It’s been 50 years since Beatlemania took over the U.S., but today’s college students prove the Fab Four have stood the test of time. They’re as into the Beatles as their parents were – some say the best class they took at the College of Charleston was “Music of the Beatles” with Music Professor Blake Stevens.
“The Beatles are fresh and relevant in today’s music world,” says Neal Haga, a marine biology major who took Professor Stevens course to fulfill a humanities credit. “The Beatles still heavily influence musicians in all genres, from Jay Z to Linkin Park to Victor Wooten, who is a profound jazz bassist.”
Why do college kids love the Beatles? Here are five reasons:
1. Kids listen to their parents’ music.
Kids rebel against their parents, but not always when it comes to music.
“I think parents play one of the greatest roles in what type of music their children enjoy and this could be why the Beatles remain so relevant among the youth today,” explains Trevor Dovey, a sociology major.
Charlotte Stack, an international studies major, remembers the first time her dad played “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” for her. “I remember the Beatles from my youth, but they aren’t just a memory of it.”
2. They’re a symbol of individuality.
“I think once you hit college is when you become your own unique person just like the Beatles evolved,” explains Neal Haga.
Each member of the Beatles has a very distinct personality. Most aficionados can tell the difference between a song written by John Lennon and one written by Paul McCartney. C’mon admit it, you have a favorite Beatle.
3. They’re boys, but not a boy band.
“The Beatles are among the finest songwriters in popular music,” Professor Stevens explains. “From the 1960s on, critics have compared their creativity and craftsmanship to figures like Schubert and Schumann in the classical tradition.”
4. Students can identify with the music.
English major Elizabeth Sochko says, “The songs were written by a group of guys creating music during a time of growth and change. We may not be pop superstars amidst a cultural revolution, but college students are going through things. It’s not hard to identify with the music.”
Often the question isn’t “do you identify with the Beatles?” but, “what period of the Beatles do you identify with?”
Charlotte Stack notes, “Their early songs are easy listening, catchy, relatable, up-beat, while their later albums are thought provoking, technically dynamic, and lyrically advanced. They both defined music for generations, while simultaneously breaking the musical rules and pushing their own creative boundaries.”
5. What band in popular music DOESN’T cover a Beatles song?
Nearly every time a college student hears live music, the band probably plays a Beatles song.
“Widespread Panic’s Jimmy Herring does an awesome cover of ‘Within You Without You’ originally written by George Harrison of the Beatles,” Haga says.
About Stevens’ Music of the Beatles Class
Music Professor Blake Stevens offers a Music of the Beatles class every Maymester at the College of Charleston. He also incorporates the Beatles into his courses in the Honors College and the First Year Experience (FYE), using their music to introduce issues in cultural and musical analysis.
