The Beatles are one of the most universally beloved bands in the world, and they earned that reputation with catchy hits as well as experimental genre shifts. Formed in 1960 in Liverpool, England by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, the four-piece quickly went on to take the U.K. and U.S. by storm.
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After the band broke up, the singular Beatles went on to have successful solo careers. Lennon was assassinated in 1980 and Harrison passed away in 2001, while McCartney and Starr continue to make music and tour in a solo capacity. The Beatles remain beloved figures in the music world, but if you’re looking for a more contemporary take on their style, check out these artists as well.
Dr. Dog
Dr. Dog is a rock band from Philadelphia that, in some aspects, channels The Beatles in their sound. In particular, the song “Where’d All the Time Go?” from the 2010 album Shame, Shame feels like a Sgt. Pepper-era track. It taps into the psychedelic side of things with the opening instrumentals, weaving a trippy path through the song. Dr. Dog also employs higher-register vocals and two-part harmonies from Toby Leaman and Scott McMicken. While not every offering from Dr. Dog emulates The Beatles, the base sound echoes a later iteration of the band.
The Lemon Twigs
Formed by brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario in Long Island, New York, The Lemon Twigs also produce a similar sound to The Beatles and Dr. Dog. Their use of harmonies and light, airy vocals, as well as steady drums and plenty of snare, create a nostalgic sound reminiscent of The Beatles’ later work as well. “I Wanna Prove To You” uses tempo in a way similar to tracks on The White Album, calling to mind “Happiness is a Warm Gun” or “I’m So Tired.”
Panic! at the Disco – Pretty. Odd.
This one might seem out of place considering the Panic! at the Disco fanbase has generally been emo kids since 2005, but stick with us here. In 2008, Panic! at the Disco did two shocking things—they dropped the exclamation point from their name, and they released their sophomore album Pretty. Odd. This album essentially divided the fanbase and critically bombed, but it remains the sole result of the original lineup’s endeavor into The Beatles’ musical stylings. Overall, Pretty. Odd. was too sharp of a genre shift based on the success of the band’s first album. Still, it stands out as one of Panic’s most ambitious albums to date.
The Young Veins
After Panic! at the Disco split, guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker went off on their own to form The Young Veins. This was their attempt to keep Pretty. Odd.‘s style alive, as Ross was mostly the mind behind the genre shift. While the band only has one album, Take A Vacation!, released in 2010, Ross’ high-register vocals and simple guitar phrasing work together to emulate The Beatles in a way that wouldn’t sustain Panic! at the Disco.
Elliott Smith
Elliot Smith was a singer-songwriter who fueled a generation of sad poets. His album Either/Or from 1997 has Beatles vibes, but like a slower, darker Beatles. “Between the Bars,” arguably Smith’s most famous song, feels like The Beatles’ more melancholy work, akin to “Yesterday” or “Blackbird.” Smith has been influential on artists like Phoebe Bridgers, who also taps into emotion to create simple yet hard-hitting tracks. The Beatles did the same, disguising unique lyrics behind simple musicality.
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