During the 1960s and 1970s, hippie culture and music was all the rage. With the countless different music groups spanning multiple genres, the music industry was at its peak and heavily contributed to the time. Yet, one boy band made its way to the top: The Beatles. Formed in 1960 in Liverpool, United Kingdom, The Beatles consisted of vocalist John Lennon, bass guitarist and vocalist Sir Paul McCartney, guitarist George Harrison and drummer Sir Ringo Starr. As the group’s popularity grew, so did their influence, with people coining the term “Beatlemania,” to emphasize the influence the band had on their fan base. Despite only having a decade-long career (the group disbanded in 1970) “Beatlemania” and the profound influence that The Beatles had on popular culture and music still lasts.
During The Beatles’ reign, they were able to successfully incorporate different music genres into their songs, inspiring other artists to do the same and exposing their audience to uncommon music at the time, such as psychedelic rock and Indian music. The Beatles are the best-selling music act of all time, with 600 million records sold worldwide, and their approach to music was not confined to one style. Instead, they experimented with different instruments and musical structures.
“[The Beatles] just had such a unique style of music that was new then and still new now,” FHS junior Manoah Maciel said. “You’ll never hear such an original style and they’ve also just had the way of playing them. I know that they were the first bands ever to have the electric piano, or the keyboard on stage. So they just made their music so unique, and it’s just so heartfelt.”
The music of The Beatles broke conventional norms, which encouraged other artists to exercise their artistic freedom. The Beatles progressed from typical love songs in the early 60s, to singing about political and philosophical ideas in the mid-to-late 60s.
In addition to breaking boundaries in music, The Beatles were pioneers in global connectivity. While The Beatles were rising in popularity in the U.K., their name also spread to other countries. They were the first band to appear on global television — with around 400 million people watching worldwide. Their massive recognition and sudden influence on other countries was known as the “British Invasion.” The British invasion resulted in rock music becoming more mainstream, and paved the way for British artists to garner a larger audience. The Beatles went from complete unknowns to household names in the U.S., according to the Survey of American Popular Music.
“[The Beatles] were a really big thing, a British band, and they came to America,” FHS sophomore Hiba Rao said. “So they definitely impacted American music as well, and it spread everywhere.”
Despite the band’s eventual break-up in 1970, the influence and impact of The Beatles survived, even thrived. Due to the cultural phenomenon of The Beatles, their timeless music led to people relating to their lyrics decades later.
“For me, someone who’s in a relationship, it resonates with me so much, how a song that was made so long ago about love still touches my heart every time I listen to it,” Maciel said.
Even after 55 years, The Beatles continue to make an impact on culture by having many films about them and receiving several accolades. During the 2025 Grammy Awards, The Beatles were awarded Best Rock Performance for their song “Now and Then.” The legacy of The Beatles has proved to be impactful. They are credited as an inspiration for several artists throughout mainstream music, and serve as a symbol of an era.
