# The Beatles Are The Best. Yes or No ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 22, 2010, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521 "2010-11-22T05:22:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/1 "2010-11-22T05:22:18Z")
So a couple of weeks ago, I saw the Cirque de Soliel Beatles Love show at the Mirage in Vegas and I was simply blown away. I’ve always thought the Beatles were the best, but I soon realized that their greatness was only limited by my imagination. So tell me, how many of you regard the Beatles as the best musical entity the world has ever produced with regard to originality, innovation , melody, broadness of style\* and downright enjoyability. - the proper word escapes me ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/2 "2010-11-22T05:24:37Z")
Yes. Next question? ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/3 "2010-11-22T05:27:13Z")
No, but I’d put them in the top ten. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/4 "2010-11-22T05:38:52Z")
I personally can’t stand listening to their music. They may be completely innovative or whatever, but their voices grate on me. Give me Brian Wilson any day. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/5 "2010-11-22T05:39:59Z")
No, the best is Pink Floyd, sorry. Or maybe Jethro Tull. I never can decide. The Beatles are good, but I couldn’t, for example, listen to a whole Beatles album all in one sitting. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/6 "2010-11-22T05:43:04Z")
“Ever” is a big word. I’d put a few classical composers before the Beatles . . . or don’t they qualify as “musical entities”? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/7 "2010-11-22T05:54:24Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > “Ever” is a big word. I’d put a few classical composers before the Beatles . . . or don’t they qualify as “musical entities”? Of course they do. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/8 "2010-11-22T06:34:26Z")
I would say they are the best, but not _my_ favorite. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/9 "2010-11-22T06:40:06Z")
No, and I don’t see what the big deal is all about. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/10 "2010-11-22T06:54:00Z")
Well, compared to Mozart, no. But for pop and rock music purposes, YES! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/11 "2010-11-22T07:20:30Z")
I voted yes. I also enjoy Beethoven, The Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones a great deal. But The Beatles, aside from the few blues bits they did, were always an infectious smile. Have _you_ seen Polythene Pam? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/12 "2010-11-22T09:18:39Z")
Best musical entity of the modern era. I’d have a hard time claiming they were better than Bach or Mozart. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/13 "2010-11-22T10:25:10Z")
God no. They may have been necessary for many better bands to come about, but their music sounds hopelessly dated and grating. And just because Lennon is a Scouser capable of abstract thought doesn’t make him a great philosopher. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/14 "2010-11-22T11:14:31Z")
Well how many other bands can manage [this](http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/17386/194557) _Rolling Stone The Beatles 100 Greatest Songs_ and still have people complaining that songs had been missed. Few bands deserve a _Best of…_ ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/15 "2010-11-22T14:00:31Z")
In the rock world, yes. But they have competition in the classical world. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/16 "2010-11-22T14:11:57Z")
Yes. No question in the pop/rock world. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/17 "2010-11-22T14:52:52Z")
Just another thing the babyboomers cram down our throats that we’re supposed to like. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/18 "2010-11-22T15:04:36Z")
they were popular. i don’t think they were as good as other groups that were contemporary. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/19 "2010-11-22T15:16:10Z")
Moving from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521/20 "2010-11-22T15:18:34Z")
I’m not a baby boomer nor am I a fetishist for the kind of upbeat rock The Beatles put out (my favorite bands include Radiohead, Arcade Fire, The National and The Flaming Lips). But, if we’re talking about the rock era, then it’s a strong, unqualified “yes” from me. Other bands and artists have made songs as good as some of The Beatles’ best work, but the Fab Four put out iconic songs over and over and over again, so often that it’s amazing they were really only a presence for 6 or 7 years. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-are-the-best-yes-or-no/561521.md?page=2)