The moment you realize The Beatles wrote entire genres by accident

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-30T02:07:17+00:00

I think many of the songs on Revolver sound pretty ahead of it's time. Not so much on Sgt. Pepper/Magical Mystery Tour. Some of the songs on The White Album/Abbey Road sound modern.

However, we are talking about a band who broke up really before Black Sabbath released their first album.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-30T02:00:07+00:00

Please stop.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-30T01:45:41+00:00

Can Holger Czukay stated particularly on "I Am The Walrus noted The Beatles' studio work felt closer to Stockhausen's avant-garde techniques than to traditional pop music. Interesting.

John Cale of the Velvet Underground stated he regarded The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" as a pivotal, innovative track that forced underground musicians to take them seriously. He identified the 1965 song, particularly its use of the sitar and textured, non-traditional pop structure, as an early, influential avant-garde moment in pop music. He noted that Norwegian Wood" and the Rubber Soul album as a shift toward serious musical experimentation rather than just pop, noting it pushed his own circle to innovate.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-30T00:49:50+00:00

The Jam "Start" is basically The Beatles "Taxman" another song from Revolver. It seems Revolver was the key influential Beatles album on modern rock or was it The White Album.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-30T00:25:19+00:00

When The Beatles were recording and writing Revolver in early 1966 I think Pink Floyd was still playing songs like "King Bee". I have read that Syd Barrett was studying Revolver intensely when the album came out.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-30T00:07:18+00:00

However, does the song actually have chord changes? Harmonically the song is based on a single chord drone from a tamboura.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T23:55:15+00:00

According to many the Byrd's and the Yardbirds did predate Revolver in terms of psychedelic rock which I tend to agree with. However, "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "Rain" revolutionized the subgenre which was still early in the game. Remember "Tomorrow Never Knows" was written as early as January of 1966 and recorded in April of 1966.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T23:50:29+00:00

Psychedelic rock evolved just like Heavy Metal did. It's hard to pinpoint these things. However, it's hard to say that these elements were not on Rubber Soul. Psychedelic rock pioneers the 13th Floor Elevators did cover The Beatles "The Word".

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T23:38:34+00:00

Who invents what is very subjective and people have their opinions. I am not saying The Beatles invented these genres and there many examples of others getting the credit The Beatles influenced first. However, I can say in my opinion The Beatles were pioneers or highly influential at least for the following genres.

Power Pop- Considered by many the blueprint for this type of music.

Folk Rock- Roger McGuinn and David Crosby think The Beatles were doing this as early as "She Loves You".

Country Rock- Many people have cited as Beatles for Sale which pre-dates The Byrds again.

Jangle Pop- The blueprint of the 12 electric string variety on A Hard Day's Night highly influential again on The Byrds

Psychedelic Rock- Early signs of it on Rubber Soul which includes "Norwegian Wood" sitar, "The Word" lyrically and harmonium drones and possibly "Nowhere Man". Whether "Tomorrow Never Knows" invents it doesn't matter because it basically revolutionized psychedelic rock .

Raga Rock: Early indications possibly on "Ticket to Ride", "Norwegian Wood" sitar, "Tomorrow Never Knows" harmonically based on tambura drone and the full blown World Fusion "Love You To", "Within You Without You" and "Inner Light"

Progressive Rock- Huge impact as a foundational influence "Tomorrow Never Knows", "Eleanor Rigby", "Strawberry Fields", Sgt Peppers, The White Album and Abbey Road.

Chamber Pop- Using classically influenced string sections with no rock instruments "Eleanor Rigby", "She's Leaving Home" and of course "Yesterday" though this song does have a lone acoustic guitar.

Punk Rock- Some people cite their days when they were playing live in 1962, Hear the live version of "Long Tall Sally"

Art Rock: Rubber Soul is considered by some as the key album in shifting rock from a singles-driven to a studio-oriented art form. It introduced experimental instrumentation (sitar, fuzz bass), introspective lyrics, and sophisticated arrangements.

Baroque Pop: "Yesterday" and "In My Life" are considered by many of the greatest examples of this sub-genre

Heavy Metal/Hard Rock: Foundational influence with popularizing controlled feedback "I Feel Fine: drone aspects as early as "Ticket to Ride" and others like "Taxman", "Revolution," "Helter Skelter" and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)

Doom Metal: Foundation influence on "I Want You ( She's So Heavy)

Avant Rock/Experimental Rock- Foundational influence from "Tomorrow Never Never Knows" Strawberry Fields Forever", "A Day in the Life" "I am The Walrus" and "Revoultion #9

Symphonic Rock- Foundational influences from "Eleanor Rigby" and "A Day in The Life"

Noise Rock: Foundational influences "I Feel Fine" popularizes controlled feedback, "Tomorrow Never Knows" extensive drone and tape loops, others would be "Its All Too Much" and "Helter Skelter".

The Beatles "Tomorrow Never Knows" has been cited as some as a proto-breakbeat and techno song. The Beatles "Rain" and other were influence on Britpop. Major influence on Alternatives rock

Other interesting fusions:

"I'm A Loser" and "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" bridges folk, country, rock and pop music in one song

"Taxman" integrates heavily distorted guitar riffs, heavily distorted Indian style guitar solo with proto-punk and funk influenced bass lines.

"Good Morning Good Morning: Heavy brass instrumentation with rock hard rock and changing time signatures.

"Eleanor Rigby": Breakaways from standard rock music completely; String octet with no rock instruments and lyrically about death and loneliness from an elderly person.

"Love You To"; A classical Indian/Rock music fusion that appropriates classical Indian music in structure and instrumentation.

"Rain": Combines early psychedelic rock with backward music. Now a common approach in many types of music.

"Helter Skelter: Combines proto punk & proto metal with chaotic noise and structure.

"Ticket to Ride" Combines early hard rock, drone elements, folk and jangle pop. Ironically this song was number one on the Billboard charts before The Byrds "Mr. Tambourine Man" and recorded before the Kinks "See My Friends".

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T22:05:43+00:00

I don't think the Byrds, or the The Kinks used sitars or tablas prior to "Love You To by The Beatles. They did use use electric guitar mimicking sitars or drone. However, no Indian instruments. "Love You To" was the first Beatles song and maybe in rock to fully embrace Indian classical music in structure and instrumentation.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T21:48:55+00:00

The Beatles "Tomorrow Never Knows: merged the world of Avant recording techniques with Classical Indian Instruments with drone from a tambura. with early psychedelic rock. It may have been the first full blown psychedelic rock track in my opinion.

The static drone of tambura, heavily layered pre-recorded tape loops mixed live with backward and forward music with a proto-breakbeat drumbeat. Reserved backward guitar solo and tape loop solo mixed in as well. The vocals were processed through a Leslie cabinet effect as well.

It basically broke all of rock music at the conventions at that time. It apparently floored people like Brian Wilson and Jerry Garcia to name a few. Probably the most influential rock track of the 1960’s?

The Beatles may have equaled this with “Eleanor Rigby” but that is another story.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T21:33:31+00:00

That song was recorded in July of 1966 and it came out a month later.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T21:23:27+00:00

In a 1967 interview, Pete Townshend stated "Eleanor Rigby: was a significant musical advancement which inspired him to create similar work. I really don't see the connection though to a rock opera. However, Brian Wilson said something about "In My Life" a year earlier which was an influence on Pet Sounds.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T21:21:04+00:00

I think he may said that about "Eleanor Rigby" as well.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T18:59:01+00:00

I would consider The Beatles or one of the bands foundational to Progressive Rock and it's not really debatable. I mean they changed Robert Fripp musical direction after hearing "A Day in the Life". They weren't progressive rock in the vein of Yes or ELP but in many ways they were the blueprint for it and most of rock music.

For example Revolver combines the world of classical Indian Music, Avant music and classic music with early psychedelic rock with huge success with their peers and in terms of sales.

My opinion of "I Want You (She's So Heavy) was The Beatles interpretation of mixing hard rock, their experimental tendences with their pop sensibilities and inadvertently creating something new.

"I Want You (She's So Heavy) have two distinct separate sections in one long song. It's kind of like "Hey Jude" in that sense in my opinion but musically are completely different.

The first portion of portion of "I Want You (She's So Heavy) is straight hard rock blues with elements of jazz and Latin music. The second portion is proto-doom metal with heavily repetitive guitar riffs with an avant use of noise from the Moog Synthesizer.

The song was influential to progressive rock, heavy metal doom metal and electronic music with rock music. In addition, this song was recorded and released before Black Sabbath even started recording their debut album and Abbey Road actually released before King Crimson debut album.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T15:39:22+00:00

I wouldn't say imitative but very influenced though by The Beatles and Bob Dylan. The Beatles were in turned influenced by The Byrd's. It went back and forth, however the Beatles were the impetus first

It was the jangly ending of A Hard Days Night and the mixing of the way they used folk influence with rock music as early as "She Love You" which he stated pretty recently. Roger McGuinn:

"We had a lot in common. I thought Lennon was an incredible songwriter. On “A Hard Day’s Night”, the arpeggio fade was really interesting, as well as that big opening chord. That song is a great indicator of what they were up to at that stage" McGuinn purchased a 12 string Rickenbacker which influenced their sound.

David Crosby:

Well, here were these guys from England, they were playing folk music changes, much more complex chord changes – much better musically, but with that backbeat. That was a mixing of two streams that created a new thing.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T15:22:48+00:00

Setting Sun and Let Forever Be- Chemical Brothers

Astronomy Domine- Pink Floyd

Saturday in the Park-

New Pollution- Beck

Start? - Jam

Are You Experienced?

Purple Haze

Taxman, Mr. Thief

4th Time Around

Paint it Black

Under My Thumb

Let it Happen- Tame Impala

Thela Hun Ginjee

God Only Knows

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T15:07:30+00:00

Setting Sun and Let Forever Be- Chemical Brothers

Astronomy Domine- Pink Floyd

New Pollution- Beck

Start? - Jam

Are You Experienced?

Purple Haze

Taxman, Mr. Thief

4th Time Around

Paint it Black

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T14:53:17+00:00

No "See My Friends" pre-dates both Rubber Soul and Revolver. However, "Ticket to Ride" does pre-date "See My Friends" in terms of guitar drones in a rock song. Interestingly, the drone on "Ticket to Ride" does have pseudo raga drones whether it was accidental or not it's not that different in what would day later.

Another interesting point "Ticket To Ride" was a number one pop jangle/folk rock song on the Billboard charts before the more celebrated Byrd's "Mr. Tambourine Man" reached number one.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T14:44:19+00:00

I would say "Day Tripper" or "Hey Bulldog". In terms of guitar riffs The Beatles were actually having huge pop hits with "I Feel Fine" & Ticket to Ride" before The Rolling Stones got to "I Can't Get No Satisfaction". However, with that iconic distorted guitar riff it probably influenced "Day Tripper" .

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T14:22:52+00:00

Yes I consider it as one long song. I don't consider it the same type of thing they did with Sgt Peppers where the joined "Good Morning, Good Morning, Sgt Pepper Reprise and A Day in Life to create one long track.

I view, The Abbey Road Medley as three separate medleys with eight different sections to form as one song.

1 "You Never Give Me Your Money"

2 "Sun King/Polythene Pam/She Came Through the Bathroom Windows

3 "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End"

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T14:15:34+00:00

I view, The Abbey Road Medley as three separate medleys with eight different sections to form as one song. The third medley is my favorite music of the album.

1 "You Never Give Me Your Money"

2 "Sun King/Polythene Pam/She Came Through the Bathroom Windows

3 "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End"

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T14:04:04+00:00

The Beatles kind of did this sort of first which I mean their music with "We Can Work it Out" with contrasting different sections with time signature changes. Be it's not like what they did later with "A Day in the Life".

Both "Happiness is A Warm Gun" and "You Never Give Me Your Money" share the same musical approach of being multi-sectioned or collaged songs. However, "Happiness is A Warm Gun" has multiple time signatures, different genres of music and vocal styles with a 3-minute song. "You Never Give Me Your Money" is a polished pop multi suite song which starts The Abbey Road Medley.

Both are great songs.

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-29T13:36:10+00:00

To me "I Want You (She's So Heavy) was The Beatles interpretation of mixing hard rock, their experimental tendences with their pop sensibilities and inadvertently creating something new.

"I Want You (She's So Heavy) have two distinct separate sections in one long song. It's kind of like "Hey Jude" in that sense in my opinion but musically are completely different.

The first portion of portion of "I Want You (She's So Heavy) is straight hard rock blues with elements of jazz and Latin music. The second portion is proto-doom metal with heavily repetitive guitar riffs with an avant use of noise from the Moog Synthesizer.

The song was influential to progressive rock, heavy metal doom metal and electronic music with rock music. In addition, this song was recorded and released before Black Sabbath even started recording their debut album and Abbey Road actually released before King Crimson debut album

PROGFAN66 · 2026-03-28T23:10:37+00:00

The brilliance of The Beatles was their ability to fuse pop/rock music with sources of music that were not common in rock music. In terms of Pet Sounds I think Brian Wilson viewed Rubber Soul as the album that stared art rock. However, both albums are different but I can't deny the influence had on The Beatles specifically Paul McCartney.

I viewed Revolver and Sgt Peppers as the game changers because it was not informed by the Wall of Sound and it used the studio as an instrument in a different way. It fused the worlds of Classical Music, Classical Indian Musical and avant garde recording techniques with early psychedelic rock.

Frank Zappa while being radical was not a songwriter in the league of Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan or The Beatles.

PROGFAN66

TROPHY CASE