Where is a mind to wander when the words "blue suede shoes" come to pass? How about the soothing lyrics of Hey Jude gliding through the air? These are some of the memories left behind by some of the greatest musicians of all time, Elvis Presley and The Beatles. It is rare to find someone that doesn't know them, even just their name if nothing else. They truly have left their mark in the world, but who left the bigger mark? Some may say The Beatles are the obvious choice, but when everything is laid out things tend to lean the other direction.
Elvis Presley has had such an influence over the world; he was even given the title of The King of Rock and Roll. As the journalist David Halberstam stated, “In cultural terms, Elvis's coming was nothing less than the start of a revolution.” Though he was not the first rock and roll star of the times, he was the one who truly brought the power of rock and roll to a new level. Part of what made his sound so unique, is how he encompassed elements of gospel, rockabilly, and rhythm and blues all wrapped into one amazing sound. In St James Evolution of Pop Culture the author claims that in revolutionizing popular music, he spawned countless imitators, including the pompadour rock and rollers who climbed the charts in his aftermath, and he influenced generations of performers and musicians, professionally and personally (Broekes 217). Even after his death, the famed rock and roll star sold over 500 million records! Many of his songs and
The Beatles are one of the most innovative rock bands of all time. They have not only changed the way rock and roll is looked at, but also the way that the music is recorded. They have influenced the artists of the 60s and the 70s, and also many generations later and to come. Originating from Liverpool, England, the Beatles, or the Fab Four, consists of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Topping the charts in ’63 with “Love Me Do,” and bringing in the highest rated viewing in history while performing on the Ed Sullivan Show, the Beatles are definitely a band that broke the sound barrier of rock
Elvis Presley was one of the most influential rock and roll singers in the American history. Presley’s work revolutionized the music and brought about significant changes in the entertainment industry. He grew up in an environment where racial segregation between the whites and African Americans was highly pronounced. In fact, Presley schooled in Memphis where he graduated from a whites-only high school. However, he upheld the Black’s music and made it possible for their music to be accessed by the White American youths. Presley’s tracks broke past the racial barrier as many teenagers loved his amazing voice. Through his music, he confronted racism and challenged both social and moral values. Elvis Presley changed the manner in which the Black minority were treated in the U.S. through his music, and this initiated the fights against racial discrimination leading to the civil rights movement.
Elvis is regarded as one of the most influential and significant cultural icons of the 20th century. He helped popularized the genre of rock and roll. Therefore his nickname was “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” or “the King.” He became popular because of his energetic songs, provocative dance moves, and numerous television appearances. However, before Elvis became famous, music was traditionally conservative.
Elvis Presley is one of the biggest names in rock and roll. Singer, musician and actor he was an American icon. He is best known as the King of Rock and Roll. His musical influence included the country and pop music of the time, the gospel music he sang in church and the black R&B music he listened to as a teenager (Comprehensive History of Elvis Presley’s Dynamic Life). Elvis has influenced American culture not only while he was living but also in today’s 21st century. It wasn’t easy for him to be accepted; in fact many adults and the older generations of his time were appalled by his performances and his music. In time though, people were able to accept him and he became well-known all over the world. Even after his death Americans are
In the early 60s, Britain was known in America for essentially the Queen and tea. However, that all changed in February of 1964 when the Beatles touched down on American soil for the first time. Their first hop across the pond was no ordinary endeavor, as most British boy bands or performers had a hard time making it in the states. However, their venture to visit The Ed Sullivan Show ultimately changed America’s future. From that point forward, Americans began on their journey to find hope and expression through the Beatles’ music and their influence. In present day America, it is hard to imagine a day that passes by without the media mentioning the British Royal Family, the famous British supermodel, Cara Delavigne, or the British pop band, One Direction. However, most of these British obsessions wouldn’t be as prevalent in America today if it weren’t for the Beatles appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show or the pop culture phenomenon that ensued thereafter. If one thing is for certain, the Beatles invasion into the U.S. masked ambivalent socioeconomic affairs in the early ‘60s and accelerated the change in American pop culture.
Overall, the Beatles were more popular than Elvis Presley. As mentioned in the lecture- The Beatles, their music was already out in Britain before it was in the United States. They were really successful, more than what they expected to be. The lesson also stated “Early in their career, the Beatles wore matching outfits, and in spite of their distinctive haircuts, which were long for the time.” I still remember having an instructor tell me that when the Beatles came on stage first the first time in the Ed Sullivan Show, people were kind shocked in against their hair style since males had to properly cut and trim their hair a certain way. It was disrespectful to have long hair back in the day, so afterwards; the Beatles influenced and created
There was no great band other than “The Beatles” when it came to the rock and roll culture. One of the best things to happen to the twentieth century, let alone the sixties were they were youth personified. The matchless innovators were bigger than the two Jesus and rock & roll itself. April of 1964 the Beatles held the first five slots on the billboard singles chart where they proceeded to sell more than a billion records. Every record that they made was a shock.
Singer, actor, or GI are three words people often think of in connection with Elvis Presley. Many people know that Elvis Presley was the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll, but he was much more. Elvis Presley changed the world by bringing new types of music to entertain everybody, making movies, and serving his country. He will be remembered as the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll.
The King of Rock ’n’ Roll vs The Beatles Elvis or the Beatles ¨Without Elvis there would be no Beatles.” - John Lennon. Elvis Presley is a world-renowned artist but, so are the Beatles. Who was better? If one figures data and research who wins vocally and as a musician, one will soon realize that Elvis Presley is better than the Beatles statistically, vocally, and instrumentally.
The genre of rock and roll has been and will continue to be a genre fueled by rebellion. Even the King, as hometown sweet and charming as he was, had a flare for the raucous. Elvis Presley’s gyrating hips and drug addiction had set the standard; the old saying is, in fact, sex, drugs and rock and roll. From then on, this genre was all about pushing the boundaries of what could be done. For some, it meant being shirtless on stage; for others, it meant they had to eat a bat on stage. Regardless of the stunts pulled, rock and roll was their drive. What began as a mesmerizing combination of R&B and country, became a catalyst for change and the heart and soul of generations.
The Beatles were one of the most influential music groups of the rock era. They were able to conquer and influence pop culture with their music. Initially they affected the post-war baby boom generation of Britain and the W.S. during the 1960s, and later the request of the world. Certainly they were the most successful group, with global sales exceeding 1.3 billion albums. During the sixties, The Beatles using revolutionary ideas in their music inspired a generation of young adults across the globe to look at life from their perspective.
Elvis Presley, the King of Rock, is a surprising figure that rarely comes to mind when you think of the fight for sexual rights in the US. During the span of Elvis’ music career (1954-1977), conservative America was deeply engrained with values of sexual inhibition. Sex, and anything in relation, was an act that was engaged in behind closed doors. The Cock-Rocker image Elvis presented on stage, such as his gyrating hips and highly sexualized song lyrics, was significant enough in deviation from America’s social norm that parents as well as authority figures tried to censor him. Nevertheless, it is America’s youth that ultimately decides what values will continue on.
The foundations of today’s popular music were built by an unlikely source: a poor white
Additionally, people made a change in the music they listened to. Elvis Presley the pioneer of rock and roll changed entertainment forever. Elvis’s fleshy face, erotic physique and sexually suggestive gyrations attracted the baby boomer of the decade. Because of these features and his unique dance moves, he faces controversy in the face of the media and some common American people. Parents did not want their children to adapt to the “King’s” ways. The new attitude followed on youths disobeying order. The same situation would follow on to the next decade and eventually on to the future.
One of the most influential groups of the 20th Century—the Beatles revolutionized rock and roll into what we know it as today. Not only were they great musicians, they wrote and composed each of their songs. The band proved to be popular and exciting causing mass hysteria at each of their public performances. The “Fab Four’s” talent was so great that the phenomenon was termed “Beatlemania” in Britain and eventually erupted in the United States being called the British Invasion of the Beatles (Britannica Online, 2005).