thumb|upright=1.2|[[The Beatles, 1965]]

"Beatlesque" () or "Beatles-esque" describes a musical resemblance to the English rock band the Beatles. The term is loosely defined and has been applied inconsistently to a wide variety of disparate artists.

The Toronto Stars Jack Sakamoto has commented: "[Some people's] notion of that sound includes everyone from Panic! at the Disco to Billy Joel to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. With those reference points, it's debatable whether the Beatles themselves would qualify for the adjective their music has spawned."

Writing in 2017, Rolling Stone critic Rob Sheffield identified Paul McCartney as the Beatle whose character best fitted the term "Beatlesque", adding: "If you dislike the Beatles, it's because you dislike Paul. If you love them despite their flaws, you mean Paul's flaws ..."

Associated artists

Notable acts described as "Beatlesque"

right|thumb|ELO, 1978

thumb|Oasis, 2005

  • Badfinger
  • The Byrds – Sometimes regarded as the "American Beatles".
  • Cheap Trick In addition, the group's 1980 album All Shook Up was produced by longtime Beatles producer George Martin, and the group's live performance of Beatles songs culminated with a full orchestra-backed live album, titled Sgt. Pepper Live (2009).
  • Electric Light Orchestra
  • Elephant 6 – Not a band, but a collective of them. The collective is famously inspired by psychedelic pop of the 1960s, including the Beatles and the Beach Boys, with bands like the Apples in Stereo and Of Montreal gathering comparisons to the Beatles.
  • Harry Nilsson – During a 1968 press conference, the Beatles were asked what their favorite American group was and answered "Nilsson". Sometimes known as "The American Beatle", he was close friends with both John Lennon and Ringo Starr.
  • Klaatu
  • Oasis – Their Beatles influence was labelled as an "obsession" by British media. During their 1991 to 2009 career, the band's widespread success in terms of culture and social reach caused it to be possibly the most popular band since the Beatles. Both Difford and Tilbrook have acknowledged the influence of the comparison on the band's catalogue.
  • Chris Hillman
  • Marshall Crenshaw
  • Crowded House
  • Fountains of Wayne
  • Los Shakers
  • The Lovin' Spoonful
  • The Monkees
  • Panic! at the Disco (Pretty. Odd. album)
  • The Sea Nymphs
  • The Raspberries
  • The Smithereens
  • Tame Impala
  • The Turtles
  • XTC

See also

  • Cultural impact of the Beatles
  • Musical style and development of the Beatles
  • List of the Beatles' instruments
  • The Beatles' recording technology
  • Pop rock
  • Power pop

References