ABSTRACT
Most students have favourite bands or musical artists whom they admire, but aside from their musical contributions, few of them have exerted significant influence on their times. In my Beatles course, I explore how the group revolutionised popular music, but I also spend a significant amount of time demonstrating how they influenced other aspects of the world they lived in. Part of the reason the Fab Four mattered so much in the sixties and continue to matter today is that they significantly impacted the worlds of film, art, fashion, business, and religion. Hard Day’s Night awoke the moribund UK film industry from slumber. Pop art illustrators drew inspiration from Beatles songs to create imaginative illustrations. Teenagers worldwide changed their clothes and haircuts based on their heroes’ look. Lennon and McCartney introduced ‘western communism’ to the world of business. And, finally, George Harrison’s fascination with Indian music, culture, and religion exposed thousands to the East.
The Beatles will always be remembered first and foremost for their contributions to music, but exploring how their impact on other parts of our culture lends credibility to the assertion that they are the most important rock band in the history of popular music.
