Who do you guys like more The Beatles or The Beach Boys?
Posted by space_god_7191@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 310 comments
I know the Beatles are very famous but so are the Beach Boys and I heard they are considered the American Beatles. So which band do you guys prefer, Beatles or Beach Boys?
standardtissue@reddit
Pretty sure the Beatles have sold something like 8x more records in the US alone than the Beach Boys have. We also don't typically compare the two, they are quite different actually and well respected in their own rights. I'm more of a Beatles fan myself.
Calm_Pollution7649@reddit
I don’t think any American has ever referred to The Beach Boys as “the American version of the Beatles”. They did their own thing. Brian Wilson was a genius and changed a lot about recording and music composition, but they’re just way different
Agitated-Sock3168@reddit
I can't to say exactly this - thank you
flashingcurser@reddit
Further, the production value of Pet Sounds had an influence on the Beatles and the album Sgt Peppers. Not that the Beatles wanted that sound but wanted that level of amazing production.
Sir_Auron@reddit
Pet Sounds only exists because Brian Wilson wanted to produce something better than Rubber Soul. They were influencing each other but no one group could match the Beatles' songwriting talent or frenetic pace of recording. Help, Rubber Soul, and Revolver were all released in under a calendar year; even after they slowed down, Sgt Peppers, the White Album, and Abbey Road were still released in under three years.
Flimsy_Toe_2575@reddit
The Kinks could. Ray Davies was a cleverer lyricist than any Beatle and nearly singlehandedly rivalled their output of amazing songs once he got into his groove around late '65.
He didn't have the genius of George Martin and the Abbey Road technicians to make their record sound quite as amazing as the Beatles but he was producing their records himself after not too long, which is even more impressive.
RadioRoosterTony@reddit
I have heard them referred to as America's answer to the Beatles. - not so much about similar sound, but maybe somewhat of a contender in popularity early on.
Reynolds1790@reddit
I have heard that Queen was the American answer to the Beetles. Honestly I saw that on one social media site. I nearly spilt my tea.
TillPsychological351@reddit
That's probably to retrospective statement. The Beach Boys were already well-established in the US before anyone on this side of the pond had every heard of the Beatles.
Formo1287@reddit
I think I’ve heard that also be said about Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
derch1981@reddit
They were kinda competing and influencing each other at the time, same with the Rolling Stones. Those 3 bands were changing everything at the time and none would of been as good without the others pushing them
LopsidedGrapefruit11@reddit
Agreed. Two entirely different beasts.
anthony_getz@reddit
This is the right answer.
And to OP’s question, the Beatles is the right answer, obviously.
oldfartjr@reddit
Beach Boys. Much more interesting musically.
Enough-Secretary-996@reddit
I've listened to a little bit of both just by chance and honestly neither are my kind of music
Firm_Influence8841@reddit
Why pick just one?
2inchesabovethehole@reddit
The Beatles are extremely overrated in my opinion same with Bob Dylan never understood the hype
New-Process-52@reddit
Elvis
According-Couple2744@reddit
Welcome to 1968. I have literally never heard anyone refer to the Beach Boys as American Beatles.
TyrusRaymond@reddit
Beatles
qu33nof5pad35@reddit
The Beach Boys
Ineffable7980x@reddit
The Beatles
MerriweatherJones@reddit
As people or as musicians? Either way- The Beach Boys
thelonetext@reddit
Both are legendary bands but in terms of catalog, The Beach Boys beats The Beatles. The Beatles, however, beats The Beach Boys in terms of pop culture references making them more everlasting.
Amockdfw89@reddit
The beach boys had some amazing albums but the Beatles were a more consistent band
Suwannee_Gator@reddit
Which album would you recommend starting with? I’ve never even considered The Kinks to be in the same league as the other two bands, maybe I should give them another shot.
Amockdfw89@reddit
Iono honestly they changed up a bit and had some poppy and mainstream ones. Maybe go in a kind of chronological order of some of their respected typical albums. They have 26 studio albums which can be tedious.
For a old band like that I typically try to listen to at least 5-7 or so albums to get a good sample size and how their style sort of went from generic 60s British Invasion band to becoming their own thing
“Kinks” (1964). Their Debut and kind of a mess full of filler but of course you gotta to start there)m
“The Kink Kontroversy”(1965) Probably my favorite of their earliest stuff
“Face to Face” (1966) this is when there sound started to evolve
Something Else by the Kinks (1967)
“The Kinks are The Village Green Preservation Society” (1968) this is the album that kind of cemented them as a titan of pop/rock music. It bombed initially but became a cult favorite and considered their magnum opus)
“Arthur, Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire”(1969)
“Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One'” (1970)
This is a good sample size to kind of see who they are. After these albums their quality declined greatly and they became kind of self indulgent, campy and just too weird in a bad way. These albums are like their golden age era.
Some facts about the Kinks. A couple of the albums on this list are early examples of concept albums and have themes and narratives attached to them which was innovative for the era.
The Kinks, when compared to the Rolling Stones or Beatles, are more uniquely “British” in a way that Blir, The Smiths or the Libertines are. They were banned from performing in the USA between 65-69 which caused them write songs that don’t have an international audience in mind, hence their stylistic shift. They focused on themes and topics that are tributes, critiques, satire, and observations about British life, trends and society during the time period. Obviously anyone can listen to it but it’s kind of a window to that corner of the world.
Here are a couple bonus albums. These are NO WAY essential listening at all. but for novelty purposes and to see how they tried to stay afloat it might be fun to listen too. Like seeing them move further and further away from their roots.
Muswell Hillbillies (1971) considered their last decent album before they fell apart. It actually has a big country influence and was trying to blend rural Americana styles with British working class themes and was kind of a protest album against modern life in general.
Misfits (1978) considered a comeback album after years of trash. They adapted a bit and kind of absorbed influences from glam rock and arena rock genres that were popular at the time.
State of confusion (1983) arguably their “best” album of the 80s, which isn’t saying a lot. It’s pretty forgettable and pointless overall. But to me it’s still worth a listen to see their take on New Wave music
Flimsy_Toe_2575@reddit
Thoughts on this, twin?
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Tbet6N3HbZ34BGVrwFymV?si=s3TjimZsTIyH62BHYxN9gg
Flimsy_Toe_2575@reddit
Made a starter pack for new fans recently;
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Tbet6N3HbZ34BGVrwFymV?si=s3TjimZsTIyH62BHYxN9gg
It's in chronological order and has all the deep cuts, b-sides and gems sat in the vault for years cause they didn't fit on an album.
Flimsy_Toe_2575@reddit
My man
LopsidedGrapefruit11@reddit
Same.
Disastrous_Lion3147@reddit
Apples and oranges but beach boys til I die
Wind_Responsible@reddit
Beatles. Beach Boys aren’t as talented musically for one. Secondly, I’m good with not listening to music that the Manson Family enjoys
jigokubi@reddit
Is it the Beach Boys' fault bad people liked their music?
Wind_Responsible@reddit
No but it is Brian Wilson’s fault he let the family stay at his home and hung out with them.
jigokubi@reddit
Fair enough, but at that point they hadn't murdered anyone yet.
Wind_Responsible@reddit
How much have you read about Manson? Brian Wilson let a cult into his home. Period. A terrible cult that appeared so from the outside as, he lost a LOT of friends when they showed up.
Wind_Responsible@reddit
It’s not just that though…. I’d take Dick Dale and his Deltones over the beach boys any day lol
jigokubi@reddit
Now that's beach music!
thats-gold-jerry@reddit
Give me a fucking break. Your first sentence proves you know nothing about music.
Salty_Dog2917@reddit
lol. Redditors are gonna Reddit.
Bcatfan08@reddit
Who do you think wrote Helter Skelter?
marvsup@reddit
Okay lots to unpack here.
I don't disagree with you about talent but you might be interested to know that Paul McCartney thought Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys was one of the greatest albums of all time and it inspired him to write Sgt. Pepper
You're joking, right? Charles Manson was inspired by Beatles lyrics and thought the White Album was directing him to commit violence and that Helter Skelter was about a coming race war.
MilleryCosima@reddit
Most would say the Beatles.
I enjoy most of the Beatles' music more than most of the Beach Boys' music, but the Beach Boys' God Only Knows is my favorite song from either.
Mc7wis7er@reddit
Yeah this is me too, I'd say the Beatles.
But....
The Beach Boy harmonies really are something. And ESPECIALLY on God Only Knows.
dontbitelee@reddit
I would say my highest rated Beach Boys songs outrank any Beatles songs, but my average Beatles score would be higher than my average Beach Boys score.
TillPsychological351@reddit
Fully agree. The Beach Boys reached some amazing heights, but even there best albums had some filler. Barely any Beatles songs sound like throw-away tracks.
myotheroneders@reddit
God Only Knows, in my opinion, is one of the best songs ever written. I've always been overall more of a Beatles fan, but I used to listen to the Beach Boys with my grandparents. Brian Wilson really was so talented.
Major_Section2331@reddit
Yeah, probably the best track off of Pet Sounds, not that that album has any bad tracks.
InevitableStruggle@reddit
Sir Paul agrees with you
packfan444@reddit
The Beatles. Easy peasy
PM_Me_UrRightNipple@reddit
I know this is sacrilege to many but I don’t really like the Beetles. But I do prefer The Beach Boys
Styx_Renegade@reddit
Beatles were definitely more popular here. They were popular everywhere. I think there’s still the best selling artist of all time despite not being together for 50 years.
Wonderful_Life-6280@reddit
Huge Beatles fan, never was into the Beach Boys
Turbulent_Bat_2900@reddit
Beatles
Asparagus9000@reddit
All I know about the Beach Boys, I learned from Full House.
Perplexio76@reddit
I have to concur with the rest-- the two sounded so different.
There was a bit of mutual respect there-- Rubber Soul inspired Brian Wilson to write and record Pet Sounds which inspired the Beatles to record Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.
I really would have loved to have heard/seen Brian Wilson produce a Beatles album. I mean can you imagine the musical adventurousness of the Beatles combined with Brian Wilson's uncanny knack for studio production?
I mean I'm not knocking Sir George Martin by any respect-- in addition to his work with the Beatles I'm quite fond of his work with America and Little River Band later in his life/career-- but just once-- to have Brian Wilson collaborating with the Beatles! WoW! That would have been awesome.
kwiltse123@reddit
For me The Beatles by far. I am not a fan of The Beach Boys. Everything they do is lyrically simplistic, musically boring, and done with the sole intention of hoping some cheerleader chick will take an interest in you. The Beatles had depth, variety, and timelessness to their music. They changed the course of musical history.
biff444444@reddit
Beatles way more than Beach Boys, but I'll take the Stone over either one of them.
ludba2002@reddit
It's not either/or. I love both. The Beatles themselves liked the Beach Boys' harmonies.
derch1981@reddit
Beach Boys gets my vote, but the Velvet Underground beats them both
Intrepid-Let-8258@reddit
I like the Beach Boys but to compare any band to the Beatles is insane.
Zziggith@reddit
At some point around when The Beatles Anthology came out in the mid 90s, people in the US seem to have collectively decided that the Beatles were the greatest band ever and entirely incomparable to any other band. This, of course, is stupid. They were a pop band who grew up with, and embraced the hippie movement. They managed to remain relevant for a few years longer than their peers and put out a few more albums that weren't quite a poppy, before breaking up. They weren't magical. They didn't reinvent anything. They weren't virtuosos at their instruments. Their metaphors and symbolism weren't especially deep or poignant.
It's fine to compare other popular bands to them. Even favorably so.
TillPsychological351@reddit
That opinion long predates Anthology. Not saying its a true statement, but the Beatles were extremely revered for as long as I can remember, like no other rock band. MTV devoted an entire week of coverage to the 20th anniversary of their Ed Sullivan appearance. Their records all charted again when they were released on CD. In the early 90s, I have a fond memory of a Beatles sing-along breaking out while riding on a bus during a high school field trip. Their music was so familiar 25+ years later that a bunch of teenagers who weren't even alive yet when they broke up could sing most of the lyrics by memory.
Anthology didn't just give a boost to the Beatles popularity, it existed because they had retained their popularity across the decades.
tu-vens-tu-vens@reddit
The Beatles were extremely important and produced some of the most innovative and enduring music of their era. But they were part of a larger scene and many of their innovations are things that were inevitable with the advent of electric amplification and multitrack recording.
I think they should get a lot of credit for making albums cohesive works of art with concepts, album art, etc. You already had a little bit of that happening with jazz, but less so with country and R&B, and it wasn’t a guarantee you’d see that in rock. As far as using sitars and other eclectic forms of instrumentation, that was in the water – the Byrds introduced them to the sitar, and if the Beatles were never around, maybe the Byrds get the Rolling Stones into the sitar and they still make Paint It Black. The Beatles did lots of cool stuff with micing and tape recording in the studio, but Brian Wilson and Jimmy Page knew what they were doing and would have made revolutionary stuff even if the Beatles weren’t around, though maybe the timeline would have been pushed back a few years. McCartney especially was a unique composer and melodicist, but in a way that was less influential than you’d think – rock ended up drawing more from the blues-inflected sound of Lennon than McCartney’s poppier approach. And there was a whole lot of innovation happening at that time that the Beatles weren’t super involved in – Page, Clapton, and Hendrix experimenting with guitar tone, Led Zeppelin and others building songs around long instrumental sections, The Band/Neil Young/etc. blending rock with folk and country, the improvisational approach of the Grateful Dead et al., the birth of funk.
cavalier78@reddit
The Beatles were the most popular band in the world in the 1960s. They were superstars in the same way that Elvis was, and that Michael Jackson would be. They were more popular than Taylor Swift and Beyonce combined.
They were also on the cutting edge of music during a time when music production was changing, and a lot of experimentation was going on. And all four went on to have moderately successful solo careers.
None of that means that you have to like their music though. I have a bunch of Beatles albums that I rarely listen to. Of course, that's my mom's generation's music. She absolutely loves them (my dad prefers Lynyrd Skynyrd).
madpeachiepie@reddit
Right? And calling the Beach Boys "the American Beatles" is like calling the Beatles "the British Beach Boys." It makes no sense. They are two very different bands with two very different sounds.
wwhsd@reddit
It’s not that crazy. They were contemporary musical acts and Pet Sounds was a major influence for Sgt. Pepper and Revolver.
If you’ve only heard the poppier Beach Boys songs but are familiar a lot of Beatles albums, I agree that it probably seems like a bad comparison.
1Negative_Person@reddit
Pet Sounds is the best Beach Boys album, by a wide margin. Sgt. Pepper’s is just a Beatles album. The absolute best The Beach Boys could ever produce was just fine compared to the Beatles’ catalog.
rationalsarcasm@reddit
I feel like a lot of people don't realize how influential the beach boys are in rock music history.
It's hard to compare them both because it's the fucking Beatles, but I feel like the Beach Boys get overshadowed a lot.
wwhsd@reddit
Brian Wilson did a lot of stuff on the production and arranging side that was cutting edge. The Beatles usually had George Martin doing that “behind the scenes” work for them.
I think a lot of the Beatles lasting legacy was due to them making the transition from being super mainstream corporate pop music to being a “safe” counter-culture band.
Brian Wilson’s mental health issues cutting his career short probably didn’t help either. Having a musical career cut short by being shot or having a drug overdose is probably better for selling records and merch and remaining an idol than being alive with severe mental health issues does.
Bubbaxx1@reddit
Why all the comparing all the time... how about I just like them both equally... there
WWGHIAFTC@reddit
neither. I'm skipping / changing / muting either.
NunnyaDBusiness@reddit
Nobody thinks the beach boys are as good as the Beatles. Come on.
old-cigar-smoker@reddit
Beach Boys. As others have stated NOT America's Beatles. But i just prefer their tunes.
cryptoengineer@reddit
Why not both?
Background-Bird-9623@reddit
Apples and oranges
Ok_Buy_9703@reddit
My mom loved the Beatles, my dad liked the Beach Boys so growing up they were pretty standard in the house. I feel like it is a toss up, I will probably change the station if either one came on to find newer stuff, and I'm old at 50...
lightspinnerss@reddit
Beatles are way more popular in my opinion but I prefer beach boys
Padron1964Lover@reddit
Neither
____ozma@reddit
Beach Boys by a long mile but they also made completely different music from the Beatles. I wouldn't even put them on the same playlist.
Flimsy_Equal8841@reddit
I wouldn't pick. I love them both, as well as a whole list of other bands.
holiestcannoly@reddit
The Beatles
Angry_GorillaBS@reddit
Have never heard that before. I'm not particularly a big Beach Boys fan but they win by default.
-Boston-Terrier-@reddit
I like both but prefer The Beach Boys. Not by a lot, mind you.
DonktorDonkenstein@reddit
Beatles. I really, really do not like the Beach Boys' musical style. That's not to say I think they are bad, they're just not for me. I just find them insanely corny and uninteresting. Yes, even Pet Sounds.
lisagd625@reddit
I haven't gone into their catalog in depth, but the Beach Boys' songs all sound the same to me. The Beatles' catalog is much more varied, IMO
staringatascreen@reddit
I prefer the Beatles but don’t think they ever made an album as interesting as Smile.
BelleMakaiHawaii@reddit
Beach boys (I’m not a Beatles fan at all)
Ignorred@reddit
Well, the Beatles are without a doubt more famous and more successful. And almost certainly had a greater cultural and artistic impact. In fact, I would say that by many measures, they are the greatest band of all time.
Having said that, the Beach Boys are very successful as well, and I'm a huge fan of their music too.
Roar-Lions-Roar@reddit
The Beach Boys doesn’t have John Lennon so they win.
Yotsubauniverse@reddit
The Beach boys for nostalgic reasons. Growing up I'd get tickets to Holiday World and Splashin safari where their lazy river often plsyed beach boys songs. I cannot think of them without thinking of sunscreen, inner-tubes, and drifting peacefully in the water until one of my family members knocks me into the waterfalls.
thecryptidmusic@reddit
Kind of not the same thing and you can like both independently. There are things the Beach Boys did that I greatly admire but I'm one of those Beatles super fans.
Lazy_Point_284@reddit
I don't enjoy either, but between the two, The Beatles.
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
The Beach Boys have some really great stuff but it's also pretty limited. I take the Beatles pretty easily.
EmploymentEmpty5871@reddit
Beach Boys.
Equivalent_Ad8133@reddit
I thought the American version of The Beatles was The Monkees. They were modeled after The Beatles.
Anyways, all great bands but I prefer The Beatles.
psylentrob@reddit
While I prefer the Beach Boys, 60's surf rock rules! I think the Beatles had a much larger impact on the music world, and the world in general.
Black_Dog_Industries@reddit
The Beach Boys are good and have some hits, but imo they were more a band that made music for Americans. The Beatles had a worldwide following.
I would definitely not consider the Beach Boys the American Beatles.
I’d rather listen to the Beatles than the Beach Boys.
goodsam2@reddit
Beach boys by far. I think they were going toe to toe until good vibrations was supposed to be the single and Brian Wilson went a little crazy trying to make Smile which would have put the beach boys on equal footing.
Smile came out 40 years later or sometimes.
1Negative_Person@reddit
The Beatles by a trillion times.
The Beach Boys are fine. They’re pretty good, even. They don’t compare even a little bit to the Beatles. It isn’t a contest.
Ted_Denslow@reddit
Beach Boys.
TillPsychological351@reddit
I've never heard the Beach Boys referred to as "the American Beatles".
Even just considering the Beach Boys at their height (ignoring their unremarkable output from the 70s onwards), I think the Beatles have the edge. There's basically no filler on their albums, it's just one banger after another, for the most part.
That being said, on a few occasions, the Beach Boys transcended even the absolute best of the Beatles. "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "God Only Knows" and "Good Vibrations" are about as close as we'll ever get to perfect pop music.
HarryCoveer@reddit
Oh please. That’s like asking, “What do you prefer to eat, a NY strip with all the sides or a bowl of cereal?” The musical contributions of the Beatles are timeless and will persevere for generations. The Beach Boys? Laughable comparison.
Pitiful-Anxiety-1410@reddit
unpopular opinion...i like the beatles more as solo artists than i do as a group...
RedditWidow@reddit
My mom loved the Beatles and the Beach Boys, so I grew up listening to both. But I don't think I ever in my life heard them referred to as the "American Beatles." At least, not until now.
The Beach Boys were very popular during the peak years of Beatlemania, around 1965, but they had no where near the same level of success, cultural impact and staying power as the Beatles.
Critical_System_3546@reddit
I used to work at a resort where we often hosted celebrities, Ringo Starr was the worst, he was a complete prick
Only_Presentation758@reddit
Ah that’s too bad. He could’ve so easily been a no-name schmuck doing session drumming as an occasional 2nd job
Only_Presentation758@reddit
I’d say The Beatles, but I don’t like every Beatles song. Some are too simplistic or weird or even dumb. But they had a big arc stylistically and many of their songs are cool or beautiful. The Beach Boys were very good at what they did and their sound is fun and greatly harmonized, but it is more of the same style/brings up the same kind of feelings throughout their catalogue.
animepuppyluvr@reddit
Neither, but I've at least heard of the Beatles.
Cinisajoy2@reddit
The Rolling Stones or the Who.
mmmeadi@reddit
Brian Wilson was better than any of the four Beatles. But the Fab Four together were better than Brian.
The Beatles are remembered a lot more fondly, I think, because of the limited subject matter of the Beach Boys early music. The actual compositions are comparable though. Then Mike Love soiled the Beach Boys reputation as the weirdest group in music when he morphed them into a 60s nostalgia act.
Anyway, the vast majority of folks will say the Beatles were superior.
Murky-Lunch-6413@reddit
The Beach Boys. So much feel-good music and songs bringing up emotions from my teen years.
TheSauceOx@reddit
The Beatles
VentusHermetis@reddit
The Beatles by about 1000:1.
Friendly_Side3258@reddit
Tough, but I’d choose the beach boys cause my dream job is beach
Most_Time8900@reddit
I prefer The Wailers to both of them
gaylec07@reddit
The Beatles
Responsible_Side8131@reddit
Beach Boys
Traditional-Hall-591@reddit
The Beach Boys, but that’s only because I really hate the Beatles.
pejeol@reddit
I listen to the beach boys more than I listen to the Beatles, but I believe that the Beatles were far more of a consistent band. The beach boys had higher highs, but lower lows. The Beatles maintained pretty consistent highs.
bradd_pit@reddit
Aside from the fact that the Beach Boys said they were trying to make Pet Sounds sound like the Beatles, they’re pretty different bands.
Mellow_Zelkova@reddit
The Beach Boys simply by virtue of how much I hate The Beatles.
flootytootybri@reddit
The Beatles have more hits than the Beach Boys. I really don’t think there’s an American equivalent of the Beatles… the beach boys are great, don’t get me wrong. I just don’t think that they’re quite as big as you think.
famousanonamos@reddit
Beach Boys. They're fun. I've never really cared for the Beatles. They have a couple songs I won't turn off, but I'd never seek them out.
818488899414@reddit
I grew up listening to the Beach Boys with my parents. Neither one of them liked The Beatles so I never heard their music. I don't care for them these days myself.
Tommy_Wisseau_burner@reddit
Out of the 2 I’d say the beach boys. Not because I think they’re better but because I’m a sucker for the mid to late 50s music due to a nostalgia feel. But tbh I don’t listen to either of them.
warp10barrier@reddit
Beach Boys are alright, but it’s The Beatles by a light year.
SuffnBuildV1A@reddit
Beach boys
darkbloodpotato@reddit
The Beatles are much more popular. Beach boys have a devoted fandom but nowhere close to the universal appeal the Beatles do.
brehaw@reddit
Beach Boys
GreenBeanTM@reddit
I know more Beatles songs but I don’t personally listen to either band.
DesertWanderlust@reddit
Beatles. Beyond some tracks on "Pet Sounds," I find most of the Beach Boys unlistenable or derivative. The Beatles were genuinely good musicians who wrote good songs that were mostly stolen.
Shackletainment@reddit
Neither.
Remote_Leadership_53@reddit
Beach Boys for sure, love the Beatles too though
Shop-S-Marts@reddit
Beach Boys I relisten to their songs way more than beetles songs.
Cock--Robin@reddit
I like both of their early stuff, dislike both of their later stuff. But I’d choose early Beach Boys over early Beatles.
claudiatiedemann@reddit
Love them both but I’m overall more of a Beatles fan. Haven’t ever heard The Beach Boys cakles the American Beatles though. They actually were releasing songs before The Beatles.
Common_Cut_1491@reddit
The Beatles are far and away better. But the Beach Boys make me happy in a way the Beatles don’t always.
easy_Money@reddit
Beach boys. The Beatles never did much for me musically, just doesn't align with my tastes, and the fact that John Lennon was a garbage human doesn't help.
NovelCandid@reddit
Love The Beach Boys but not as much as the Beatles. I wish more people would listen to the B Boys.
dontforgettowriteme@reddit
The Beach Boys - my dad has their records and I have fond memories of dancing and singing to their music when I was little. Even got to see them in concert.
Controversial take, but I'm not a big Beatles fan and even feel they're a little overrated.
mustang6172@reddit
The Beatles
Train-Wreck-70@reddit
The Beatles for me, especially because everybody knows them and they have been a huge part of my life growing up
magaketo@reddit
I believe the Beatles had an overall better body of work. Only one BB album stands out in my mind (Pet Sounds) but I can name several Beatles albums and songs on those albums.
I also think the Beach Boys got progressively worse as they hung on too long.
Able-Seaworthiness15@reddit
Beatles. They're just more prolific and iconic.
wanderingaround92@reddit
The Beatles
MadisonStandish@reddit
The "American" Beatles is straight-up the Monkees (with Davy our link to the U.K. 😉 ) As John Lennon called them, "The Marx Brothers of Music." The Beach Boys is surf music. Very California sound. So I think it depends on your taste. I 100% prefer the Beatles between the two.
space_god_7191@reddit (OP)
True but the Monkees never wrote or composed any of their music.
MadisonStandish@reddit
🤦♀️ Yes they did. I can't believe that lie is still permeating even with the internet at our fingertips.
geoff411@reddit
While the Beach Boys had some great music, I would definitely go with the Beatles. If you ask people in America in their 20s and 30s they will recognize more Beatles songs than Beach Boys songs in my experience. I think the legacy and impact is greater for the Beatles.
Consistent_Damage885@reddit
They are so different. I like both, but the Beatles were much more diverse in their music.
IconoclastExplosive@reddit
I guess the beach boys but I'm way further into the "None" category
LopsidedGrapefruit11@reddit
This.
anneofgraygardens@reddit
same. i feel like as I've gotten older I have more appreciation for the beach boys but with the exception of a few songs, i don't really like the Beatles much.
StormFallen9@reddit
Yeah I don't really listen to either
freakout1015@reddit
The Beatles by a long shot. The Beach Boys music sounds all the same to me.
LopsidedGrapefruit11@reddit
Not a huge fan of either, but it would have to be the Beach Boys.
New-Introduction-981@reddit
Beach boys but brian Wilson era boys
jrice138@reddit
I have basically no interest in either
Designer-Travel4785@reddit
Beach boys.
professorfunkenpunk@reddit
Beatles. I do t like much the beach boys did.
No-Conversation1940@reddit
Mike Love in particular did a lot over the years to commercially flog The Beach Boys as a brand. "Brian's Back" is probably the most distasteful, which is saying something because I have listened to Summer in Paradise from beginning to end without interruption and it is a 45 minute album of nonstop bad taste.
Couchmaster007@reddit
I'm not caught up on all the beach not stuff. What is distasteful. What even is it?
No-Conversation1940@reddit
This is difficult to answer without opening other boxes but I will try.
The short response to "Brian's Back": an ad campaign from the mid-1970s when Brian Wilson was forced back into the main songwriter and spokesman for the band while being seriously mentally unhealthy.
Summer in Paradise: a Beach Boys album from the early 1990s that Mike Love creatively oversaw and has been pretty much universally panned by critics and ardent Beach Boys fans.
Willow_Winnifred@reddit
I hate the Beach Boys for some reason-- but possibly related to Charles Manson or the song Kokomo 🤷♀️
MonkMajor5224@reddit
I appreciate the Beach Boys more. Brian Wilson had to be all four Beatles AND George Martin.
AerieWorth4747@reddit
Beatles.
Emotional_Ad5714@reddit
Love them both, but come on, they're the Beatles. It's not really a fair fight.
thewNYC@reddit
Beatles. Not even close.
AhSoulsOnFire@reddit
Neither.
alxfx@reddit
it sounds pretentious but I always felt like the Beatles' catalogue is pretty shallow as far as other bands of the time compare. It was never actually good music, none of them were particularly skillful musicians, they just had boy-band popularity.
I'd take most bands of the era over the Beatles, personally. I wasn't around for Beatlemania so the hype never got to me. But seeing pop boy-bands of the modern era, I can definitely understand why the Beatles were as big as they got. They laid the groundwork for the boy-band formula and that's at least worth something
jigokubi@reddit
The had much, much more influence on bands like Nirvana or the Ramones (and almost every band with guitars for about forty years since their breakthrough) than they did on bands like Nsync or the Backstreet Boys.
OPsDearOldMother@reddit
I strongly disagree that the Beatles catalog is shallow. They put out an incredible volume of work that audiences and critics alike recognized at the time were instant classics. Music is, of course, subjective, and you can not like the Beatles but saying their catalog is shallow is just contrarian.
alxfx@reddit
That's totally fair. I guess it just never struck me in any meaningful way, which is why I used the word shallow. As I understand it, they were the first big act to produce made-for-radio pop music as the driving force of their catalogue. 3-minute tracks, 4-chord progressions, 2 choruses with easy melodies. They laid a template, they followed it very well, and it worked wonders for them.
I've always been partial to the more psychedelic and avant-garde rock of the same era, so it's definitely just a matter of personal taste.
OPsDearOldMother@reddit
In fairness I think you may be selling the Beatles short. When the Beatles entered the scene it was mostly single focused and radio driven. Popular artists before them like Bing Crosby and Elvis performed songs that industry professionals wrote. The Beatles actually broke the mold by writing their own music and they were hugely influential in bringing music out of the single driven era and turning albums into more than just a collection of singles.
The Beatles also experimented heavily with different song structures, chords, and virtually every technology that was available at the time. They were at the forefront of psychedelic rock and avante garde rock in particular. Have you ever heard Within You Without You, Tomorrow Never Knows, or Blue Jay Way?
space_god_7191@reddit (OP)
Have you listened to songs written by John and George?
ALoungerAtTheClubs@reddit
I don't listen to either at this point, but The Beach Boys wins for me. The Beatles were too self-important and self-indulgent I've tried to get their music, but it didn't take.
Icy_Consideration409@reddit
Beach Boys
Ill-Butterscotch1337@reddit
I like Pet Sounds better than any album from the beatles. But overall I think the Beatles have a better catalog.
Salarian_American@reddit
I love both of these bands, really.
I think it's really telling that both John Lennon and Paul McCartney are on record as considering the Beach Boys to be easily on the same level as The Beatles, both described Pet Sounds as one of the greatest albums ever made and Paul said that their lyrics, melodies, and harmonies were brilliant and influential to his own work.
And then going in the other direction, Brian Wilson had stated that Rubber Soul was THE greatest album ever made and told Paul McCartney that Let it Be was his all-time favorite song.
Wilson said that Rubber Soul was the number one influence he had in mind while making Pet Sounds, and the Beatles considered Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was their "artistic response" to Pet Sounds.
Carinyosa99@reddit
I'm GenX and Beach Boys was my one of my dad's favorites. He didn't mind the Beatles, but he preferred Beach Boys because of the harmonies. It's some of the first music I remember listening to.
Interesting-Phase947@reddit
There is no American Beatles, but I think Elvis would come closer as a popularity comparison than the Beach Boys.
Vachic09@reddit
Beach Boys
DudeWhereIsMyDuduk@reddit
Beatles, by faaaaaaaaaar.
Pet Sounds has been held up for way too long as some special example of creativity. I'm sorry, it's decent, but c'mon, there are have been experimental albums since then.
I didn't really discover the Beatles until I went through the entire Get Back Nagra reels and heard what went into Abbey Road. The process was amazing.
rileyoneill@reddit
The Beatles. But the Beach Boys are close behind them. Brian Wilson is definitely up there as a songwriter with Paul McCartney and John Lennon.
Suitable-Hornet2797@reddit
The Beatles.
Meilingcrusader@reddit
Both are good, I guess beatles because I have heard more of theirs. Beach boys are great too though, makes me want to run with like five other ppl carrying an unusually long surfboard
Otherwise-OhWell@reddit
I hated the Beach Boys until my late 20s - thought they were nothing but bubblegum - and then learned to appreciate them a lot more.
"Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "Sloop John B" and so many others are sneakily great songs!
I've always loved the Beatles.
But, if I'm ranking the Big Three 60s Bands, it's; Rolling Stones, Beatles, Beach Boys
snarkwithfae@reddit
Beach Boys just had really corny sounding music. Never my cup of tea.
Semirhage527@reddit
I think even the Beach Boys liked the Beatles more.
But in general I don’t like to rank them, both had amazing creative impacts
thats-gold-jerry@reddit
That’s not true. They were insanely competitive with one another.
Semirhage527@reddit
Where did I say they weren’t? 🙄
JoJo926@reddit
John Lennon LOVED The Beach Boys. He credited Pet Sounds with upping the ante for Sgt Pepper.
Semirhage527@reddit
Yes. And then Sgt Peppers kinda destroyed Brian Wilson because he thought it was better.
They definitely drove each other. They are both great bands.
jessek@reddit
Brian was a huge fan of the Beatles.
dimap443@reddit
Led Zeppelin
cottoncandymandy@reddit
I don't like either of them tbh.
Ok_Salamander6797@reddit
Nobody thinks the beach boys are the American beatles.
cyrano72@reddit
Beach boys
Quirky_Commission_56@reddit
I’d rather listen to Simon & Garfunkel than either the Beatles or The Beach Boys because it reminds me of my dad. We used to sing all of their songs together since my mom couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.
The49GiantWarriors@reddit
The Beatles were great, but it's the Beach Boys, for me.
Apprehensive-Fig3223@reddit
The Stooges
hungaryboii@reddit
Neither they are both ass
travelinmatt76@reddit
Can't stand the Beach Boys, The Beatles are superior
theeCrawlingChaos@reddit
I am not the biggest Beatle's fan. I kind of like their psychedelic stuff from Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour, but most of their music is not my thing.
I do really like the Beach Boys surf rock from "Surfin' Safari" and "Surfin' USA" and, probably unpopular, but "Kokomo" is a great song.
Many_Pea_9117@reddit
Its insane how many people here actually prefer the beach boys. Outside of reddit, they are not considered popular today. Maybe in their era, but the Beatles are still listened to by younger and older people, and are musically way more talented and diverse in their appeal. This may be an unpopular opinion here, but these opinions seem fairly divorced from what is more typical today and in the past when I was younger and what everyone said growing up.
professorfunkenpunk@reddit
The Beach Boys have gotten some popularity with the Indie kids over the last decade or so, but out in the wild, I probably hear 20 Beatles songs to every beach boys song I hear.
rationalsarcasm@reddit
Almost every comment here is saying the Beatles lol
Many_Pea_9117@reddit
A ton more people have commented since I did, and earlier on there was nearly a dozen people who kept saying that they all loved the beach boys. But yeah, now its a more normal ratio.
Nodeal_reddit@reddit
Beatles, but not by much.
The Beach Boys were a corny boy band that stayed corny. The Beatles were a corny boy band that went on to be pretty cool for a while.
bibliophile222@reddit
I like The Beach Boys, but The Beatles are my all-time favorite band.
MobileOrdinary6827@reddit
I like them both equally
Reaganson@reddit
Beatles are my favorite British band and Beach Boys for American.
RichInBunlyGoodness@reddit
I don't know anyone who considers the Beach Boys to be the American Beatles. And if I did, I'd cut them out of my life for being idiots. The Beach Boys are the Beach Boys. The Beatles are the Beatles. Period.
clunkclunk@reddit
Pet Sounds is an amazing album - full stop.
With that said, the Beatles have multiple amazing albums, and have had a cultural impact in more than just music alone, and that impact spanned the globe and still echoes 60 years later.
goblin_hipster@reddit
I like both, but I like more Beatles songs.
SnooChipmunks2079@reddit
Beatles. By far.
SickLarry@reddit
I would not have expected any meaningful amount of responses saying they prefer the beach boys but here we are. The beach boys were basically a boy band. There is no comparison to be made in terms of creativity, talent, or depth.
Any-Concentrate-1922@reddit
Boy band? Have you heard "Surf's Up," "Til I Die," "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times," "Trader," "Sail On Sailor," and "Breakaway"? That's like calling the Beatles a boy band based on their output from 1962-64.
Fatbeard2024@reddit
Kiss
thats-gold-jerry@reddit
The Beach Boys. I have a smile tattoo. I like the Beatles but the Beach Boys are the reason music sounds the way it does today.
Normal-Sprinkles6799@reddit
Beatles.
OriginalSilentTuba@reddit
The Beatles, but a wide margin.
That said, Pet Sounds is an incredible album, and is responsible for some of the Beatles best work; Paul McCartney was a massive fan of it, and directly influenced him and inspired him while writing material for Sgt. Pepper.
molotovzav@reddit
No one under the age of 45 cares. Seriously. They may have a preference but we are talking about bands for my parents and grandparents not for modern people using reddit.
Any-Concentrate-1922@reddit
They're my two favorite bands.
Many, many Americans don't know much about the Beach Boys beyond the early hits and Pet Sounds, so the albums from 1967-1973 won't be in their consciousness.
Suppafly@reddit
Probably a tie, but both are pretty far down on my list, each having only a handful of songs that I'd ever want to listen to.
Youcants1tw1thus@reddit
I listen to Beach Boys at car shows, and I hate the Beatles.
Extreme-Flan3935@reddit
Beatles
KagakuNinja@reddit
Beatles, not even close.
Reverend_Bull@reddit
Beatles. Beach Boys lack the depth. There's that old joke by AC/DC that they made the same album six times, and I feel the same about Beach Boys. Don't take me wrong - I could listen to "Little Old Lady From Pasadena" on loop for an hour. But the Beatles went from "Twist and Shout" to "Glass Onion".
wwhsd@reddit
And the Beach Boys went from “Surfin’ Safari” to “God Only Knows”.
somePig_buckeye@reddit
That was a Jan and Dean Song. You should really listen to Surfs Up.
tn00bz@reddit
I wouldn't call the beach boys the american Beatles, but I do prefer them. The Beatles are definitely influential, but massively over rated imo.
DerpWilson@reddit
Beach Boys for me for weird personal reasons. I recognize the Beatles are “better” and 1000 times more consistent but peak beach boys means more to me.
gdubh@reddit
The Beatles or ___? The answer will always be The Beatles.
Physical-Incident553@reddit
Beach Boys. Never liked the Beatles much.
arcteryx17@reddit
Beatles and its not even close
KJHagen@reddit
It used to be the Beatles, but I'm going through a surf music phase. It's the Beach Boys right now.
xSparkShark@reddit
I prefer the beetles discography, but Pet Sounds is a necessary listen for anyone who likes rock music.
eapaul80@reddit
The Beach Boys are definitely not the American Beatles, idk what that band is, but it’s definitely something more experimental than surfer rock
cownan@reddit
I don't really like either band. I get that they were both groundbreaking when they came out. Music like no one had ever heard before. But by now, modern music has been influenced by them and has moved on, leaving them sounding old-fashioned and bland. I guess I appreciate the Beatles more and sometimes I try listening to them because everyone raves about them so much, but it never moves me.
Salty_Dog2917@reddit
Beach Boys for me. My mother used to listen to beach boys music while making breakfast on Sunday mornings while growing up.
Superb_Yak7074@reddit
1,000,000% the Beatles. Ex-husband was a die hard Beach Boys fan and I had to sit through their concerts year after year. Same tired songs and I swear most of the time it was exactly the same play list from year to year. To this day I call them the Beach f-ing Boys.
Cheap_Coffee@reddit
I've never liked the Beatles. I'm indifferent to the Beach Boys.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
Beach Boys.
Lugbor@reddit
Neither? I don't really enjoy music to begin with.
shelwood46@reddit
Beatles, but I like The Beach Boys just fine. They were both big when I was a baby (I am 61). I think they both have specific songs I really like. And specific songs I really hate (looking at you, Kokomo). Neither are my favorite 1960s era band (probably The Kinks or The Who).
drumzandice@reddit
Honestly, not a fan of either but if I had to pick it would be the Beatles by miles. I cannot stand the Beach boys.
Cosmictea01@reddit
I like the beach boys..
somePig_buckeye@reddit
The Beach Boys. God Only Knows, Surf’s Up, Wild Honey, and Darlin’ are great songs. Brian Wilson composing and Carl Wilson singing.
Wild_Bake_7781@reddit
The Beatles hands down
Quirky-Invite7664@reddit
Can’t stand the Beach Boys. They’re like nails on a chalkboard.
venturashe@reddit
Totally different but both great. As a born and raised SoCal girl, the beach vibes of the Beach Boys and the Eagles were the soundtrack of my early youth..
Bcatfan08@reddit
The Beatles. I feel like this is probably a bit more age-centered. I love The Beatles, but my dad loves The Beach Boys. Maybe it's just because I don't know many people who listen to The Beach Boys, but The Beatles seem to have been more popular longer. Like I'll still hear The Beatles on the radio every day and I can't remember the last time I heard The Beach Boys.
dangleicious13@reddit
Don't really like either of them, but would choose the Beatles if I had to make a choice.
Bender_2024@reddit
The Beatles are Rock and Roll royalty. Every bit as much as Elvis Presley The Who or The Rolling Stones.
TexasRed806@reddit
The Beach Boys definitely had some great hits but what The Beatles accomplished in their 10 years is greater than anything most artists could ever hope to achieve. Massive catalog of absolute classics, a range of styles and sound evolving over the years, and just genuine musical talent and creativity. They all went on to have solo careers of their own to varying degrees of success.
Some can make the argument they werent the GREATEST band/artist of all time and you know, fair, but they are certainly one of them.
nowhereman136@reddit
If I had to rank the top 3 rock bands of all time, it would be
Yes, the Beach Boys are an incredible band with tons of hits that didn't just influence music but pop culture entirely. But the Beatles are the Beatles
marvsup@reddit
Uh what? The American Beatles were clearly the Rolling Stones. Wait sorry, I meant the Who. Wait sorry, I meant 2/3 of the Jimi Hendrix Experience :)
Ogrimarcus@reddit
The Beatles have the more varied catalogue, just more songs and more different sounds, but personally I think the best of The Beach Boys beats the best of The Beatles.
Fair-Neighborhood106@reddit
Definitely the Beatles, but have always admired Brian Wilson’s genius.
ididreadittoo@reddit
I preferred the Beatles when they showed up and still liked the beach boys. They are two very different sounds.
Foxy_locksy1704@reddit
I love the Beatles, they are far superior in my opinion. That being said The Beach Boys Pet Sounds is an incredible album, a masterpiece for Brian Wilson as a songwriter/musician .
jessek@reddit
Probably the Beatles but both are good bands.
trippytrin315_@reddit
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of the beach boys
Ok-Energy-9785@reddit
Neither
Puzzleheaded_Cup8723@reddit
Beach boys. Most would say the Beatles tho
Filippo_G@reddit
I like more Beatles songs than Beach Boys songs. But I enjoy my favorite Beach Boys songs more than anything the Beatles ever put out.
Mediocre_Ear8144@reddit
Beatles with out a doubt
OPsDaddy@reddit
You: who do you like more, ______ or the Beatles?
Me: the Beatles
Oceanbreeze871@reddit
Beatles. They are the foundation of modern and alternative rock. So many have borrowed and been inspired by them.
Beach boys were conceptually more of a hold over from 1950s pop music and just an old sound. Pet sounds was the indie hipster favorite for a minute, but I still maintain it’s a bit of a older version of pop rock that got left behind
mike11172@reddit
Beatles. But that's not to say I don't like the Beach Boys. Both bands have put out some great tunes.
seattlemh@reddit
The Beatles, but there are times when the Beach Boys are necessary.
Gremlin1001001@reddit
Beatles—But I have a deep appreciation for The Beach Boys.
SickLarry@reddit
Im sure they exist because you can always find someone crazy enough to believe anything, but really no serious person likes the beach boys more than the Beatles.
SemanticPedantic007@reddit
Probably the Beach Boys, but mostly because I'm a Boomer so I can hear half the Beatles catalog in my head whenever I want to. I really don't ever need to hear "nanana nanana Hey Juuuuuude" ever again, it was cool the first 500 times but now I'm good.
Decent-Park-6681@reddit
The Beach Boys had their moments but the Beatles are the gold standard.
Most_Time8900@reddit
The Beach Boys for sure.
I cannot STAND The Beatles.
RoMoCo88@reddit
Opposite for me!
Snoo_33033@reddit
My brother/sister!
I prefer literally any other band of the time. My favorite is The Kinks but I also like The Rolling Stones and whatnot.
MicheleAmanda@reddit
Beatles, but a wide margin.
Greyface13@reddit
Beatles, be far! The Beatles were really groundbreaking and grew over time, imo, more than the Beach boys.
GimmeShockTreatment@reddit
Their peaks are about the same for me but the Beatles put out like 5x the amount of peak era work imo.
el_butt@reddit
I do not care for the Beatles.
rootoo@reddit
Im from where the beach boys are from, but it’s the Beatles. No contest. Their impact on music and pop culture cannot be overstated.
Other-Instruction531@reddit
Neither
Morbid_Uncle@reddit
The Beatles
jesusmansuperpowers@reddit
Beatles. Also better than the stones
oneislandgirl@reddit
Beatles. They have such a variety of songs and they have lasted over the years and other artists have done their songs many times. Beach Boys were great but very much limited to one style. Their music has not been as popular or enduring and you don't see a lot of other artists doing their songs.
gaoshan@reddit
Beat Holes > Bitch Boys
teriKatty@reddit
Beach boys
GSilky@reddit
Beach Boys! Even the hokie stuff like Surfer Girl. Even the BS Xmas songs are better than the ones various Beati put out. Pet Sounds though, great and amazing, and surpasses Sgt Peppers on every level. I like Beatles back with the tight pop tunes, once they decided to lean on studio magic and not perform (which I understand), I couldn't care less tbh. A few okay tunes, but overall not my jam.
reruuuun@reddit
I love the beach boys a little more than the beatles but they’re both pretty good
MeTieDoughtyWalker@reddit
Beatles.
Attila226@reddit
I’m no music expert, but in my mind the Beatles are ones of the best music groups ever. I like the Beach Boys too, but to me they aren’t in the same class.
Neb-Nose@reddit
Beatles by a mile!
Gonarat@reddit
Beatles.
Self-Comprehensive@reddit
If those are who I have to choose from Beatles all the way. But neither of them are my favorite
Anon-John-Silver@reddit
We like Chappell Roan
CharlesAvlnchGreen@reddit
My two favorite bands, actually. I like the Beatles more but it really depends on my mood.
Imagine if they had done a collab!
DonNadie2468@reddit
Apples and oranges. Both amazing groups, but very different esthetics.
Possible_Shoulder_50@reddit
Beach Boys
maceilean@reddit
Beach Boys. The music itself is more interesting to me.
10thousndreflections@reddit
The Beatles
oddball_ocelot@reddit
Beach Bpys. I love their harmonies.
Impossible_Memory_65@reddit
Neither
ShipComprehensive543@reddit
beatles - but both bands are great
No-Contact6664@reddit
The Who
Separate-Relative-83@reddit
Beach Boys