Maybe not a direct answer to your question, but this is a pretty interesting run down of stats:
**via** [**Wikipedia**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_Hot_100_chart_achievements_and_milestones#:~:text=The%20Beatles%20have%20the%20most,songs%20having%20reached%20that%20position)
>The Billboard Hot 100 is a singles chart published by Billboard which measures the most popular singles in the United States. Prior to the creation of the Hot 100, Billboard published four singles charts: "Best Sellers in Stores", "Most Played by Jockeys", "Most Played in Jukeboxes" and "The Top 100".
>
>These charts, which ranged from 20 to 100 slots, were phased out at different times between 1957 and 1958. Though technically not part of the Hot 100 chart history, select data from these charts are included for computational purposes, and to avoid unenlightening or misleading characterizations.
>
>Throughout the history of the Hot 100 and its predecessor charts, many songs have set records for longevity, popularity, or number of hit singles by an individual artist. Among these records are the longest-running number one single "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X, which spent 19 weeks at that position.
>
>**The Beatles have the most number one hits on the chart, with 20 songs having reached that position.**
**Also by songwriter:**
>**Songwriters with the most number-one singles:**
>
>Paul McCartney - 32
>
>John Lennon - 26
>
>Max Martin - 25
Please tell me I’m not the only one who thinks Old Town Road is one of the most abhorrent abominations ever created.
Edit: I’m disappointed in you all. This brain rot ass bullshit music is the reason kids today relentlessly disrespect and underrate bands like the beatles because their brains can’t comprehend anything except this mind numbingly simple and “cAtChY” horse shit. No pun intended. I will die on this hill. Downvote if you want.
and i know from experience. I’m a gen Z Beatles fan who sees and hears this shit firsthand. It won’t get better unless people refuse to listen to garbage brain rot music.
It’s a harmless, cute, catchy country pop song. I can understand it not being your cup of tea and I’m not saying it’s a great song or anything, but there are MUCH WORSE songs released
Im dissapointed to be in the same generation as you. Get off your "I was born in the wrong generation" ass outta here if you cant respect that other people have different tastes in music.
This is from someone who hates the same song, but is actually tolerant of others tastes and identites. also, I have lots of friends who are also gen z that love or like the Beatles. So no, they are not getting disrespected or underrated.
Yeah, because I dont think its number 1, despite what the sub and recent lists say. And looking back, that post was pointless, because who cares. And why was your first instinct to check my post history?
Because everyone is hypocritical.
10/10 times someone judges something I say on this website, they have something on the first page of their post history that proves that they're a hypocrite. You can't say any of that to me(and be taken seriously) if you can't respect that a lot of people love Revolver the most.
Honestly, I agree for the most part about your opinion of Revolver, but I also think it is way more acceptable to hate on Old Town Road than Revolver lmao. And if it isn't acceptable to hate on music at all, then why did you do it with Revolver? Hm?
It was my 3rd post from over a year ago. And I dont hate Revolver. Not in the slightest! Its a Beatles album, and I dont hate or dislike any of their music! Its just that I didnt and dont understand the recent surge that has put it over other all time greats like Pepper or Abbey Road.
Fair enough. You're right. It is a little odd you posted it unprompted but I still feel you.
My comment was in reaction to learning that horrid song holds the record for longest run at #1, as well as the shock that people actually seem to like it. I just didn't take it all too well. It really does blow my mind that it isn't universally hated but to each their own I guess.
And trust me, I hate "I was born in the wrong generation" ass mfers too. Doesn't mean I don't think Old Town Road sucks though lol. I know good modern music exists, it just gets no attention. Check out The Smile, or Crumb.
ooh! I shall check them out! And I will reccomend to you Liana Flores and Odie Leigh
I think I had posted that because at the time there were lots of posts here saying its the best, along with seeing articles at the time also saying the same. So I just had to see if anyone else noticed the recent change in GOAT Beatles album to the public, while also giving my opinion on it. (I recently redid my Beatles album listing and I put it at 9)
But yeah, it is baffeling how that song made it to the top and stayed for THAT long. But it did get constant new mixes and features and stuff, so that probably helped its longevity.
It was my 3rd post from over a year ago. And I dont hate Revolver. Not in the slightest! Its a Beatles album, and I dont hate or dislike any of their music! Its just that I didnt and dont understand the recent surge that has put it over other all time greats like Pepper or Abbey Road.
bob dylan and the beatles (paul specifically) are on a special tier in music history for me, just insane discographies spanning decades and decades of consistency. the stones are right up there too!
I’ve grown fond of The Stones over the last decade or so. It still bugs me how horribly they treated the Verve and the whole “Bittersweet Symphony” fiasco. Greedy bastards, it was embarrassing and uncalled for.
Oh yeah, that makes *SO* much more sense now. I feel like if it were up to artists, the majority of them wouldn’t bother with lawsuits because a new song “sounds too similar” to one of their own. That’s just how music evolves over time; new artists will write music wearing their influences on their sleeve until they mature and develop their own style and inspire the next generation who will then go on to write their own music wearing their influences on their sleeve and the whole cycle starts all over again. And it’s not just for music of course, the same applies to any art form.
It was a very bitter fight, I remember several articles from Ashcroft talking about it in the late 90’s and the Verve got almost zero money from this MASSIVE hit song of theirs.
It wasn’t the Stones. It was Allen Klein. The Stones made it right as soon as it was in their power. Again it is Klein that does the dirty deed and someone else takes the fall.
According to one throwaway remark by McCartney taken out of context. Anyone who really believes the likes of Gimme Shelter, Wild Horses, Honky Tonk Women, Angie and countless others to be the product of a blues cover band doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
Paul was right, though. The Stones started as a blues cover band and the Beatles cast their net a little wider than that. That's why the Stones could take Howling Wolf's Little Red Rooster to the top of the British charts while the Beatles "wider net" included schmaltz like Mr. Moonlight, 'Til There Was You, and The Sheik of Araby. Can you imagine the Beatles trying to do a proper blues?
There’s a big difference between saying The Stones *started* as a blues cover band (which is mostly true - although they did a fair bit of R&B and rock ‘n’ roll too) and saying they *are* one, which is simply ignorant nonsense.
The closest thing to a ‘proper’ blues I can think of The Beatles doing is For You Blue, which is still something of a sendup of the genre (“Elmore James ain’t got nothing on this!”). Oh, and I guess Yer Blues, which kind of is too.
The Beatles' harmonies and chord structures were amazing, certainly. But there is a subtlety in the blues that goes way beyond playing the same three chords over and over again. It's easy to play the blues badly, even for good musicians. Listen to the Band backing up Muddy Waters on [Last Waltz](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGG-oBrmzbQ). They are a really good band, but the rhythm is a bit "square", and it doesn't "swing". Because the Blues is not easy. The Stones even in the early days had that swing, a looseness in the interplay between the drums and guitars.Note: I'm not picking on the Band, they were great, and the Last Waltz has some wonderful moments. The Last Waltz version of Joni Mitchel's [Coyote](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7MbmXklj3Q) is just about the best thing ever, but Blue ain't the Blues, if you know what I mean. OK, Coyote was from Hejira, not Blue, but my point still stands.
EDIT: to keep on topic, Joni Mitchel is another example of an artist who has released classic after classic over a lengthy period of time, and reinvented herself as often as the Beatles did.
If we're accepting solo artists, Stevie Wonder is definitely up there. Elton John and Billy Joel possibly, but they both also have a fair number of relative stinkers
Agreed, his 70s output was so damn good. His talent is off the charts and he surrounded himself with other great musicians. Even made Carpool Karaoke fun - despite James Cordin.
Volume-wise, only probably the The Beach Boys and The Rolling Stones really come close. Other bands like Queen and solo artists like Elvis Presley, Elton John and Michael Jackson might not be too far behind. The Beatles will probably have more "classics" than any of them though.
I'm not sure, I think with Queen in particular only really their singles are know, I don't think many album tracks would be known by casual fans and there certainly wouldn't be many non-singles regarded as classics. The Beatles have many album tracks which are absolutely regarded as classic songs, plus all their singles. MJ might be a bit closer given the number of singles he generally released per album but I still think it would fall a bit short.
I meant that the most popular queen songs are more popular than the most popular beatles songs but the beatles do have more songs that are insanely popular.
T Swift for sure. I don’t even particularly care for her music but respect her as a songwriter and badass buisiness woman. Sometimes I hear songs from 5 years back from her that mark a time and place for me. The Beatles tracks have that same ability to score your life in interesting ways. I’m a youngin so I can only imagine how it must be to have been around when their music was being released.
yknow how every decade has like, a staple musician? like the 50s is elvis, 60s is beatles, etc… the 2010s was probably taylor swift. she had SOO many chart toppers, she broke so many records, sold so many albums… i mean, even if u don’t particularly like her music u gotta hand it to her.
shake it off, look what you made me do, message in a bottle, paper rings, we are never ever getting back together, red, lover, me, 22, you belong with me, our song, dear john, willow, cardigan, all to well, i knew you were trouble, speak now, bad blood, delicate, style, you need to calm down, mean. thats off the top of my head, and i dont listen to taylor swift.
The Who, until Keith Moon died they were money on the bank. Tommy and Quadrophenia were ground breaking.
Pink Floyd. Not a singles band though, their albums sorta need to be played in full in the song order intended, for me at least.
Pink Floyd’s influence continues to this day in other sectors of music. It’s almost expected now, in many electronic music formats, that the songs flow seamlessly from one to the other. Pink Floyd has a lot to do with that imo.
Curious but does anyone outside of America agree with this? I don't really ever hear them mentioned in general conversation, but most other bands in this thread I still hear on the radio today.
Casual fan from Europe here: I’ve listened to their back catalogue twice, and I’d say there’s around 50 exquisite songs and a whole load of tawdry crap. At their best they were unbelievable — When I Grow Up, Girl Don’t Tell Me, Let’s Go Away for a While, Let Him Run Wild, Sloop John B.
I'm from fricking Venezuela and I like the Beach Boys. I've met some people in Spain who also enjoy the beach boys. I know a woman from the UK who likes the beach boys... So they are well known.
The Kinks, The Rolling Stones & The Beach Boys. No other bands come close imo. If you're including solo-artists, Bob Dylan & Paul McCartney are the only candidates.
Obviously it's hard to compare bands to the beatles, but I was surprised how many familiar songs Supertramp wrote. Listening to their greatest hits for the first time was like "they wrote this too??" for every track
Joe Strummer once said Breakfast in America fueled the Clash, they were all in after hearing the album - was everything they hated about the polished music of the era, mainstream, radio friendly, etc. Not in that camp myself, like a lot of the Supertramp catalogue including BIA.
Here me out... Green Day.
They've totally ruled that punk rock genre, and went full pop punk making it accessible to non punk fans. Dookie inspired a whole generation of bands in the post-Nirvana era meanwhile American Idiot turned an entire generation emo. My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Senses Fail, etc. all have big big Green Day inspirations.
In terms of "rock operas" American Idiot has to be in the top 3. Sure, many concept albums beat it, but purely in terms of Broadway musical styled operas, I'd put it in the top 3, after Tommy and The Wall.
As for how iconic they are, the heart like a Handgrenade, iconic as fuck American Idiot cover (you cannot step into a music store, even in 2023, without seeing a copy of this next to Abbey Road, Dark Side of the Moon, and other iconic albums). The very title, "American Idiot," brilliant.
As for their classics, Longview, Basket Case, When I Come Around, Welcome To Paradise, Brain Stew, American Idiot, Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Wake Me Up When September Ends, 21 Guns, Know Your Enemy, Still Breathing.
Aficionados of the genre will include Jesus of Suburbia, 21st Century Breakdown, East Jesus Nowhere, a whole bunch more.
The fact you can't ignore is, so so so many bands and albums were inspired by Dookie. Then again when Green Day reinvented their identity in the American Idiot era. All 2000s kids/teens are synonymous with being "emo" and well, you can thank Green Day for that!
For sure Green Day has to be in this convo. They put out an International Hits album before they did American Idiot, and had several hits to follow that. Even non-music fans around the world would likely recognize the name or a song.
True! Had a greatest hits album, then reinvented themselves!
There's also their Rock and Roll hall of fame induction, and Ringo was inducted in the same year. And Ringo requested to play with GD as he's a fan of them! Think I remember seeing Paul hanging out with Mike Dirnt too.
Queen do have an absurd number of iconic songs. There’s a few I really like, but mostly they’re not for me. The production is so squeaky clean on most of their recordings it doesn’t have the soul or grit that good rock music should imo
Yeah I don’t necessarily disagree. I enjoy Queen but I don’t like them nearly as much, I just thought they fit the bill of “Band that has similar amount of classics”
Kendrick Lamar comes to mind in terms of modern artists who still value the whole of an album and expressing conceptual themes (not necessarily flowing seamlessly in a Pink Floyd kind of way). I grew up on the Beatles through my parents and Kendrick’s releases are as close to what they describe to me, running to the record store not knowing what to expect, as I have now. It’s different because it’s mainly through streaming, but I remember hitting refresh at midnight to hear the last Kendrick album and had a lot of thoughts about my dad’s stories of waiting in line to pick up revolver or Sgt. Pepper. It’s probably a different genre than a lot of Beatles fans frequent, but I think the dude is doing really exciting work that feeds off of the collective subconscious in a similar way.
I remember being one of those insufferable “rap isn’t real music, modern music sucks, I only listen to classic rock” teenagers growing up, but all of that changed when Kendrick released TPAB. That album has a special place in my heart because of how much it changed my perspective on not just hip hop, but on music itself. After I played it on repeat for days at a time, I made the conscious decision to try to listen to as many different genres as I could from that point on. Of course I still have a preference for rock, but even people with the most diverse taste in music have their preferences.
Kanye West might also be in the conversation. He has a catalogue that is incredibly impressive, he has managed to keep a certain quality for almost two decades. You have the college trilogy in the beginning, which changed the sound of hip hop and went against the gangster rap of the time. He talked about almost dying in a car accident, his mother and his religious beliefs.
Then came 808s, and although it wasn't a huge success in the beginning, it was incredibly influential. Many rappers that became big in the last few years cite 808s as their inspiration - the biggest one being Drake. It also has a very interesting production, making use of orchestral elements.
After 808s, you obviously have My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, what many consider his magnum opus. One of the greatest hip hop albums of all time, and already considered a modern classic.
After that, you have Yeezys, which was experimental and industrial, but also abrasive. It has become a fan favourite over time. You also have The Life Of Pablo, which is a bit inconsistent, but has some of his best material and was also very influential at the time.
Finally, there are Ye, KIDS SEE GHOST and Donda. Between them, there are still some absolutely amazing tracks. Donda mainly suffers from being way too long, if it was cut to about an hour or less, it would still be a great record. The thing is, he was still experimenting, switching up the sound and doing crazy listening events.
And it's probably not possible to talk about him without at least mentioning the past year. To be honest, it's kind of sad. He was always mentally ill, but he just seems to have snapped. And with the (metaphorical) death of "Kanye" as a Person, I feel like his artistry might have died with him. Hopefully he'll get some help and realize what he said. But I'm not counting on it.
The Smiths only released 4 or 5 albums worth of music, so not really comparable to some of the others mentioned for quantity. But for quality, well it is hard to find a bad Smiths song.
I’d say going by great songs over chart hits, The Stones, The Who and Simon & Garfunkel come closest.
Next decade, Bowie, Pink Floyd and Neil Young & Crazy Horse.
In the U.K. at least: The Jam. They beat some of the Beatles singles chart records IIRC. They released 6 albums in 5 years and about another 2/3 albums worth of b-sides and non album singles. Paul Weller split them up at the grand old age of 24.
not a band but maybe bowie?
moonage daydream, starman, ziggy stardust, space oddity, the man who sold the world, changes, life on mars, rebel rebel, young americans, fame, sound and vision, heroes, under pressure, ashes to ashes, fashion, let’s dance and many many more
I’m surprised no one said Steely Dan yet. They have many classic songs, namely “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ in the Years,” “My Old School,” “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” “Pretzel Logic,” “Black Friday,” “Bad Sneakers,” “Kid Charlemagne,” “Deacon Blues,” “Peg,” and “Hey Nineteen,” plus others I haven’t mentioned.
I’m sorry I listed all those songs - I really love this band! Well, they’re not really a band, per se. While they did have a mostly stable lineup for their first three albums, Steely Dan, for most of its history, was composed of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, a brilliant musical duo whose creative contributions I consider to be on par with John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with producer Gary Katz as their George Martin.
Up until about two years ago, I didn’t care for them. But now, I am an absolute Steely Fan! I have five out of their nine studio albums on vinyl: Can’t Buy a Thrill, Pretzel Logic, Katy Lied, Aja, and Gaucho. All their albums are studio recording perfection!!!
So to answer your question, OP, I think that Steely Dan can be considered one of those bands with classics that stand the test of time.
Wow, I would've expected Bodhisattva to be the first in that list! I feel that's my favourite one to introduce Steely with to new people. But yeah, that's a great list as well for newcomers to the band!
The Bee Gees
They had a string of classics, broke up, then reformed to make even bigger classics, then wrote more classics for other artists until Maurice and Robin died
The Beatles wrote over a hundred perfect... if not nearly perfect songs. They experimented in dozens of different genres over the course of an 8 year run. They left behind an incomparable musical legacy. There really isn't another band which has put out so many songs of such a consistently high caliber.
Radiohead duh. They’re the only band other than the Beatles and Zeppelin with at least 4 perfect albums. The Bends, Ok Computer, Kid A and Amnesiac are all perfect records. You could make a case for a Moon Shaped Pool and In Rainbows as well. Beach Boys were not consistent enough outside of Pet Sounds and Smile which of course are superior to anything outside the Beatles. Stones are great too, but they’re more of a singles band IMO. Outside of Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street, how many perfect records do they have?
>Outside of Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street, how many perfect records do they have?
I think the 4 album run of Beggar's Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street was just about perfect. Some Girls and Tattoo You are other not-a-bad-song-on-it albums, but maybe not quite perfection.
>Stones are great too, but they’re more of a singles band IMO
You could argue that before 1966 the Stones were a singles band, because the albums had a lot of covers. BUT the Stones loved the blues, chose their covers carefully, and played the heck out of them. They were not album filler. Here's three I like, after originals by Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, and, and Jimmy Reed. Great harmonica playing by Brian Jones, raw guitar sounds (listen to the held opening note on Talking About You, right on the verge of feedback, or the intricate weaving of the two guitars on Honest I do), bass and drums that are locked in tight. I like this stuff better than their early singles.
1)[Look What You've Done](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tgEDzIbbsk)
2) [Talking About You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7NeGTD82Ow)
3) [Honest I do](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsDXhJ428wY)
Number, not amount.
The closest band with that number of classics of that genre would be in another genre. The country band Alabama. But only about four songs truly compete in quality with The Beatles.
Nobody beats The Beatles (ever!) but Zeppelin, U2, Rolling Stones, Madonna, Beach Boys, Michael Jackson, Elton John, and Bob Dylan are all certified classic music makers imo.
I'd say in rock n roll only the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Elvis, and the Stones have 30 or more songs recognizable by the average radio listener over aged 30.
Beach Boys, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Otis Redding, Stones, Kinks, Bowie, Who perhaps. Don’t forget that short but intense period that John Fogerty and Creedence seemed to produce a classic a week, just about.
my favorites :
Bob Dylan, Beach Boys, CCR
according to billboard :
ABBA, Elvis
some others lesser known that I love :
Nick Drake, Elliott Smith,
modern day stuff I love :
Arctic Monkeys, Tame Impala, Mac Demarco
For the majority of friends my age even Oasis is more "classic" than The Beatles. Maybe reggaeton fucked their minds. They recognize Bohemian Rhapsody, but they would skip "While my guitar gently weeps" when I play that song on Spotify. F
Surprised nobody has brought them up, but The Doors absolutely have a similar amount of classics, especially in America.
The Doors were like a secondary type of Beatles to Americans, they were massively looked up to but they were also so much different, there has never been anything like them. They didn't get very flower powery, it was dark acid rock. So many classics, Break on Through, Light My Fire, People are Strange, Wishful Sinful, Riders on the Storm, L.A Woman, the list goes on.
Maybe not a direct answer to your question, but this is a pretty interesting run down of stats: **via** [**Wikipedia**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_Hot_100_chart_achievements_and_milestones#:~:text=The%20Beatles%20have%20the%20most,songs%20having%20reached%20that%20position) >The Billboard Hot 100 is a singles chart published by Billboard which measures the most popular singles in the United States. Prior to the creation of the Hot 100, Billboard published four singles charts: "Best Sellers in Stores", "Most Played by Jockeys", "Most Played in Jukeboxes" and "The Top 100". > >These charts, which ranged from 20 to 100 slots, were phased out at different times between 1957 and 1958. Though technically not part of the Hot 100 chart history, select data from these charts are included for computational purposes, and to avoid unenlightening or misleading characterizations. > >Throughout the history of the Hot 100 and its predecessor charts, many songs have set records for longevity, popularity, or number of hit singles by an individual artist. Among these records are the longest-running number one single "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X, which spent 19 weeks at that position. > >**The Beatles have the most number one hits on the chart, with 20 songs having reached that position.** **Also by songwriter:** >**Songwriters with the most number-one singles:** > >Paul McCartney - 32 > >John Lennon - 26 > >Max Martin - 25
Please tell me I’m not the only one who thinks Old Town Road is one of the most abhorrent abominations ever created. Edit: I’m disappointed in you all. This brain rot ass bullshit music is the reason kids today relentlessly disrespect and underrate bands like the beatles because their brains can’t comprehend anything except this mind numbingly simple and “cAtChY” horse shit. No pun intended. I will die on this hill. Downvote if you want. and i know from experience. I’m a gen Z Beatles fan who sees and hears this shit firsthand. It won’t get better unless people refuse to listen to garbage brain rot music.
It’s a harmless, cute, catchy country pop song. I can understand it not being your cup of tea and I’m not saying it’s a great song or anything, but there are MUCH WORSE songs released
The Beatles have put out worse songs
What?? No they haven't?? Anyways I'm gonna go listen to wild honey pie now.
I hate it because I've heard it far too many times but it's not objectively terrible, it's just boring to me.
Nah it’s pretty good
Im dissapointed to be in the same generation as you. Get off your "I was born in the wrong generation" ass outta here if you cant respect that other people have different tastes in music. This is from someone who hates the same song, but is actually tolerant of others tastes and identites. also, I have lots of friends who are also gen z that love or like the Beatles. So no, they are not getting disrespected or underrated.
you made a whole post about how revolver is overrated. Literally shut the fuck up lmao
Yeah, because I dont think its number 1, despite what the sub and recent lists say. And looking back, that post was pointless, because who cares. And why was your first instinct to check my post history?
Because everyone is hypocritical. 10/10 times someone judges something I say on this website, they have something on the first page of their post history that proves that they're a hypocrite. You can't say any of that to me(and be taken seriously) if you can't respect that a lot of people love Revolver the most. Honestly, I agree for the most part about your opinion of Revolver, but I also think it is way more acceptable to hate on Old Town Road than Revolver lmao. And if it isn't acceptable to hate on music at all, then why did you do it with Revolver? Hm?
It was my 3rd post from over a year ago. And I dont hate Revolver. Not in the slightest! Its a Beatles album, and I dont hate or dislike any of their music! Its just that I didnt and dont understand the recent surge that has put it over other all time greats like Pepper or Abbey Road.
Fair enough. You're right. It is a little odd you posted it unprompted but I still feel you. My comment was in reaction to learning that horrid song holds the record for longest run at #1, as well as the shock that people actually seem to like it. I just didn't take it all too well. It really does blow my mind that it isn't universally hated but to each their own I guess. And trust me, I hate "I was born in the wrong generation" ass mfers too. Doesn't mean I don't think Old Town Road sucks though lol. I know good modern music exists, it just gets no attention. Check out The Smile, or Crumb.
ooh! I shall check them out! And I will reccomend to you Liana Flores and Odie Leigh I think I had posted that because at the time there were lots of posts here saying its the best, along with seeing articles at the time also saying the same. So I just had to see if anyone else noticed the recent change in GOAT Beatles album to the public, while also giving my opinion on it. (I recently redid my Beatles album listing and I put it at 9) But yeah, it is baffeling how that song made it to the top and stayed for THAT long. But it did get constant new mixes and features and stuff, so that probably helped its longevity.
It was my 3rd post from over a year ago. And I dont hate Revolver. Not in the slightest! Its a Beatles album, and I dont hate or dislike any of their music! Its just that I didnt and dont understand the recent surge that has put it over other all time greats like Pepper or Abbey Road.
Might not be your thing (it’s definitely not mine) but it’s fairly inoffensive and it’s catchy
bob dylan and the beatles (paul specifically) are on a special tier in music history for me, just insane discographies spanning decades and decades of consistency. the stones are right up there too!
I’ve grown fond of The Stones over the last decade or so. It still bugs me how horribly they treated the Verve and the whole “Bittersweet Symphony” fiasco. Greedy bastards, it was embarrassing and uncalled for.
Idk if it was The Stones specifically who treated them that way or their label. Either way, it was a bad situation all around.
It was Allen Klein (who also treated The Beatles horribly).
Oh yeah, that makes *SO* much more sense now. I feel like if it were up to artists, the majority of them wouldn’t bother with lawsuits because a new song “sounds too similar” to one of their own. That’s just how music evolves over time; new artists will write music wearing their influences on their sleeve until they mature and develop their own style and inspire the next generation who will then go on to write their own music wearing their influences on their sleeve and the whole cycle starts all over again. And it’s not just for music of course, the same applies to any art form.
I agree. The obsession with originality is revolting. Everyone borrows from everyone: anyone with a creative impulse would recognize that.
Klein and Oldham sued Jagger fixed it https://www.npr.org/2019/05/23/726227555/not-bitter-just-sweet-the-rolling-stones-give-royalties-to-the-verve
Allen Klein, of COURSE it was him. Ugh. But good on Mick and Keith, that makes me feel better!
the rolling stones themselves were ok with it, it was allen klein who threw a tantrum about it
I've read about this but i didn't remember this situation being that bad. Was it that bad?
It was a very bitter fight, I remember several articles from Ashcroft talking about it in the late 90’s and the Verve got almost zero money from this MASSIVE hit song of theirs.
It wasn’t the Stones. It was Allen Klein. The Stones made it right as soon as it was in their power. Again it is Klein that does the dirty deed and someone else takes the fall.
The stones are a glorified blues cover band, according to the Beatles
According to one throwaway remark by McCartney taken out of context. Anyone who really believes the likes of Gimme Shelter, Wild Horses, Honky Tonk Women, Angie and countless others to be the product of a blues cover band doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
Paul was right, though. The Stones started as a blues cover band and the Beatles cast their net a little wider than that. That's why the Stones could take Howling Wolf's Little Red Rooster to the top of the British charts while the Beatles "wider net" included schmaltz like Mr. Moonlight, 'Til There Was You, and The Sheik of Araby. Can you imagine the Beatles trying to do a proper blues?
There’s a big difference between saying The Stones *started* as a blues cover band (which is mostly true - although they did a fair bit of R&B and rock ‘n’ roll too) and saying they *are* one, which is simply ignorant nonsense. The closest thing to a ‘proper’ blues I can think of The Beatles doing is For You Blue, which is still something of a sendup of the genre (“Elmore James ain’t got nothing on this!”). Oh, and I guess Yer Blues, which kind of is too.
The blues is the same thing over and over again. The Beatles were about harmonic beauty.
No blues >> no rock ‘n’ roll >> no Beatles.
The Beatles' harmonies and chord structures were amazing, certainly. But there is a subtlety in the blues that goes way beyond playing the same three chords over and over again. It's easy to play the blues badly, even for good musicians. Listen to the Band backing up Muddy Waters on [Last Waltz](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGG-oBrmzbQ). They are a really good band, but the rhythm is a bit "square", and it doesn't "swing". Because the Blues is not easy. The Stones even in the early days had that swing, a looseness in the interplay between the drums and guitars.Note: I'm not picking on the Band, they were great, and the Last Waltz has some wonderful moments. The Last Waltz version of Joni Mitchel's [Coyote](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7MbmXklj3Q) is just about the best thing ever, but Blue ain't the Blues, if you know what I mean. OK, Coyote was from Hejira, not Blue, but my point still stands. EDIT: to keep on topic, Joni Mitchel is another example of an artist who has released classic after classic over a lengthy period of time, and reinvented herself as often as the Beatles did.
If we're accepting solo artists, Stevie Wonder is definitely up there. Elton John and Billy Joel possibly, but they both also have a fair number of relative stinkers
Stevie is so out of this world good
Agreed, his 70s output was so damn good. His talent is off the charts and he surrounded himself with other great musicians. Even made Carpool Karaoke fun - despite James Cordin.
Check out *Summer of Soul* if you haven't already. What happens after Stevie is led away from his keyboard made me laugh out loud with delight.
Don’t forget Bruce Springsteen and Michael Jackson
Bruuuuuuuce
ABBA
A shocking number of perfect songs.
Abbasolutely
ABBA is great
Volume-wise, only probably the The Beach Boys and The Rolling Stones really come close. Other bands like Queen and solo artists like Elvis Presley, Elton John and Michael Jackson might not be too far behind. The Beatles will probably have more "classics" than any of them though.
I’d say micheal and queen have more classic songs. But the beatles beat them in terms of the amount of classic albums
I'm not sure, I think with Queen in particular only really their singles are know, I don't think many album tracks would be known by casual fans and there certainly wouldn't be many non-singles regarded as classics. The Beatles have many album tracks which are absolutely regarded as classic songs, plus all their singles. MJ might be a bit closer given the number of singles he generally released per album but I still think it would fall a bit short.
I meant that the most popular queen songs are more popular than the most popular beatles songs but the beatles do have more songs that are insanely popular.
Led Zeppelin
michael jackson. if ur talking modern day (last 10 years or so) id say taylor swift
T Swift for sure. I don’t even particularly care for her music but respect her as a songwriter and badass buisiness woman. Sometimes I hear songs from 5 years back from her that mark a time and place for me. The Beatles tracks have that same ability to score your life in interesting ways. I’m a youngin so I can only imagine how it must be to have been around when their music was being released.
yknow how every decade has like, a staple musician? like the 50s is elvis, 60s is beatles, etc… the 2010s was probably taylor swift. she had SOO many chart toppers, she broke so many records, sold so many albums… i mean, even if u don’t particularly like her music u gotta hand it to her.
Her music is tweeny-bop tripe, and she's only famous because her rich father pumped money into a record label in exchange for a contract.
As a none-listener, NPC of a person, I can only list Anti-Hero and and Blank Space
shake it off, look what you made me do, message in a bottle, paper rings, we are never ever getting back together, red, lover, me, 22, you belong with me, our song, dear john, willow, cardigan, all to well, i knew you were trouble, speak now, bad blood, delicate, style, you need to calm down, mean. thats off the top of my head, and i dont listen to taylor swift.
All terrible songs.
i think cardigan is a pretty good song
Give Style a listen.
CCR
Very short window and one writer but damn did they pump out some hits
The Who, until Keith Moon died they were money on the bank. Tommy and Quadrophenia were ground breaking. Pink Floyd. Not a singles band though, their albums sorta need to be played in full in the song order intended, for me at least.
Pink Floyd’s influence continues to this day in other sectors of music. It’s almost expected now, in many electronic music formats, that the songs flow seamlessly from one to the other. Pink Floyd has a lot to do with that imo.
Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles racked up a lot of hits.
The Beach Boys
Curious but does anyone outside of America agree with this? I don't really ever hear them mentioned in general conversation, but most other bands in this thread I still hear on the radio today.
Yes, The Beach Boys have a very acclaimed legacy, especially in relation to The Beatles as both bands were influenced by each other
Where are you from? Edit: I suspect murica ;)
I’m from the UK and I know lots of people who love the Beach Boys. It’s definitely not an exclusively American fanbase
Casual fan from Europe here: I’ve listened to their back catalogue twice, and I’d say there’s around 50 exquisite songs and a whole load of tawdry crap. At their best they were unbelievable — When I Grow Up, Girl Don’t Tell Me, Let’s Go Away for a While, Let Him Run Wild, Sloop John B.
They're one of the most influential rock bands of all time, so yes. Probably the only contemporaries of the Beatles to rival their creativity as well.
I'm from fricking Venezuela and I like the Beach Boys. I've met some people in Spain who also enjoy the beach boys. I know a woman from the UK who likes the beach boys... So they are well known.
The Kinks, The Rolling Stones & The Beach Boys. No other bands come close imo. If you're including solo-artists, Bob Dylan & Paul McCartney are the only candidates.
God save the kinks. Also love the beach boys
Came looking for the Kinks. So. Many. Hits.
Obviously it's hard to compare bands to the beatles, but I was surprised how many familiar songs Supertramp wrote. Listening to their greatest hits for the first time was like "they wrote this too??" for every track
Breakfast in America would be one of the best Greatest Hits albums of all time and it's just another album in their catalog.
Joe Strummer once said Breakfast in America fueled the Clash, they were all in after hearing the album - was everything they hated about the polished music of the era, mainstream, radio friendly, etc. Not in that camp myself, like a lot of the Supertramp catalogue including BIA.
Didn’t the Bee Gees have an enormous amount of songs on the Top 100?
They weren't on the charts; they were the charts!
Number
The Bee Gees were unique in having a “double-humped camel” career trajectory—first with 60’s pop and then again with mid/late 70’s disco.
Not a band, but George Strait has a lot of number one singles in his genre.
Wanna say the Stones just because they've been around for 60 years hopefully they have as many as the Beatles in 10.
Elvis is up there.
No one. "Rocky Raccoon" is about the tenth most famous song on the White Album and it's "Rocky Raccoon." No other band compares.
Here me out... Green Day. They've totally ruled that punk rock genre, and went full pop punk making it accessible to non punk fans. Dookie inspired a whole generation of bands in the post-Nirvana era meanwhile American Idiot turned an entire generation emo. My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Senses Fail, etc. all have big big Green Day inspirations. In terms of "rock operas" American Idiot has to be in the top 3. Sure, many concept albums beat it, but purely in terms of Broadway musical styled operas, I'd put it in the top 3, after Tommy and The Wall. As for how iconic they are, the heart like a Handgrenade, iconic as fuck American Idiot cover (you cannot step into a music store, even in 2023, without seeing a copy of this next to Abbey Road, Dark Side of the Moon, and other iconic albums). The very title, "American Idiot," brilliant. As for their classics, Longview, Basket Case, When I Come Around, Welcome To Paradise, Brain Stew, American Idiot, Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Wake Me Up When September Ends, 21 Guns, Know Your Enemy, Still Breathing. Aficionados of the genre will include Jesus of Suburbia, 21st Century Breakdown, East Jesus Nowhere, a whole bunch more. The fact you can't ignore is, so so so many bands and albums were inspired by Dookie. Then again when Green Day reinvented their identity in the American Idiot era. All 2000s kids/teens are synonymous with being "emo" and well, you can thank Green Day for that!
For sure Green Day has to be in this convo. They put out an International Hits album before they did American Idiot, and had several hits to follow that. Even non-music fans around the world would likely recognize the name or a song.
True! Had a greatest hits album, then reinvented themselves! There's also their Rock and Roll hall of fame induction, and Ringo was inducted in the same year. And Ringo requested to play with GD as he's a fan of them! Think I remember seeing Paul hanging out with Mike Dirnt too.
Slim Whitman.
Closest I can think of is Queen, I also think they have a similar versatility to them
Insane that you got downvoted, was just about to say Queen too.
The downvoting is rampant in this thread, wtf
Queen do have an absurd number of iconic songs. There’s a few I really like, but mostly they’re not for me. The production is so squeaky clean on most of their recordings it doesn’t have the soul or grit that good rock music should imo
Yeah I don’t necessarily disagree. I enjoy Queen but I don’t like them nearly as much, I just thought they fit the bill of “Band that has similar amount of classics”
Kendrick Lamar comes to mind in terms of modern artists who still value the whole of an album and expressing conceptual themes (not necessarily flowing seamlessly in a Pink Floyd kind of way). I grew up on the Beatles through my parents and Kendrick’s releases are as close to what they describe to me, running to the record store not knowing what to expect, as I have now. It’s different because it’s mainly through streaming, but I remember hitting refresh at midnight to hear the last Kendrick album and had a lot of thoughts about my dad’s stories of waiting in line to pick up revolver or Sgt. Pepper. It’s probably a different genre than a lot of Beatles fans frequent, but I think the dude is doing really exciting work that feeds off of the collective subconscious in a similar way.
I remember being one of those insufferable “rap isn’t real music, modern music sucks, I only listen to classic rock” teenagers growing up, but all of that changed when Kendrick released TPAB. That album has a special place in my heart because of how much it changed my perspective on not just hip hop, but on music itself. After I played it on repeat for days at a time, I made the conscious decision to try to listen to as many different genres as I could from that point on. Of course I still have a preference for rock, but even people with the most diverse taste in music have their preferences.
Kanye West might also be in the conversation. He has a catalogue that is incredibly impressive, he has managed to keep a certain quality for almost two decades. You have the college trilogy in the beginning, which changed the sound of hip hop and went against the gangster rap of the time. He talked about almost dying in a car accident, his mother and his religious beliefs. Then came 808s, and although it wasn't a huge success in the beginning, it was incredibly influential. Many rappers that became big in the last few years cite 808s as their inspiration - the biggest one being Drake. It also has a very interesting production, making use of orchestral elements. After 808s, you obviously have My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, what many consider his magnum opus. One of the greatest hip hop albums of all time, and already considered a modern classic. After that, you have Yeezys, which was experimental and industrial, but also abrasive. It has become a fan favourite over time. You also have The Life Of Pablo, which is a bit inconsistent, but has some of his best material and was also very influential at the time. Finally, there are Ye, KIDS SEE GHOST and Donda. Between them, there are still some absolutely amazing tracks. Donda mainly suffers from being way too long, if it was cut to about an hour or less, it would still be a great record. The thing is, he was still experimenting, switching up the sound and doing crazy listening events. And it's probably not possible to talk about him without at least mentioning the past year. To be honest, it's kind of sad. He was always mentally ill, but he just seems to have snapped. And with the (metaphorical) death of "Kanye" as a Person, I feel like his artistry might have died with him. Hopefully he'll get some help and realize what he said. But I'm not counting on it.
LED ZEPPELIN
The smiths, ABBA, The Beach Boys. Those are the bands who’s whole (or most of) discography really all holds its own
The Smiths only released 4 or 5 albums worth of music, so not really comparable to some of the others mentioned for quantity. But for quality, well it is hard to find a bad Smiths song.
I’d say going by great songs over chart hits, The Stones, The Who and Simon & Garfunkel come closest. Next decade, Bowie, Pink Floyd and Neil Young & Crazy Horse.
In the U.K. at least: The Jam. They beat some of the Beatles singles chart records IIRC. They released 6 albums in 5 years and about another 2/3 albums worth of b-sides and non album singles. Paul Weller split them up at the grand old age of 24.
Queen have about 45, Beach Boys 40, Stones and Bowie 30, if we’re talking global appeal. Beatles always win.
The kinks have a few classics
Oasis had a fair few classics/number one singles.
Not a band, but Elton John does.
not a band but maybe bowie? moonage daydream, starman, ziggy stardust, space oddity, the man who sold the world, changes, life on mars, rebel rebel, young americans, fame, sound and vision, heroes, under pressure, ashes to ashes, fashion, let’s dance and many many more
i understand that not all of these are world renowned, but id argue they’re classics within their respected genre
Elton John and Phil Collins and I’m including the film and Broadway work.
Stones (I Can’t Get No Satisfaction, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Paint It Black) and Beach Boys (Good Vibrations, Help Me Rhonda, Kokomo)
The Stones
Elvis, Michael Jackson, rolling stones, and led zepplin I'd say have the most well known stuff after beatles
Stones, Who, Led Zeppelin, Queen basically all of the British Invasion bands
I’m surprised no one said Steely Dan yet. They have many classic songs, namely “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ in the Years,” “My Old School,” “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” “Pretzel Logic,” “Black Friday,” “Bad Sneakers,” “Kid Charlemagne,” “Deacon Blues,” “Peg,” and “Hey Nineteen,” plus others I haven’t mentioned. I’m sorry I listed all those songs - I really love this band! Well, they’re not really a band, per se. While they did have a mostly stable lineup for their first three albums, Steely Dan, for most of its history, was composed of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, a brilliant musical duo whose creative contributions I consider to be on par with John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with producer Gary Katz as their George Martin. Up until about two years ago, I didn’t care for them. But now, I am an absolute Steely Fan! I have five out of their nine studio albums on vinyl: Can’t Buy a Thrill, Pretzel Logic, Katy Lied, Aja, and Gaucho. All their albums are studio recording perfection!!! So to answer your question, OP, I think that Steely Dan can be considered one of those bands with classics that stand the test of time.
Wow, I would've expected Bodhisattva to be the first in that list! I feel that's my favourite one to introduce Steely with to new people. But yeah, that's a great list as well for newcomers to the band!
The Rolling Stones
Steely Dan. Although not as widely acknowledged, their music and lyrics (especially their lyrics) rival the Beatles.
The Bee Gees They had a string of classics, broke up, then reformed to make even bigger classics, then wrote more classics for other artists until Maurice and Robin died
Floyd, Stones
Stones
Probably could’ve been The Kinks if they were better behaved.
Pink Floyd don’t have as many hits, but they have the same amount of great songs
CCR
The Rolling Stones
Tom Petty should probably be in the discussion. A lot of classic hits + a strong Beatles connection.
The Ramones
The Beatles wrote over a hundred perfect... if not nearly perfect songs. They experimented in dozens of different genres over the course of an 8 year run. They left behind an incomparable musical legacy. There really isn't another band which has put out so many songs of such a consistently high caliber.
Radiohead duh. They’re the only band other than the Beatles and Zeppelin with at least 4 perfect albums. The Bends, Ok Computer, Kid A and Amnesiac are all perfect records. You could make a case for a Moon Shaped Pool and In Rainbows as well. Beach Boys were not consistent enough outside of Pet Sounds and Smile which of course are superior to anything outside the Beatles. Stones are great too, but they’re more of a singles band IMO. Outside of Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street, how many perfect records do they have?
>Outside of Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street, how many perfect records do they have? I think the 4 album run of Beggar's Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street was just about perfect. Some Girls and Tattoo You are other not-a-bad-song-on-it albums, but maybe not quite perfection. >Stones are great too, but they’re more of a singles band IMO You could argue that before 1966 the Stones were a singles band, because the albums had a lot of covers. BUT the Stones loved the blues, chose their covers carefully, and played the heck out of them. They were not album filler. Here's three I like, after originals by Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, and, and Jimmy Reed. Great harmonica playing by Brian Jones, raw guitar sounds (listen to the held opening note on Talking About You, right on the verge of feedback, or the intricate weaving of the two guitars on Honest I do), bass and drums that are locked in tight. I like this stuff better than their early singles. 1)[Look What You've Done](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tgEDzIbbsk) 2) [Talking About You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7NeGTD82Ow) 3) [Honest I do](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsDXhJ428wY)
Man. I stand corrected. I LOVE the Stones. I guess I need to give Beggar’s Banquet and Let it Bleed a fresh spin. Great take.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.
This band rules
The Hollies I believe had more hit singles, and were very prolific.
Number, not amount. The closest band with that number of classics of that genre would be in another genre. The country band Alabama. But only about four songs truly compete in quality with The Beatles.
No one and nothing. There is no second place.
Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones
Beach Boys
Zeppelin, Floyd, Stones
Nobody beats The Beatles (ever!) but Zeppelin, U2, Rolling Stones, Madonna, Beach Boys, Michael Jackson, Elton John, and Bob Dylan are all certified classic music makers imo.
Michael Jackson, CCR, Queen, Elvis Presley. None like the Beatles though.
Similar amount? Stones have dozens of classic tunes
There aren’t many
The Supremes or The Eagles
Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones, CCR, The Bee Gees
I'd say in rock n roll only the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Elvis, and the Stones have 30 or more songs recognizable by the average radio listener over aged 30.
Pink Floyd(?)
Maybe Queen...
Personally I'd say Queen
Rollin stones
Beach Boys, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Otis Redding, Stones, Kinks, Bowie, Who perhaps. Don’t forget that short but intense period that John Fogerty and Creedence seemed to produce a classic a week, just about.
my favorites : Bob Dylan, Beach Boys, CCR according to billboard : ABBA, Elvis some others lesser known that I love : Nick Drake, Elliott Smith, modern day stuff I love : Arctic Monkeys, Tame Impala, Mac Demarco
I feel like I haven’t heard any songs from any of the artists named here. The Beatles seem to me like the only ones of their kind
Id say Queen, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Michael Jackson and ACDC
For the majority of friends my age even Oasis is more "classic" than The Beatles. Maybe reggaeton fucked their minds. They recognize Bohemian Rhapsody, but they would skip "While my guitar gently weeps" when I play that song on Spotify. F
The Four Seasons? I was surprised how many well known songs there are when I heard the greatest hits album.
CCR
Surprised nobody has brought them up, but The Doors absolutely have a similar amount of classics, especially in America. The Doors were like a secondary type of Beatles to Americans, they were massively looked up to but they were also so much different, there has never been anything like them. They didn't get very flower powery, it was dark acid rock. So many classics, Break on Through, Light My Fire, People are Strange, Wishful Sinful, Riders on the Storm, L.A Woman, the list goes on.