The Beatles

I don’t believe there is anything that hasn’t already been said about this band. Love them or hate them you must admit that the impact created in their wake will last forever. In a relatively short span of time these four guys completely revolutionized the music industry. They were forerunners of the British Invasion and would go on to provide inspiration for countless future artists. John Lennon and Paul McCartney were the primary songwriters with George Harrison playing guitar and later proving himself to be a noteworthy songwriter as well. Ringo Starr completed the band as their drummer. 
The Beatles started out with a sound that was very much the sound of the early 1960s. By the mid-sixties, they had begun to develop their own more progressive sound. At the same time their touring and fame had taken such a toll on them that the band decided to give up touring and focus on studio recordings. This decision allowed for the unprecedented creation of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The sound of this album was completely different from their original early 1960s rock. Sgt. Pepper’s revealed a much more experimental and progressive attempt by the band. However, the next and final albums returned them back to a more traditional rock sound albeit with an increasingly progressive sound. 
The beginning of the end for this band was fairly obvious for some time before the breakup was official. The members of the band wanted different things. McCartney went off on a more commercialized direction and continued to make music with new bands. Lennon divulged himself into a more artsy and political direction, working with his wife, artist Yoko Ono. Harrison continued to bring in less traditional sounds into his future works, both on albums and soundtracks, and continued to prove himself as a good songwriter. Ringo Starr worked as an actor in several movies and continued his musical career with his All Star Band. 
The members of the Beatles worked together on several projects after their breakup but never all together. John Lennon’s career and life ended early when he was assassinated in New York in 1980. Harrison remained fairly active in the music industry, including becoming a part of the supergroup, Traveling Wilburys. Unfortunately, Harrison lost his battle to lung cancer in 2001. Both Starr and McCartney are active musicians to this day. McCartney continues to play concerts including this year’s Desert Trip.
Listening Recommendations:
• Eleanor Rigby
• A Day in the Life
• You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away