How Did The Beatles Influence Culture

Imagine being a part of a huge crowd, with countless other fans clustered against you. All of the people in the stadium are screaming, making it hard to hear the band playing. All you can feel is the sheer energy, excitement, and emotion contained in the band and the audience. This band is the Beatles. Even today, we call the Beatles one of the pioneers and the symbols of the ‘60s. Fifty years ago, “The Beatles took America by storm” (Aronwitz), and they are still one of the most beloved groups of all time. This legendary band explored many different areas of recording songs and albums, were the culture and style icons of people in that era, and inspired people with meaningful and significant lyrics in their songs.
The Beatles, the most popular
One of the main things that was extremely controversial was their hairstyle: the moptop. In the ‘60s, “Long hair was seen as part and parcel of an eccentric artistic temperament, perhaps with a special exemption for religious men from exotic climes who grew their hair and beards devotionally” (McGasko). By becoming one of the nation’s biggest pop sensations, the Beatles influenced many people of the younger generation to grow out their hair— the trend grew so much that there was even a manufactured Beatle wig. Although it now seems like another simple choice one makes, it once was very controversial and showed an opposition to the old generation. By growing out their hair, the Beatles encouraged the young generation of baby boomers to express themselves and differentiate from the old generation. The Beatles also had a great impact on fashion in the ‘60s. They popularized many different patterns, styles of suits, Beatles boots, and John Lennon’s signature glasses (Gibson). Some new trends they promoted were collarless suits and shirts, paisley and floral patterns, and sandals, which was very new and different from the old generation. Their fashion not only impacted America and Europe, but it spread their youthfulness and the voice of the young generation all around the world, which had never been achieved by any other pop star. Clothing was not
The majority their songs were about love. The Beatles believed that love makes the world go around, and that love is the basis of everything, including respect, equality, peace, and more: “There’s nothing you can make that can’t be made/No one you can save that can't be saved/ Nothing you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time /It's easy /All you need is love/All you need is love” (Minnick). This song in particular shows that one cannot change oneself, but instead needs to learn how to love oneself and others for who they are. The popularity of the Beatles made this message spread everywhere, thus influencing many people all around the world. Another song that carried a hidden message was the song “Blackbird”: “Blackbird singing in the dead of night/Take these broken wings and learn to fly/All your life/You were only waiting for this moment to arrive” (Wawzenek). The lyrics of this song, penned by Paul McCartney, were inspired by the civil rights movement. This song expressed support for many African Americans at that time, particularly women (“bird” is British slang for women). The song “Blackbird” helped raise awareness about the importance of the civil rights movement and made it clear that the Beatles supported equality for all people. As well as raising their voice for equality, the