The Beatles, Popular Music and Society: A Thousand Voices

by Ian Inglis

More has been written about the Beatles than any other performing artists of the twentieth century. Accounts of their lives and times have been retold, reproduced and reinvented to the extent that their achievements have passed into contemporary folklore and popular mythology. What has been surprisingly absent, however, is any sustained critical investigation of the numerous debates and issues the group provoked. This book provides that long overdue analysis, by seeking to present the academic study of the Beatles in its appropriate contexts - historical, political, musical and sociological. Consisting entirely of newly commissioned articles and written by an international group of scholars, its contents challenge many of the traditional assumptions about the Beatles and offer fresh and provocative insights into the nature of their success and its continuing influence. It is essential reading for those wishing to understand not only the phenomenon of the Beatles but also the cultural environment within which popular music continues to be practised and studied.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music

233 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1999

About the author

Ian Inglis is a Visiting Fellow in the School of Arts, Design and Social Sciences at the Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne. He has written extensively abut the history, performance and presentation of popular music. His books include Performance and Popular Music: History, Place and Time (2006), Popular Music and Television in Britain (2010) and The Beatles in Hamburg( 2012).

Reviews

[Freddie Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting and diverse collection of essays about varying topics related to The Beatles. Each is accessible and short yet is still rich in argument and content. My particular favourites were Ed Whitley's chapter about the white album being a display of post-modernism, and Martin Cloonan's chapter about the censorship and freedom of the Beatles.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

a diverse collection of essays examining the impact of the Beatles and 'youth culture' in the 60s on society then and now (eg did they start off celebrity culture?). Attempts to add context to Beatlemania and (most of) their songs. Pretty good/interesting for Beatles fans although some might cringe at the academic speak - the 'Postmodern White Album' anyone?
The book opens with what the Queen said on her fiftieth wedding anniversay:
'What a remarkable 50 years they have been... think what we would have missed if we had never heard the Beatles.'