Like them or not, the Beatles have had one of the most significant impacts of any group in Rock & Roll history. From the Rolling Stones to Oasis, their legacy lives on. Here's a rough list of groups that they influenced:




The Rolling Stones- One of the most famous rock groups of all-time. They were all good friends of the Beatles in the 60's. They even debuted on the Ed Sullivan Show just a few weeks after the Beatles. In fact John and Paul wrote their first big hit, I Wanna Be Your Man (they later recorded it with Ringo on vocals). The Stones still tour today and their sound is still "cutting-edge."




The Beach Boys- OK- first off, let's get this straight-the Beatles did NOT influence them in their "California sound." BUT, the two groups were good friends and often challenged each other to write better music. Their music inspired the Beatles and vice versa. The Beatles released Revolver in 1966. It was listened to by lead singer Brian Wilson. The 'Boys then released Pet Sounds, which in turn spurned Sgt. Pepper. The groups kept in touch after this, as Mike Love accompanied the Beatles to India in 1968. He also helped Paul write Back In The U.S.S.R., which can be easily recognized as influenced by the Beach Boys.




The Byrds- This group was often referred to as an American answer to the Beatles. But, don't be mistaken, they are no light-weights. They were quite a group in the 60's, releasing Mr. Tambourine Man and Turn! Turn! Turn!, which seemed to be an anthem for the generation. The Byrds also visited the Beatles and occasionally did drugs with them.

The Lovin' Spoonful- This is a lesser known group of the 60's, but they too are important. Some of their hits (Do You Believe In Magic?, Summer In The City, and Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?) show a sense of humor, mixed with experimentation. John Sebastian of the group, has admitted that Sgt. Pepper raised the bar for all musicians.




Creedence Clearwater Revival- One of the most famous groups of the late 60's, CCR was a group with a "down-home" image. Singer John Fogerty has admitted to being a fan of the Beatles and the Beatles' influence on him can be seen any many of the #1's that he wrote. (don't fret, I'll get more info on these guys soon =-)




Oasis- Did anyone think that I was going to leave out this modern day group?? This group has been called the "Anti-Beatles", but the Beatles' influence on them can be heard on almost all of their songs, including Wonderwall, Don't Look Back In Anger, and All Around The World. They have even put references into many of their lyrics and videos. All this, despite the fact that Liam and Noel Gallagher have threatened established artists and gotten into a name-calling spree with George Harrison.