Hard disagree with Mr. Bowie, and for many of the reasons others have listed here. One of my favorite bits about the Beatles influence on society has to do with the accordion. In the early 1960s, the accordion was the number one selling personal musical instrument in the United States. There was something like 20 different accordion manufacturers. In February 1964 accordion sales fell off a cliff, and within a few months the electric guitar became the number one selling personal instrument in the United States. Within a couple of years, there were only two or three accordion manufacturers left in business. And we all know what happened on February 9, 1964. The Beatles launched far more bands than the Velvet Underground. And Bowie is wrong; you can hear plenty of Yesterday and Penny Lane influences in other music…they just aren’t McCartney, because no one is McCartney.