The Beatles
The Beatles were an iconic music group formed in 1960 in Liverpool, England. The band included George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr known for their successful songs and albums such as “Let It Be” and “Abbey Road”. The innovative style of their music became a crucial influence in modern pop music, and their songs and albums have become staples of popular culture.
The influence of the Beatles upon modern music is widely recognized by both scholars and pop music fans. Sociologist Dr. Ben Gray highlights the importance of the band, “The Beatles brought music to the forefront, wherein people began to actually focus on music as something that could inspire and create emotive change, as opposed to a simple background-noise”.
The Beatles were not only musically influential, but politically active as well. During the 1960s, as the Vietnam War raged, the message of the music of the Beatles embraced peace and freedom. Through songs such as “All You Need is Love” the popular Bands’s music advocated for peace- even thoug they never themselves took a stand against violence they showed through their message that they were in support of peace.
Harry Styles
Harry Styles is a pop artist known for albums such as “Fine Line” and “Heartbreak Weather”. His lyrics and rhymes reference a variety of topics such as love, freedom and the push for personal change.
The singer-songwriter recently found himself at the center of a long-standing discussion among music fans—did he copy the style of the Beatles? A few points from the discussion include the similarities of chord progressions, Styles’ production style that seem to mimic The Beatles’ unique sound, and indications that Styles based lyrics off of those of The Beatles.
Responding to claims that his single “Golden” plagiarized a Beatles song, Styles adamantly denied the accusations. He specifically stated, “I did not rip off something from The Beatles. That isn’t what I was trying to do. I was trying to do something new.”
Analysis
Styles has been praised for being quite open in his inspiration from The Beatles. He’s regularly expressed admiration for the band. In a podcast with Zane Lowe, Styles described his attendance at Sir Paul McCartney’s show and his surprise when a cover of “I Wanna Be Your Man” was performed: “It was so fun. It just felt like I had been transported back in time”
Where this argument gets more complicated is in the relationship between the “inspiration” Styles draws from the Beatles and any potential “copying” or “stealing”. Music industry expert and professor, Dr. Brian Pierce points out that music is “a creative effort” and that “there is no concrete line between inspiration and plagiarism”. The professor also added that sometimes the most successful music producers are “the ones that can pay homage to the artists of the past while still creating something unique enough to stand out”.
Media Reactions
Media reactions also offer an interesting angle in this discussion. In general, most people seem to agree that any similarities between Songs by Styles and The Beatles are coincidental, rather than an intentional act of plagiarism. When asked about the similarities between Styles’ “Golden” and “Here Comes The Sun”, media outlets such as The Guardian responded with statements insisting that stylistic similarities are natural in a genre already influenced by The Beatles.
However, many remain unconvinced. MySpace Music, for example, posted an article redefining what defines a rip-off. In every song, they pointed out, “there are irreplaceable hooks”, which, in this particular example, would be the chord progressions. Consequently, they concluded that Styles did, in fact, borrow multiple aspects of the beatles song. MySpace Music also argued that in some cases: “coincidental similarity is, itself, plagiarism.”
Fans Reactions
Fans were equally split on this debate. Most of those against Styles’ homage to The Beatles insisted that although it may have been an innocent act of imitation, it was nevertheless “plagiaristic”. Others claimed that since so many contemporary artists are copies of The Beatles anyway, Styles should not be held to a different standard.
Most fans seemed to agree, however, that comparing the careers of Styles and The Beatles was misguided. In a tweet thread entitled “It’s a No for Me”, one fan argued that that The Beatles “reinvented popular music and had every right to draw heavily from the past without being accused of plagiarism” whereas Styles was a “modern artist” who should be given a different degree of leeway.
Comparison & Conclusion
The discussion surrounding the similarities between Harry Styles and The Beatles show the power and influence of those of the past upon the present. Regardless of the outcome of the debate, the words and music of the legendary band continues to be appreciated by new generations, even if only as a source of inspiration.
It is true that some of Styles’ pieces may be considered “copy-cats” or plagiarism, but distinguishing what is outright stealing and homage is difficult given the relationship between inspiration and art. Ultimately, it is up to the listener to decide whether they find inspiration or theft in the art produced.
Shop Influence
Though the majority of the discussion of imitation and The Beatles-Styles debate has been centered on the artistic influence, a considerable portion of the “rip off” argument has to do with the commercial gain of the artist in question. For example, some have suggested that Styles may have been deliberately hoping to gain from the Beatles’ monumental success.
Yet, the bulk of the fans agree that Styles does not owe his success to The Beatles, and most view his popular songs are in no way inferior to the bands. Consequently, fans argue that Styles should not be held to the same standard as The Beatles given their monumental impact upon the music industry.
Attempt to Fit In
No comparison in the music industry can take place without discussing the objective of modern music: to fit in with the expectations from the audience. New artists produce and publish music to make a name for themselves in their respective fields, but the pressure to conform to the popular standards is always present. This creates an environment in which musicians need to balance producing creative music while still fitting into the current trends.
For supporters of the notion that Styles “plagiarized” The Beatles, this argument is a crucial part of the entire discussion. Given the massive success of The Beatles, it makes sense that Styles, or any other artist, may be attempting to mimic The Beatles in order to also achieve some level of success. It is important for Styles to prove that he is not merely a cheap copy, but a creative artist in his own right.
Impact Today
It is clear that the music of The Beatles continue to influence modern music. Harry Styles’ contribution to the genre might not be as iconic or revolutionary as the work of The Beatles, but he has still managed to gain the attention of a younger audience and bring hints of old styles into a new context.
The controversy surrounding Styles’ music helps demonstrate how the work of The Beatles continue to be appreciated and influence other songwriters even today.
