Abstract
In 1964 the Beatles arrived in the United States, jumpstarting their commercial and international careers with their mop-top haircuts and matching, tailored suits. With their introduction to a new consumer market, their image evolved in accordance to the promotional techniques of the nation’s press, which emphasized the band members’ working-class background, irreverent sense of humor, and young age. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the formative years of the band to show how the band’s level of stardom changed in accordance to the perception of their image, the latter of which being heavily influenced by the British musical press. Furthermore, this paper examines how the socioeconomic and cultural context in Britain during the 1950s affected the perception of the Beatles’ music. This research utilizes the most widely circulated British music weekly journals, with a particular focus on the juxtaposition between Mersey Beat and Melody Maker, being two of the most recognized music weeklies within their particular genre, and each addressing the Beatles phenomenon with very different approaches.
Advisor
Schilling, Hayden
Department
History
Recommended Citation
Cath, David, "Our Best Work Was Never Recorded: Understanding the Role of Public Perception during the Beatles’ Formative Years" (2014). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 6036.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/6036
Disciplines
Cultural History | European History | Social History
Keywords
Beatles
Publication Date
2014
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 2014 David Cath