If you were an 18 year old in 1967, the biggest conversation you could have with anyone at the time would be who is better, the Beatles or the Stones. Fifty years later, that argument could still be discussed for hours, or even days. But what is it about these two bands that people love to compare so much? In one way both bands had a relatively similar upbringing during the early 1960’s. Members of the Beatles and the Stones were raised in middle-class post-war England. At that time, they were just skiffle groups. Before there was ever a term such as a ‘rock n roll band’ there were skiffle groups. Their first instruments were basically household items that were used to emulate sound and rhythm. A quick look at them only five years after they started out, say around 1965, both groups had dominated the music scene and were the biggest selling acts in both the UK and US.

If one were to say that the Beatles reached an amount of success that the Stones never did, they would probably be correct. The Fab Four always seemed to be a step ahead. The Beatles were the first rock and roll group of Britain to have success in America. The following year, the Stones arrived. While the Beatles presented themselves as a group, with similar clothing, haircuts, their presentation represented one. As Mick Jagger said during indictment of the Beatles to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, “John, Paul, George and, Ringo... the four-headed monster they never went anywhere alone.” The Stones were always more of a street fighting band. They never wore any matching suits or had their hair similar style. Ever since I was young, I remember being told how the Beatles represented the good and the Stones were the malice. Although both bands were influenced by the same acts that came from America, such as Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon, Berry Gordy, Carl Perkins to name a few... The music they released were on opposite spectrums.

While Lennon and McCartney wrote "She Loves You," "Love Me Do," and "P.S I Love You" for their first LP, basically, juveniles love, The Stones were covering songs with lyrics such as:

"I don't want you to cook my bread

I don't t want you to make my bed

I don't want your money too

I just want to make love to you, baby"

"Well I am a king bee, baby

Buzzing around your hive

Yeah I can make honey baby

Let me come inside"

This was on the first LP as well....Later on, the Lennon and Mccartney would write the first hit for the Rolling Stones that really broke them in England, a song called “I Wanna Be Your Man”. About a month later the Beatles would release their version of the song on their second LP.

Five months after the Beatles released "Sgt. Pepper," the Stones were dressed as wizards in the cover of their own psychedelic album, "Their Satanic Majesties Requests." Michael Cooper, the original photographer for "Sgt. Pepper" was good friends with Keith Richards, lead guitarist of the Rolling Stones. He told Cooper that he wanted a better cover for their album, more ambitious and colorful than what he did for the Beatles.

However, despite all the claims that the Stones were always after the Beatles, none of them are true. Each band had enough internal problems to be competing with one another. In 1968, the Rolling Stones were given their own television special (which actually never aired) but John Lennon was invited to play with them. Throughout the years they stayed involved in each other's musical careers, always being aware of what each other releases. For instance, Mick Jagger was present during the recording sessions for the "Let it Be" in 1969, and even though the Beatles never released that album during that year, the Stones album was titled "Let it Bleed," as a nod to them.

Overall, there is no way to justly compare both bands. The Beatles only lasted from around '62-'69. Meanwhile, the Stones survived the 60's and made some of their best music into the 70's and they are still together as of today.