By Mandy Edmondson

By Mandy Edmondson

Famous song by the iconic rock band from Liverpool; The Beatles- Help is one of my favourite music videos. Their music is innovative, and had a huge cultural impact on society that helped define the 1960s, as well as having a great influence on contemporary music. The Beatles are remembered to be the most successful band both critically and commercially in modern history. My parents influenced me to like the Beatles, but I adore their music and now own several cds of theirs myself, therefore I did some research on the Beatles and into the genre of rock.

The Beatles in their early days.

The Beatles formed in 1960 in Liverpool, and consisted of four members, John Lennon (vocals, lead guitar), Paul McCartney (bass guitar and vocals), George Harrison (Vocals and Lead guitar) and Ringo Starr (vocals and drums). At first the band made music in the genres of Skiffle and Rock and Roll but then went on to work in various genres from classical, pop, and even psychedelic rock. The band began to become increasingly popular by playing in clubs in Hamburg and Liverpool. They became known as the Fab Four and the Beatle mania increased in Britain, they had become very well known internationally; and this then led to the British Invasion of the United States pop market.

By the late 1960s they were perceived as cultural observers of the beliefs shared in the counterculture of the 60s which included womens rights, authority, race relations, sexual mores and experimentation of psychoactive drugs, as well as the adaptations of the American Dream. At this time, there was a rise in new cultural forms such as pop music and hippie culture which then led to a rise in the youth subculture. Both nations were big fans to the band due to the fact, both countries were going through a period of unrest, both were at war in Vietnam, President Kennedy was assassinated. Young people were unsettled, and they wanted something new, that would attract them, to unite them and for something to believe in. Their music was infectious and called counter culture to the Americans, as it wasnt music that was considered as normal, it was unlike the music from the 40s or 50s, they were successful due to the fact they were themselves and were not worried about the opposing traditionalists, they were different a new generation of music. The Beatles are still one of two music acts to ever sell more than 1 billion records, along with Elvis Presley.

The English look