British Invasion

November 15, 2014

Spearheaded by the Beatles, British musical performers dominated the American pop charts in the middle 1960s. Philo (American studies, Univ. of Derby, UK) analyzes this phenomenon in a chronological account of popular music on both sides of the Atlantic starting with World War II through the 1980s. After an introductory survey of pop music in Britain during the 1950s, the Beatles dominate the narrative. Other successful early Invasion groups are briefly discussed, but the emphasis is on the musical and cultural impact the Beatles had on American music. American artists Brian Wilson (the Beach Boys) and the Byrds are covered, as is The Monkees TV series. The book discusses how important the Beatles film A Hard Day's Night (1964) was in spreading British influence. In 1967, the British Invasion shifted into a psychedelic phase (Pink Floyd, Cream) and then to an American roots-inspired sound. The political and social turmoil of the late Sixties was reflected in influential albums such as the Rolling Stones's Let It Bleed, the Who's Tommy, and the Beatles's Abbey Road. By 1970, new acts--Led Zeppelin, the Moody Blues, Jethro Tull, and Elton John--prevailed. Although well researched, this is a popular social history rather than a scholarly work. VERDICT Beatles fans and baby boomers who listened to the music of the 1960s will find this title appealing. Philo offers a fresh consideration of the British impact on American music during this period and beyond.--Thomas Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, PA

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