# Who were America's Beatles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 29, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662 "2017-05-29T18:20:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/41 "2017-05-30T02:10:24Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > 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. The Monkees were British. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/42 "2017-05-30T02:17:25Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > The Monkees were British. Only Davy Jones was British. Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Micky Dolenz are Americans and the Monkees were a Hollywood creation. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/43 "2017-05-30T02:20:31Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I’m 100% sure The Beatles would have reunited for something at some point. I doubt it would have been on The Simpsons though. > > Perhaps a benefit concert, like Live Aid or the SARS benefit in Toronto or something. > > The Simpsons was hugely popular in the beginning, so very, very funny! > > Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk BTO reunited on the Simpsons. Randy Bachman and Fred Turner played themselves in an episode. ---
**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:** [May 30, 2017, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/44 "2017-05-30T02:43:49Z")
There is no equivalent, and the only Americans that came close were Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. No rock group created that much excitement. (A case could be made for NSYNC, at least in respect to massive popularity with teenage girls – which was the key demographic for that sort of mania – but in nothing else.) On an artistic level, the Beatles surpassed all American groups. They had a way of taking new ideas and different song structures (e.g., “Yesterday,” which had no chorus) and turning them into hits, mostly because their melodies were almost always memorable. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/45 "2017-05-30T03:09:10Z")
Short career? Iconic image? Took his influences and made them into something new? Still massively popular now? Went across the Atlantic for more success? Jimi Hendrix. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/46 "2017-05-30T04:00:22Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > BTO reunited on the Simpsons. Randy Bachman and Fred Turner played themselves in an episode. But what about Bob Overdrive, the most often overlooked member of BTO? ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/47 "2017-05-30T04:29:44Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > But what about Bob Overdrive, the most often overlooked member of BTO? True! He was almost as famous as Tony Grand and Lionel Funk from Grand Funk Railroad. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/48 "2017-05-30T13:10:10Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Simon and Garfunkel? Maybe? The Eagles actually fit a lot more of those criteria. I was listening to Bill Flanagan’s show the other day and he was talking about the trend of American bands usually having a leader with a band, while Brits tend to feature a duo or groups of contributors. For example, Bruce Springsteen and … Neil Young and… Buddy Holly and … Bob Dylan and … Tom Petty and … Plant/Page Lennon/McCartney The Davies brothers The Gallagher brothers Jagger/Richards ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/49 "2017-05-30T14:20:39Z")
What is it about the human psyche that needs to identify the “Next \_\_\_\_\_”? Is it a need to re-experience a high? I remember a (Time?) magazine cover with a young Bruce Springsteen’s face filling it: “The Next Bob Dylan!” And weren’t there a dozen of those, some of which we’ve barely heard from since? David Blue, Elliott Murphy, Joe Pug, Steve Forbert, Kristian Matsson (“The Tallest Man on Earth”) and Loudon Wainwright III (who joked about being a member of “The New Bob Dylan Club”). And, of course, Dick Campbell (the artist behind _“dick campbell sings where it’s at”)…_ oh, my og, [that’s Trying So Much To Be Dylan It’s Embarrassing…](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av-uoYri_n4) So, another vote for the Beatles being unique. As are the Beach Boys and the Doors and the Grateful Dead. And Bob. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/50 "2017-05-30T14:54:54Z")
> [@digs](#): > > What is it about the human psyche that needs to identify the “Next \_\_\_\_\_”? > Is it a need to re-experience a high?.. For whatever reason, there always seems to be people that think music is some sort of (national) competition. One of the great debates has always been between American and British music, which is better, sold more records, and how they have fended off each other’s cultural dominance. It’s almost as bad as those that feel we need to decide a “best” artist, band, guitarist, drummer, etc… Who cares? Each and every one of them is the best at what they do. Period. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/51 "2017-05-30T20:41:40Z")
Who were America’s Beatles? The Ramones; duh. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/52 "2017-05-30T21:05:03Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > The American band that went overseas and created a big sensation? The Fucking Ramones. > > ETA [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHc6x01QCKk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHc6x01QCKk) I was going to say them too… ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/53 "2017-05-30T21:06:56Z")
Goddammit, I was out on a limb there wondering if anyone had my back!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/54 "2017-05-30T21:43:35Z")
Styx. Broad range of musical styles, multiple singers and songwriters, massive egos and clashing personalities, and super longevity. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/55 "2017-05-30T21:54:07Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Goddammit, I was out on a limb there wondering if anyone had my back!! > 🙂 Oh, I have your back when it comes to The Ramones. I’ve written quite a bit about them on the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/56 "2017-05-30T22:35:46Z")
If I were to name an American band with the Beatles’ sort of impact not to mention clashing personalities and focus on two members, I might go with the Eagles. Creativity, beautiful harmonies, meaningful lyrics… I’d say that Henley/Frey combination was up there with Lennon/McCartney. Also Billy Joel, though he had his share of critics as well. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/57 "2017-05-30T23:24:19Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > If I were to name an American band with the Beatles’ sort of impact not to mention clashing personalities and focus on two members, I might go with the Eagles. Creativity, beautiful harmonies, meaningful lyrics… I’d say that Henley/Frey combination was up there with Lennon/McCartney. Also Billy Joel, though he had his share of critics as well. > Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Billy Joel is a really good choice. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/58 "2017-05-30T23:51:14Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Billy Joel is a really good choice. He certainly is, and he has the catalogue of music to back him up too. 😉 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/59 "2017-05-30T23:56:17Z")
OK we have left earth. I’m ready to say it’s the Monkees now. Are you happy? ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2017, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662/60 "2017-05-31T00:25:34Z")
New Kids On The Block (runs away) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-americas-beatles/787662.md?page=4)