10 Beatles Tracks That Were Ahead Of Their Time
9. Lennon & McCartney: I Want To Hold Your Hand (1963)
During the early '60s American rock and roll had become stale. No act was able to match the allure of Elvis Presley. It was as if he'd soaked up the creative musical pool and left a drought of innovation in his wake. Folk music became the sound of the American youth. Bob Dylan was at the forefront of the scene and considered the voice of his generation. In the mainstream you had a handful of solo acts and small groups, playing songs written by ghost writers - catchy jingles with little edge to them.
But when the Beatles finally dropped in America everything changed. I Want To Hold Your Hand was the single that kicked off the British Invasion, encouraging everyone to up their game. There was a surge of groups like The Animals, The Kinks and The Rollings Stones, all striving to match the same frantic charisma as the Fab Four.
The Beatles were at the forefront of this new wave, bringing an energised sound back to the States. Dylan was arguably America's most respected star, but after the Beatles came along, he was inspired to change his approach - gradually shifting away from the folk ballads and protest songs in favour of a harder, more mainstream sound.