Who is better, The Rolling Stones or The Beatles? This argument has existed ever since the two emerged on the scene together in the 1960s, and to this day, music fans still love to debate it. It’s a timeless argument, as both bands are timeless. However, evidently, there is no true answer. Although, David Crosby once chimed in on the matter and delivered an interesting insight on the casual debate.
Videos by American Songwriter
In short, David Crosby deemed The Beatles better than The Rolling Stones, but it wasn’t that simple. To him, two primary musical talents made The Beatles superior to The Stones. One of which was a technique The Beatles were known for, and a technique Crosby, Stills, and Nash were known for as well. Regardless, David Crosby was on Team Beatles.
The Musical Elements That Dictated David Crosby’s Answer
In a 2021 Q&A with Rolling Stone, David Crosby did one of the many things he does best, and that is give candid answers to fairly heated questions. Appropriately, Crosby started his interview by stating, “I’m an opinionated son of a b—.” Well, the interview proved just that point, especially when it came to Crosby’s answer regarding the age-old argument of The Beatles versus The Rolling Stones.
When asked who was better, Crosby simply replied, “Beatles. “Mainly because of the range of stuff that they did. The Stones did have a fairly wide range that they did, but The Beatles had a much wider range of writing that they could do,” said David Crosby. Crosby continued, “The Beatles could sing harmony,” and “The Stones can’t do that for squat, but The Beatles can do it really well.”
Crosby has never been very silent about his love for The Beatles. In addition to praising the Fab Four on this occasion, Crosby also stated in an interview with Music Radar, “They had the goods. And they really had the songs. Up till then, I was a devotee of Pete Seeger’s — bless his soul. I wanted to be a folkie. I liked pop music because of The Everly Brothers, but seeing The Beatles made something else click. It changed my life. They changed my life.”
Do you agree with the late great David Crosby? Or do you have a bone to pick with his answer? Regardless, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones debate is all up to personal preference, and Crosby acknowledged that notion by stating in his Q&A, “It’s a matter of personal taste, of course. But for me, Beatles, no question.”
Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.