The Beatle Myth: The British Invasion of American Popular Music, 1956-1969

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Did the Beatles originate the Beatle haircut? boots? collarless jackets? No. Did they start the trend of self-contained rock groups (three guitarists and a drummer) composing their own hits? No. Did the British musical invasion end American performers’ careers? Dominate American music charts? No and no. Surprised?

Relying on music industry data (Top 40 and 100 lists, U.S. and U.K. hits by British groups, British groups’ hits on the 1964 U.S. charts, 1980s television commercials employing
oldies
music, and other comparisons), The Beatle Myth rebuts the revisionist rock historians who greatly exaggerated the impact of the Beatles and other British groups upon the U.S. pop music scene beginning in 1964. Widely held (and cherished!) myths that have grown over the years are debunked in the process.