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Scientific Study Determines That the Impact of the Beatles and Stones Has Been Eclipsed by … (Spoiler Alert) — If You’re Old School, You May Not Want to Find Out; Otherwise, Read On …

May 6, 2015  •  Post A Comment

A new scientific study that included a computer analysis of 17,000 songs determined that the impact of the 1964 British invasion led by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones has been eclipsed by the impact of hip-hop, The New York Times reports.

“The unusual study found three revolutions on the charts: the 1991 emergence of rap and hip-hop on mainstream charts; the synth-led new wave movement of 1983, and the advent of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, the Who and other British rockers in the early 1960s,” The Times reports.

The article adds: “Although the Beatles — paced by the songwriting of John Lennon and Paul McCartney — enjoy perhaps the highest place in critics’ esteem, the researchers found the hip-hop movement — from pioneers like Afrika Bambaataa to megastars like Jay-Z — more profound.”

The researchers wrote called the advent of rap, hip-hop and related genres “the single most important event that has shaped the musical structure of the American charts in the period we studied.”

The study, released today by the University of London and Imperial College, found that the early British rock bands, who were strongly influenced by U.S. pioneers such as Chuck Berry, were following existing trends.

meet the beatles-album cover

2 Comments

  1. It’s not something that’s happened while nobody’s looking; hip hop is everywhere, even in TV commercials. What’s a pity is that we in the media have replaced “all you need is love” with “I pop a cap in yo ass, MFer”

    Since music we listen to when we are young very much helps shape our attitudes for our lives, I find it no surprise that we are having societal problems.

  2. To amend:

    I remember my parents saying the same thing when I listened to the Beatles and grew my hair to my butt in the late 60s.

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