I’ve split the Beatles work into five CD-length playlists here. Clearly, their greatness needs no explanation, and their work changed so much over time as to warrant multiple playlists to highlight the stages of their development.
The selections are mostly chronological, although I’ve taken a few liberties. Even given the limited amount of trimming I’ve done, I will inevitably have omitted some fan favorites. I went with the songs I love to listen to, rather than what was popular, famous, or critically acclaimed. (Of course, most of my choices here were all of the above, too—it’s the Beatles, after all.)
Playlist #1
Their earlier work shows them to be masters of a pop-rock form that was influenced by American rock-and-rollers like Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard (but sounds to my ears to have been inspired as much by the lighter touch of the Everly Brothers). You’ll find my favorites from that period in the first playlist.
Playlist #2
As for the second playlist, how does one edit a masterpiece? The 40 minutes of music I had to prune from Help!, Rubber Soul, and Revolver could comprise a career-highlight album for many a good British Invasion band. And yet I wanted to fit this within the confines of a single CD length. Here was where they first brought the pop-rock form beyond the realm of craft into that or art. The themes grew darker and more introspective, the music more diverse.
Playlist #3
The third playlist focuses on the psychedelic period of Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour, plus Yellow Submarine, recorded around the same time and in the same style, but not released until later.
Playlist #4
Theis eponymous double album (a.k.s., “The White Album”) gets a pruning on the fourth playlist; this period shows them starting to fragment into an assembly of conjoined solo artists, rather than a collaborative group.
Playlist #5
The last playlist summarizes the last glorious gasps of Abbey Road, Let It Be, and some non-album singles of the time. And that’s all she wrote! Blame it on Yoko, if you will….
Conclusions
The Beatles were great, of course, but I think I’ve wimped out a little bit here. When I get around to it, I’m going to challenge myself to whittle this down to two CD-length playlists of my absolute favorites: one disc of earlier more straight-up numbers and a second disc of more out-there explorations of form. Keep your eyes peeled for them (but don’t hold your breath).
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