I hate the beatles...

Here are a few of my reasons as to why The Beatles are, in fact, the greatest band:

1. Without the popularity/success of early singles such as "She Loves You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand," it is doubtful other British rock groups would have found success in America. You can thank The Beatles for the fact that you have heard of The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, among others.

2. The Beatles developed the concept of an album. Prior to Please Please Me and Meet The Beatles! (in the US), LPs were places non-single tracks were place. Early albums from The Beatles created the album as an art form. As a side note, this was - obviously - all before the advent of CD players and MP3 players. Most listeners weren't going to skip tracks. This made the track order very important (as well as valuable for artistic purposes).

3. Almost all critics regard The Beatles as the greatest and most influential band. This is not to say that an opinion is 'correct' because it is believed by a majority. However, it seems absurd that so many music critics would be wrong about something so important (feel free to insert your comparisons to some flat-Earth theories here).

4. Prior to The Beatles, most songs recorded were covers (often of 'standards'). It was said by The Rolling Stones' rhythm guitarist Keith Richards that, "We had to write our own songs because of The Beatles." The Beatles made it almost necessary for musicians to write their own music. Yes, I'm aware that musicians before them such as Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly were songwriters; they were in the minority, however.

5. The Beatles were able to find success in varying genres (more accurately, sub-genres). I think their career is divisible into four groups (not necessary distinct, however): British Invasion (Please Please Me through A Hard Day's Night), Folk rock (Beatles for Sale through Rubber Soul), Psychedelic rock (Revolver through Magical Mystery Tour) and what we might call 'Classic rock' (The Beatles (White Album) through Let It Be). With the exception of the 1969 Yellow Submarine soundtrack, every album the band released is regarded as a masterpiece. Not only is the music well-regarded, it is also very popular (regardless of what style of music they happened to be playing).

As for bands which could have eclipsed The Beatles (and why they didn't): The Rolling Stones and The Kinks (most of their earlier material is quite inferior to their later work as well as inferior to contemporary Beatles material) and Led Zeppelin (they came along too late to influence more musicians; it can also be argued that in revolutionizing metal, LZ influenced many bad groups). I will take some flack from classic-only 'purists' for this, but: The Stone Roses - had they not been screwed over by the music industry, the sky would have been the limit for this band.

Saying you hate the beatles is like saying that you hate the Elvis, or you Hate the Beach Boys, or you Hate the Rolling Stones, or you Hate the Who, or you Hate Boston, or you Hate REM. What that actually translates to is that you Hate Rock n Roll music. Because those bands are quintessential rock n roll music. They are rock and roll. I may think the Rolling Stones are overrated, I may think that later REM material is not up to snuff, I may think that the Beach Boys were a little shallow in their early years (all of which I believe), but I cannot say I hate any of those bands because that is just plain incongruous with loving rock n roll music. You cannot actually hate one of those bands because they ARE ROCK N ROLL MUSIC. Period. To say you hate them is to say you hate rock n roll, or you are ignorant. So, to say you hate the Beatles, the greatest band of them all, is to say you hate rock n roll music. For example, if you loved Classical music, you could not then turn around and say you hate Beethoven. Because, you just went and said you are ignorant. And, that you really don't know classical music. One last thing, I think all four Beatles would be far more disappointed that you "Hate" anything. Isn't it your generation that wants world peace and love? Who do you think popularized that entirely? The Beatles. Go listen to all their records. You cannot help but be blown away by the difference in musical styles and lyrical brilliance throughout their career. In my opinion, Bob Dylan could not touch them in either realm. But, don't get me wrong, I don't hate Bob Dylan. He is just as amazing as all the bands I listed above, and made his phenomenal contribution, just like all the bands listed above. John Kuhn

Just to add my two cents to this debate:

I could go on and on, arguing about how The Beatles changed the world with the hysteria, the recording techniques, image, cultural impact, influence on other artists, record sales, etc.
But when it comes down to it, I can ignore all of that, all of the history book descriptions, and know how The Beatles' music makes me feel and what it did to me when I discovered it just short of ten years ago at the age of 13 with the release of their 1 album.
There is simply no other music that awakens my soul, that makes me sing so passionately, that soothes me when all has gone to hell in life. The Beatles make me laugh, make me smile, and make everything right somehow.
I still remember the moment I knew The Beatles were going to be it for me. MuchMoreMusic up here in Canada was playing an all-Beatles weekend to celebrate the release of 1 and when I tuned in that weekend the Penny Lane video was just coming on. I thought it was a catchy tune but for some reason, when I saw the shot of John putting on his sunglasses and heading off to walk the street, something just hit me. It was like a religious experience. It was just so profound for me.
Now I did not grow up on The Beatles music or classic rock in general. Unlike many other Beatle fans, my parents did not teach me about them. I grew up on country music. Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, George Strait, and Shania Twain were all I really knew so I was not pre-deposed to The Beatles. But when I heard The Beatles music something awoke in me. I got a hold of all of The Beatles' music from a Russian bootleg of all of their albums in MP3 format and listened to their music, almost exclusively for at least two years.
And through The Beatles I experienced new music. I learned what inspired them and listened to that. I heard those they had inspired and paved the way for and over time my musical taste has grown to quite an eclectic mix. These days I listen to such a vast array of music that The Beatles' music is sometimes just another track on the playlist but it still hits me like that first time. To be honest, I think I listen to more Zeppelin than anything these days but The Beatles will always be at the top of my list. I even first picked up a guitar so I could play along with their songs.
As I expressed a couple weeks ago: When I first heard Led Zeppelin, I heard the music I always had in my head but had never actually heard. But when I first heard The Beatles I heard the music in my soul waiting to be released.

So all-in-all what I am trying to say with this long-winded explanation, is I could argue up and down about the merits and influence of The Beatles, but in the end it just feels right.

_________
-'What do you look for in another human being?'
-'Stone Cold Steve Austin...'

I like them a lot but i agree with you they have been surpassed and not by the mostly crappy modern bands but by the unique and wondefull Pink Floyd!!!

As a Beatles fan since the sixties, I could care less about your "hating them". The Beatles rose from stars to superstars to legends and no amount of anti-social web-hating will change that.

Do yourself a favor - stop with the hating and get a life.

Haters who say they hate the Beatles have listened to a couple of songs like Yesterday or I want to hold your hand. They are are woefully ignorant of that which they hate.

I think anyone can or not like the beatles. But we must respect the diversity of people really like. To me if I like to some extent, but I tend to be respectful of that comment.
Perhaps one does not value the culture that generated the beatles alone with his music. Hail from Buenos Aires. Eduardo.

Surpassed by whom? Their music continues to outsell everyone else.