Beatles

The Beatles used a large number of cultural and national characteristics in their songs. This was expressed in the style of their clothing, their hairstyles and their accent, as well as the puns and word-play that were an essential part of their songs.

They created in Britain a profound identification with their music, and against a background in which Britain was declining as a cultural leader (The Sixties, America’s great influence on Europe), they symbolized a strengthening of the British national image. Is it possible that this was the reason for their success abroad?

Even during the Beatles era there was a beginning of Americanization that influenced the music in Britain (for example: Cliff Richard). Many musicians tried to imitate the American sound and for that reason the Beatles’ performances had a significance that far exceeded their music. In fact, they saved the British image that had declined in the eyes of the British and of the world, specifically because they used their nationality as their business card, and gave it new meaning. In the Sergeant Pepper album, of course, this was expressed to the maximum both in the sound and in the songs: it is true to say that in all of the songs there is a connecting thread, which is their observations and criticism of the social aspects of life in Britain.

“With a little help” from the Beatles, Britain became more liberal (this had to happen because the Beatles stimulated emotional reactions from the young girls; and also because of the criticism of social conditions in Britain that is expressed in some of their songs). The fact is that this helped improve Britain’s image in the eyes of other countries and, of course, also contributed sympathy towards the Beatles themselves.

The Beatles’ marketing strategy was to associate themselves with their national identity (whether through reviews or by embracing specific characteristics) and in this way they were also able to remarketed Britain to the world; not as a ‘cruel conqueror’, nor as an industrial leader, but as a ‘cultural reviver’.

One of the by-products of this was the way that other countries perceived, and displayed considerable interest in Britain, both as a nation and as a Culture.

This could also explain the strong admiration for the Beatles in America, perhaps specifically because they brought with them a new ‘aroma’ for the Americans, who seemed not to appreciate what they already had right under their noses (Jimi Hendrix). The Beatles succeeded in gathering a following of youngsters and adults alike.

Such was the magic of “British Aroma” that spread from the Blair group soloist (a group representing the Britpop movement) representing the overt nature and local relevance, and comprising a sort-of British nationalistic flirting with other countries.

Everyone wants to resemble the image radiated by the Blair soloist, and what he represents: youthful, white, accent, the strong humor and awareness of belonging to a culture and its place of origin. Similar to it, also making use of British characteristics, whether in the external resemblance (suits, hairstyles) or visual use of photographs of places in Britain. Jarvis Cocker the soloist of the Pulp group, during the period when Americanization was overtaking every available space and even influencing the British culture, this nationalistic flirtation was highly successful, as it was during the Beatles era, which was the inspiration for “Britpop”.

This also has a strong influence since also during the Britpop era Britain was undergoing socialist crises (unemployed youngsters, national identity crisis due to the influx of the overwhelming American culture), and again, against the same pronounced background, the Britpop groups adopting a local British identity and using it to market their music, just as the Beatles had excelled with their own cultural distinction.

For the British themselves it was easy to accept the Beatles/Britpop groups. Morale in Britain was low and the Beatles/Britpop groups helped to raise it: for other countries, these groups became a window through which it was possible to see and become acquainted with British culture, with which they identified. Both in respect of the Beatles, and also in the case of the Britipop movement, a significant increase was noticed in increased glory of Britain as a representative of original culture, a fact which contributed towards the popularity of the groups under discussion and which raised even higher the admiration for them.