Inspired by the thread about the “Beach boys” (who IMHO come pretty close). Pretty much self explanatory question.
One unacceptable answer is “The Doors”, who were actually America’s Rolling Stones.
I’d say, “there weren’t any”, but I recognize that’s not very helpful. So I’ll go the obvious route and say, “The Monkees”, right down to the deliberate misspelling of the band’s name.
Of course there’s no such thing.
But I’ll offer a modest observation by a rock critic which only ends up reinforcing the absurdity:
Lilian Roxon noted that the Lovin’ Spoonful were like “our own lovable moptops, right here in Greenwich Village!”
The Beatles were the American Beatles. They got so big they outgrew England and became part of international culture.
For example, the Rolling Stones were the British band that was trying to be as big as the Beatles. And the Doors were the American band that was trying to be as big as the Beatles. But the Beatles were the Beatles in both Britain and America.
Buddy Holly. Innovative and influential although a career unfortunately cut short.
TCMF-2L
Among their contemporaries, I think The Beach Boys, The Monkees, and The Byrds all fit in some ways (not not others) as America’s closest equivalent to The Beatles.
Going earlier, Elvis Presley occupied a position in the pop culture of his day that was somewhat like the position The Beatles occupied in theirs.
I thought I remembered an earlier thread asking essentially this same question. Upon searching, I found Who is the greatest American rock band of all time? (with poll) and Name the most popular American rock-and-roll band of all time… but I don’t think either of those are exactly what I’m remembering.
Best answer is that the Beatles were a “one of.” Never anything like them before or after.
But if you insist on coming up with an “American Beatles Phenomenon,” I’d go for something a bit different: time travel.
Elvis is the closest you can come to an American Beatles, if you want to talk about the worldwide effect, and the way popular music was transformed.
Ironic, since the Beatles actually set out to be the next Elvis originally.
Just my opinion, but I think that the world overall has changed so much since the middle of the 20th century, that the chances we’ll see another Beatles or Elvis again are slim to none.
A thought I had a while back now, was that Star Wars was the first real “Beatles” that happened after the Beatles.
Michael Jackson
Stevie Wonder.
Agreed about Star Wars. It’s that sudden and overwhelming popularity that is impossible to replicate. There were a lot of great artists in the 60’s and 70’s, including John, Paul, George and Ringo as solo artists, but there was only one Beatles.
The obvious answer is “The Beach Boys” but barring them, maybe “The Eagles?”
Of course it’s an impossible question to answer. “The Doors” and “CCR” are certainly worthy of mention.
Come to think of it, “Aerosmith” too.
This is a difficult question to answer if you strictly define the thread topic and exclude all solo performers. Individualism is stronger in American culture than Europe and the UK and that’s reflected in the fact that the majority of the most famous American popular music acts during the 20th century (e.g., Crosby, Sinatra, Elvis, Dylan, MJ) were solo. That said, the Beach Boys are as good a choice as any.
. . . Chuck Berry?
I don’t know the answer to the OP’s question, but I don’t think it’s The Doors. I’m a huge Doors fan, so maybe I’m a bit more sensitive than some other people, but I’ve never had the impression that Jim and the boys were universally beloved or respected as The Beatles are/were.
There are none. The Beatles were a phenomenon like no other.
You can compare other artists’ talent, influence, longevity, and cultural impact to the Beatles, but all fall short.
Not the answer you’re looking for, but it’s the correct answer.
mmm
The Japanese call Cheap Trick, “The American Beatles”. Or so I’ve heard. I have no cite.
The American band that went overseas and created a big sensation? The Fucking Ramones.
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A “band” consisting of two musicians and two actors who for the most part didn’t even play the instruments on their first several albums, and were assembled by Hollywood committee to be a blatant cash-in fake Beatles? America’s Rutles, maybe.
I agree with the others who say the Beatles were America’s Beatles, but if one insists on naming a candidate I’d nominate Brian Wilson and his backup band. Worth remembering that Rubber Soul heavily influenced Wilson’s Pet Sounds, which in turn influenced McCartney’ style of playing bass, not to mention the Sgt Pepper album. For a precious few years, Brian Wilson was the George Gershwin of mid-20th century American pop music.
I’m a huge Cheap Trick fan and will agree that they have sometimes been called that. Of course, they are huge Beatles fans themselves and deliberately sought that role.
But the “Cheap Trick Universe” is actually pretty small (except for Japan). I encounter many, many people of my age (60+) who have never heard of Cheap Trick.
Monty Python has been called “the Beatles of comedy,” and in many ways the label is appropriate, but their appeal (especially at first) was less mainstream, their fans more of a cult following.
Besides Star Wars, the most “Beatles-like” phenomenon I can think of is Harry Potter. The worldwide anticipation for the release of a new Harry Potter book is one of the few things I can think of that compares to the worldwide anticipation for the release of a new Beatles album.
Of course, both of those are British, so they’re only tangentially relevant, at best, to this thread. 