generational gap really was during the 1960s.


Joe Keeley