I think the Beatles are overrated. Great? Sure. But they happened to be the first mega band. They were not the last. The Stones outlasted them. Bob Dylan was a better writer. Hendrix was a superior musician. But the Beatles had excellent parts rolled into one. My one hesitation about them is the fact that they relied on covering songs to get their start and fame. They had some outstanding songs and set the stage for the truly awesome years of rock music to come. But in the end, I think too many people proclaim them the GOAT without really paying attention to the competition.

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Posted by HeadyBrosevelt

the Verde River

Member since Jan 2013

21590 posts

Posted on 12/18/16 at 7:02 pm to bzss7x

quote:
The Stones outlasted them

Eh, the Stones last good album was in 1978. Lennon was killed two years later. A Beatles reunion could have easily happened so I don't think you can really use that as an argument. Plus in 2016 the Stones are absolutely awful live whereas Paul McCartney puts on a great show.

quote:
Bob Dylan was a better writer.

Debateable. Lennon/McCartney is right up there.

quote:
Hendrix was a superior musician.

Better guitarist obviously. Overall musician- no. The Beatles' arrangements are superior and they had multiple multi-instrumentalists in the band.

The Beatles will never be topped.

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Posted by Pettifogger

Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone

Member since Feb 2012

79457 posts

Posted on 12/18/16 at 8:42 pm to bzss7x

quote:
I think the Beatles are overrated. Great? Sure. But they happened to be the first mega band. They were not the last. The Stones outlasted them. Bob Dylan was a better writer. Hendrix was a superior musician. But the Beatles had excellent parts rolled into one. My one hesitation about them is the fact that they relied on covering songs to get their start and fame. They had some outstanding songs and set the stage for the truly awesome years of rock music to come. But in the end, I think too many people proclaim them the GOAT without really paying attention to the competition.

Yeah but look at the environment at the time. Pretty much every influential artist of the era (many very highly revered) were covering songs. When you consider they were what, 17-20, and pretty much all the musicians they knew were making a living at least in part on other people's works, I cut them some slack.

Then they transitioned from that into one of the purest examples of a rock band writing its own music...we're basically penalizing them for not living up to the expectations they set for the industry.

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Posted by carnuba

tickfaw

Member since Jan 2009

1271 posts

Posted on 12/19/16 at 4:02 am to bzss7x