The Beatles: More Current than Ever
Almost 50 years ago, the biggest rock band in history, The Beatles, broke up. John, Paul, Ringo, and George took rock music to levels never seen before. Their legacy left a mark on pop culture that continues to influence generations many decades later. It would require a doctoral thesis to be written about The Fab Four’s significance in music and culture. The list of artists that have been impacted by the Beatles is too long for a single article, and aside from that, the Beatles hold plenty of world records. It is no coincidence that despite the passage of time, the Beatles remain one of the most profitable bands in the world.
No other artist has sold more albums than the Beatles, not even other great music icons like Michael Jackson or Elvis Presley. Also, the Beatles maintain a record of 20 No. 1 hits. All this fame has allowed Paul McCartney to reach a fortune close to one billion.
However, the economic benefits of Beatlemania are not only perceived by the four musicians, producers, and other copyright owners. Their hometown, the beautiful and always cloudy Liverpool, obtains a notable annual sum of income thanks to the quartet; tourist visits, souvenir searches, guided tours, museums, and tribute concerts annually generate 105 million euros a year to Liverpool.
More than 2,355 jobs are generated in the city by the massive arrival of tourists, fans, and students of the Beatles, according to a study of different universities and agencies of the city. There are six themed hotels related to the Beatles, two museums (the houses where John and Paul grew up), an official exhibition hall, and a bar for live music performances (the legendary Cavern Club, a reconstruction of the first venue where the Beatles performed in 1961).
The report also points out the importance of creating a council or organization that ensures the maintenance of all tourist sites related to the Beatles. To the city, the economic importance of maintaining these sites is crucial, and the risk of losing a high number of tourists due to maintenance failures would be an unfortunate misstep.
In this sense, it is curious as to how some rebellious boys and working-class dreamers, armed with musical instruments, caused such a stir and revolution in the 60's and are still heard today. It is inevitable that with the passage of time, there will no longer be any original members of the band, but the legacy that the four together forged will be eternal.
Sources: Billboard, El Pais, BBC, Sound Identity