According to Rolling Stone, the Beatles occupy the top spot in its 2011 update "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" to previous stories published in 2004 and 2005. While I'm certain debates about this choice will ensue, the Beatles earned my " best ever" vote during my first glimpse of the mop-headed Brits who spurred "The British Invasion" and jarred the world of rock and roll.
My first Christmas vacation as a university student was winding down, and I dropped by a friend's house to say good-bye before we returned to our respective campuses. The "Jack Paar Show" droned in the background as we chatted, until the sudden eruption of music we'd never heard before riveted us to the screen. There stood four boys with long hair (by that period's standard), dressed in suits and thin ties singing She Loves You. It took just seconds for me to fall in love with Paul and recognize that history had just been made. By the time the Beatles appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in February of '64, I had become an avid fan and had every Beatle recording available stashed in my dorm room.
A large gathering of girls crowded around the TV in the dorm rec room to watch the Beatles perform on that frigid February night. When Ed Sullivan introduced them in his deadpan fashion, the screaming started. I shocked myself by leaping to my feet, dancing around, and chanting "Paul, Paul, Paul!" No other rock 'n' roll singer or band had stirred that kind of response before. Afterward, most of the girls talked well into the early hours of the morning, because sleeping was out of the question. "Beatlemania" had taken frim root already.
John, Paul, George, and Ringo experiemented with different kinds of music in producing Sgt. Pepper's Lonley Hearts Club Band,
and it dominated the charts for 15 weeks on Billboard. The band's use of classical, rock and roll, traditional Indian musis and other forms introduced fans to a totally unique sound that set a new standard for musical creativity. The Beatles outpaced all other contemporary bands with their avant garde style. I played that album so much that some of the songs skipped because the grooves were so worn. That album was de rigueur at all the parties I attended during my senior year. John Lennon and George Harrison have passed on, so the Beatles can't play a reunion concert. But their music will live forever in the hearts of fans and even those who have only a passing interest. The band's musical experiments paved the way for future artists to take risks with their own music and start new trends. Bravo to the Fab Four for their contributions to rock and roll , as well as future genres of music.
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