Voices Of A Generation
by Kevin Raub
1960s: The Beatles
The Beatles were rejected by a slew of record labels before
settling in at EMI-Parlophone in 1962. That's not an entirely
unfamiliar scenario when it comes to unsigned bands, but it's
certainly the biggest A&R blunder in musical history. After
countless slammed doors, producer George Martin decided to give
these four mop-haired boys from Liverpool a chance, birthing a
rock-and-roll hysteria known as Beatlemania in the process.
Why the Beatles gripped first the British, then the Americans, and
then the entire globe with such a manic stronghold was first and
foremost because of their music. The band's intricate harmonies,
memorable melodies, and complex arrangements - all self-written and
self-performed - established the prototype for the four-piece band.
Rather than repeat the recipe of past pop successes (as most bands
in the 1950s and early '60s were inclined to do), they maintained a
stalwart antiformulaic approach to their music, becoming fierce
innovators along the way. Once the catchy hooks were combined with
their photogenic good looks, media-friendly personalities,
endearing confidence, and endlessly exciting lifestyles,
Beatlemania was born, ushering in the first and biggest British
musical invasion in history.
Though the Beatles' contribution to music is incalculable, one
thing is for sure: They wouldn't consistently reverberate in iPods
today if their ability to evolve and adapt their music over the
years - in an undisputed artistic progression - was missing from
their résumé. What started out as radio-friendly, borderline-cheesy
pop in the early '60s ("Love Me Do," "I Want to Hold Your Hand")
became avant-garde, psychedelic rock-and-roll epics by the time the
decade ended ("Strawberry Fields Forever," "Tomorrow Never Knows").
No band in history has ever done that so effortlessly and so
effectively.
Our Signature Track: Hey Jude
The Underdogs
(Translation: You may or may not have heard of
them; either way, they weren't as famous [or as rich] as the group
above. But they were just as cool.)
Dick Dale and His
Del-Tones, Let's Go
Trippin'
The Turtles, Outside
Chance
Gerry & the
Pacemakers, How Do You Do
It?
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