As the deep velvet curtains are drawn open, the screams of hysterical fans echoes throughout the stadium. The deafening sound grows louder and louder until its all that can be heard. A woman faints onto the ground, her face fixed in a shocked expression. Another girl, clothed in celebratory pins and accessories, launches herself towards the stage. Tears a dripping down everybody’s cheeks as they cheer with delight.
Throughout all of history, there is only one thing that could have caused such a scene. Beatlemania.
Beatlemania was the fan frenzy created by the English rock band, The Beatles, when they performed in the 1960’s. Why, you may ask, did their music cause such behavior?
“It [Beatles music] was new. It had this aspect to it that made everybody happy,” recalls first hand experiencer, Linda Carlson. “For some reason, the joy was so overwhelming, it made everybody cry.”
From the Beatles’ release of I Want To Hold Your Hand in 1964 until Let It Be EP in 1970, the band averaged a Number One single every six weeks. This purchase number is much larger than most bands see in their entire career.
Beatles music was so unique because it incorporated many more genres than most bands did in their time. “They had rock and roll, pop, and even psychedelic music,” explained Carlson, “every song was equally amazing.”
According to the CT Post, The Beatles were inspired by some of the most famous American rockers, “…such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Carl Perkins.” Even though they had some obvious elements as presented in older music, The Beatles made their songs special. For instance, in the song ‘She Loves You,’ the band added the catchy chorus of “Yeah, yeah, yeah” which became massively famous across the globe. Without this innovation, songs created by popular artists such as Taylor Swift or The Jonas Brothers may not be as easy to sing along to.
Furthermore, The Beatles introduced the idea of concept albums released with multiples songs. Before them, musical acts were only released as singles. This all changed when “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was put in store.
“My favorite concept album is American Idiot by Green Day” noted Landrum Middle School student, Ellie Ewalt. Many people are yet to recognize that this luxury is heavily due to The Beatles and their creation of musical albums.
Not only did this so called ‘Fab Four’ create the idea of a concept abum itself, they also decided to include the lyrics on the back. Various students use these album notes. “One of the main reasons I bought the Yellow Submarine record in the first place was because of the writing on the back,” claims Katherine Chattaway.
The last and arguably the most influential Beatles innovation was the creating of a music video. Instead of having to make a ton of television appearances, the band decided to create short films of themselves. The Beatles’ first music video was for the single “Paperback Writer” in 1966. Moderns day videos such as ‘Shape of You’ and ‘Gangnam Style’ probably wouldn’t exist without them.
The Beatles changed music around the world more than any other band in history. Through their use of catchy chorus’s, concept albums, and much more, they molded music today. “The impact of the Beatles – not only on rock & roll but on all of Western culture – is simply incalculable,” quoted the Rolling Stone.
The Fab Four circa 1965.