Since the end of the 1960s, The Beatles have been regarded by many as the greatest band of all time. Just check any list you find anywhere. It's rare to find them lower than the number one or number two spot. But this begs the question; why?
Why, after all of these years are they still regarded as the best? Personally, I think that many bands have come after them that have created music that has blown me away much more than The Beatles have. The Clash, The Smiths, and Led Zeppelin have all released some of the best music ever put out, but why don't they get the same recognition?
One argument is that The Beatles inspired all of the artists after them, so they're the obvious choice. But then wouldn't Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, and Chuck Berry all be above The Beatles? The Beatles were heavily influenced by these artists, the first song they played at their first U.S. concert was a cover of Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven".
Another argument is that all of The Beatles' music was ahead of its time and that they pushed boundaries all throughout their career. Again, this isn't necessarily true. The music that they were playing was extremely similar to that of the early rock pioneers of the 50s and early 60s. Up until Rubber Soul, their music was straightforward pop-rock. Their albums were composed of singles and fillers, just like any other act of the time. In this aspect, I'd argue that Led Zeppelin is better than The Beatles. Led Zeppelin's first album really pushed the boundaries of hard rock. The heavy guitars that became a norm in the 70s were being used on Led Zeppelin I , which was released in 1969. They were seriously ahead of their time. The Beatles weren't ahead of their time until they started putting out masterpieces such as Sgt. Peppers and Revolver.
I think what makes people still call The Beatles the greatest ever, is that they were this sort of perfect storm at the perfect time. In the early 60s, they were clean cut boys with suits who gave a bow in unison after every song they played. But, as times changed, so did they. They grew out their hair, their songs got more experimental, and they matured. Even more so, after the 60s came to a close, they never played together for the public again. No crappy reunion tours, no second incarnation albums, the name "The Beatles" remains untouched and untainted to this day. The Beatles did everything right. In the end, it's not about their influence or how their music pushed boundaries. It's about the Beatlemania, it's about the LSD, it's about everything The Beatles represent, nothing more, nothing less.
