Lennon or McCartney

[Bill Walker]

Did this guy just say that The Beatles weren't innovators?

Perhaps he could enlighten us as to who was the first western band to introduce Indian sounds into their music, or artificial double tracking, backtracking, direct inject, close micing...? Not to mention that they one of (if not the) first band who wrote their own songs? They also came up with very novel chord progressions, plus modal, mixolidian and dorian keys, and unusual time signatures. They created the first concept album.

The Beatles were about as innovative as any band ever. And that's not just George Martin but The Beatles themselves.

Seriously, like what you like; dislike what suits you. But why oh why does everyone have to have an opinion on every subject including ones they know nothing about?

I think Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly did influence them, but these guys were writing 3 chord songs, even the early Beatles wrote much more interesting songs using all the above you mentioned, Dorian, unusually time signatures etc. Listen to Not A Second Time or Ask me Why or even PS I Love You, from they're very first album as proof.
Probably their biggest innovation was Nearly all their contemporaries from the early sixties fell away, as Peter noon of Hermans hermits said " we couldn't change like The Beatles did, we couldn't write a Rubber Soul or Revolver"
Neither could The animals or The Hollies, The Beatles music turned into a serious art form, psychedelic tracks like Tomorrow Never knows, Strawberry Fields Forever had a massive effect on music, spawning a huge shift in not only fashion but thought, suddenly there was psychedelic music and eventually prog rock.
The sixties were suddenly in colour.
Sgt Pepper was the crowning glory of this change in youth culture. That summer or 67 it was played in millions of homes not just in the UK but the world over.
Chuck and Buddy with their 3 chord catchy pop songs could never have achieved that.

 

[chesterbells]

I think Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly did influence them, but these guys were writing 3 chord songs, even the early Beatles wrote much more interesting songs using all the above you mentioned, Dorian, unusually time signatures etc. Listen to Not A Second Time or Ask me Why or even PS I Love You, from they're very first album as proof.
Probably their biggest innovation was Nearly all their contemporaries from the early sixties fell away, as Peter noon of Hermans hermits said " we couldn't change like The Beatles did, we couldn't write a Rubber Soul or Revolver"
Neither could The animals or The Hollies, The Beatles music turned into a serious art form, psychedelic tracks like Tomorrow Never knows, Strawberry Fields Forever had a massive effect on music, spawning a huge shift in not only fashion but thought, suddenly there was psychedelic music and eventually prog rock.
The sixties were suddenly in colour.
Sgt Pepper was the crowning glory of this change in youth culture. That summer or 67 it was played in millions of homes not just in the UK but the world over.
Chuck and Buddy with their 3 chord catchy pop songs could never have achieved that.

Great post!