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How Did The British Invasion Influence American Culture

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The British Invasion was a phenomenon that began in the 1960’s and has somehow kept itself alive even to this day. Americans have been bombarded with British culture for years, and rather than shun the differences, they have accepted them into their lives. Music, television, and literature in America have all been changed due to British influence. In many different ways, the British Invasion has greatly affected American culture. The early British invasion was an amazing time for music. The American music culture blossomed and grew, leaving even today’s public infatuated. During the early years of the British Invasion, many American artists were put out of business. Of the few American artists that did make it in the music business during …show more content…

When it comes to most people, one band in particular pops into mind. For some, maybe it is The Who, singing My Generation. However, more often than not, it is The Beatles who stand above the rest. The Beatles are credited for being the main cause of the British invasion. They tried for many years to gain the support and recognition of the American public, but to no avail. In 1963, The Beatles released a single, trying to get onto the American charts, but it ended up only gaining popularity in England.(Gilmore, Mikal) But on November 22, 1963, the unthinkable happens, and president John F. Kennedy was shot and killed. After seeing how heartbroken the American public was, the Beatles swooped, seeming to be the perfect antidote to their broken hearts. The beatles released another song, I Want to Hold Your Hand, which quickly made it to number 1 on Billboard “Hot 100”. At one point in their careers, the band held down all top 5 positions on the national singles chart. They could not last forever though, and on September 1969, John Lennon privately announced that he would be leaving the group. The public did not know about the break up until April 10, 1970, when Paul McCartney announced that he too was leaving the band. Though the Beatles were gone, many amazing British artists have since followed in their footsteps. One Direction, Ed Sheeran, and The Rolling Stones are only a

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