Before starting to read this, take into account that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. This review not only covers a specific topic, but covers the entire scheme, highlighting the imporance of what is truly relevant. This article is brief, it is difficult wanting to do all this analysis in a single article. Although I attempt to be simple, I know that this will provide much for controversy.

Within the culture of Rock & Roll, several figures have been prominent either for their contribution or their popularity. Elvis Presley is considered the king, not in vain, but because he was the first one to break with the conservative pattern by moving his legs, making crowds crazy. That is Elvis’ greatest merit. He brought change, and evolved people’s vision towards music.

There are other figures such as Robert Johnson, Hendrix, The Doors, Led Zeppelin (yes, I know there are many others); all those regarded as the classics. Over time the public and critics have put the Beatles as the greatest phenomenon in the history of R&R, something with which I do not disagree, if it is in terms of popularity. But, is that what is truly important?

Many people undervalue the music made for the market, I am one of them. The Beatles is the product of an excellent marketing where 4 guys with talent, without undervaluing the poetic genius of Lennon and McCartney, their success is due to Epstein’s managing and Martin’s production. Believe it or not, Beatles music represents the beginning of a commertial era where the objective was to sell as many records as possible and taking advantage of media (such as Ed Sullivan Show) to spread the beatlemanía.

Some interesting information is that the first Beatles’ album (Please Please me) is virtually the same as the second one. Here, what the producers did, was to draw an american version of Please Please Me, removing some songs and adding some new songs, where more than 30% of these songs were written by other authors. They didn’t do this only once. Producers were always commissioned to draw a new version addressed to the american market changing the cover and adding a different title to achieve greater sales. The Beatles, because of the quick fame they reached, became a song factory, in one year more than three albums. In ‘64 they had seven different productions. Is it or not commercial abuse, to release 7 albums in one year? Pure heart music? Both, Pink Floyd and the Beatles have within their repertoire a song refering to money. While Pink Floyd’s Money was a criticism of the system, the Beatles sang Money (That’s what I want), which title speaks for itself and whose author is neither Lennon nor McCartney.

Pink Floyd’s success is due to this majestic indescribable combination of acid rock, without losing the essence of its origin in Blues and Jazz within their songs. Psychedelia lovers find Pink Floyd’s music of not only a crazy and fun style of the 60’s but its evolution. Blues lovers are pleased with the wide range of guitars from the south, resonators, slides, Fenders with that feeling of Gilmour comparable to B.B. King. Electronic lovers feel flattered with the experimenting sounds synthesized by Wright and his extensive management of knobs as filters and potentiometers taking them out of the atmosphere. History and politics lovers, will not let me lie about the predominant and radical vision of Waters and the impact he had on the audience that lived World War II as well as the Berlin Wall. And if one speaks of concept albums, Sgt. Pepper’s will be fully overshadowed by a Dark Side or The Wall. The triviality embraced by the depth is the merit of this genius amalgams. One finds what he wants for his metaphorical harmony (not just music) with which Pink Floyd explained to their audience with this surrealist but purely rational mentality.

If you talk about popularity, Beatles may have might been superior, but if it comes to life experiences, psychological depth, traditionalism, abstract music, conceptual music, drama plays, music for films with high social content, musical evolution, historical content, entertainment, mystery, political and other… I would certinly hve to say that Pink Floyd will transcend more like a breakthrough in music. I give merti to Lennon by saying: I don’t believe in Bealtes.