Comparison time:

Formed
The Beatles - in Liverpool in 1960
The Rolling Stones - in London in April 1962

Members of the group
The Beatles:
Members: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr
Past Members: Stuart Sutcliffe, Pete Best
The Rolling Stones:
Members: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood
Past members: Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, Mick Taylor, Bill Wyman, Tony Chapman, Dick Taylor

Format of songs:
Both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones started covering songs written by others and went on to sing their own composed songs.

Singing each others songs:
The Rolling Stones second UK hit was "I Wanna Be Your Man", which was written by Lennon/McCartney

Appearances in each other broadcasts:
In Our World the first live global television link, broadcast on 25th June 1967. Friends and studio people made hand claps and sang background vocals (which included Mick Jagger, Keith Moon and many others)

Can the drummers of the bands play the drums:
Ringo Starr - no (in fact the best drumming of The Beatles is in "The Ballad of John and Yoko" when Paul McCartney  played drums, for Ringo Starr was away filming "The Magic Christian"
Charlie Watts - yes

Still around today:
The Beatles - no
The Rolling Stones - yes

Comparison time:


Appearances in each other broadcasts:
In 1968, The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus live television event and album was made, John Lennon (and Yoko Ono) were among the invited guests/performers.  Lennon and Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, and Mitch Mitchell (of the Jimi Hendrix Experience) formed a group for a one-time performance.  (They named their group The Dirty Mac.)  They played at the concert The Beatles' tune, "Yer Blues".

Many thanks.

No! ReinXeed is the greatest band ever!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSpw-yN4_hc

Can the drummers of the bands play the drums:
Ringo Starr - no (in fact the best drumming of The Beatles is in "The Ballad of John and Yoko" when Paul McCartney  played drums, for Ringo Starr was away filming "The Magic Christian"
Charlie Watts - yes


Lennon I think it was who, when asked if Ringo was the best drummer in the world, replied, '...he's not even the best drummer in The Beatles!'

But having said that, it's reckoned that Ringo was responsible for the least amount of errors when it came to group recording takes...

Comparison Time:

Current poll scores: 

Beatles = 8
Stones = 3

Say no more... ;D

I posted this in the Beatles or the Sones thread so rather than rewrite the whole thing I will
copy and paste the same reply here.

Since this question is a matter of opinion I shall offer mine. The Rolling Stones are the greatest rock and roll band ever.
Not the best but the greatest because of their longevity and adaptability. Both bands are made up of mediocre at best
musicians and above average lyricist but it was the Stones who were able to adapt with the times. From the rock of the
60's, country rock of the early 70's. From disco to 80's crap to 90's pop the Stones did it all. The Beatles, as a group, were
unable or unwilling to adapt and because of that, the Stones are the greatest ever.

I posted this in the Beatles or the Sones thread so rather than rewrite the whole thing I will
copy and paste the same reply here.

Since this question is a matter of opinion I shall offer mine. The Rolling Stones are the greatest rock and roll band ever.
Not the best but the greatest because of their longevity and adaptability. Both bands are made up of mediocre at best
musicians and above average lyricist but it was the Stones who were able to adapt with the times. From the rock of the
60's, country rock of the early 70's. From disco to 80's crap to 90's pop the Stones did it all. The Beatles, as a group, were
unable or unwilling to adapt and because of that, the Stones are the greatest ever.


Nearly all of the stones albums since the early 70s have sounded the same to me, aside from that weird period from Some Girls through Undercover where they tried the whole disco thing.

My opinion: The Beatles. Just a matter of taste.

I posted this in the Beatles or the Sones thread so rather than rewrite the whole thing I will
copy and paste the same reply here.

Since this question is a matter of opinion I shall offer mine. The Rolling Stones are the greatest rock and roll band ever.
Not the best but the greatest because of their longevity and adaptability. Both bands are made up of mediocre at best
musicians and above average lyricist but it was the Stones who were able to adapt with the times. From the rock of the
60's, country rock of the early 70's. From disco to 80's crap to 90's pop the Stones did it all. The Beatles, as a group, were
unable or unwilling to adapt and because of that, the Stones are the greatest ever.


I respectfully disagree!!!  It seems that the whole question is purely subjective and based on ones definition of the words  "the best". If it means that the band has somehow managed to not hate each others guts and stayed together ... then, yes, they are the best!  I can't agree that they have adapted any better than other bands. They have simply stayed together and kept recording. While they have had some chart success in the past 25 years or so...it couldn't be argued that they have remained relevant. They obviously have some loyal fans that will always buy their stuff.

The Stones biggest claim is their longevity and their status as legends (and some excellent music from the early 60's through to the early 80's). They have retained a large amount of that status due to the fact they have a great live show that has been on the road for years at a time.

But, in the end, it's the music that makes the real 'greatness' of any artist or band. That's why it is the Beatles (for me). I am not a great fan of them actually....never bought or owned one of their albums or singles. But, I recognize greatness when I see it. They would also be the most covered' band (which is another measure of the popularity of their music). Ringo may not have been the best drummer... but I heard no mistakes in the beat! Paul was one of the best ballad and rock voices of his time. John was a solid singer. George grew into his craft and innovated...  Lennon & McCartney were without a doubt the best popular music writing team. One could only guess how much more could have been achieved (as they both had hits through the 70's and early 80's). I think they did adapt as a band when they were together. There is a huge difference between their earlier and later songs (e.g. I Wanna Hold Your Hand  and  The Long and Winding Road).

Comparison Time:

Current poll scores: 

Beatles = 8
Stones = 3

Say no more... ;D
That is only the opinion of 11 members of this boards so far. ;D

I think you guys need to cool off.

http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/tap_water.jpg

http://www.free-pictures-photos.com/water/water-uv5k.jpg

That is only the opinion of 11 members of this boards so far. ;D


Yes...but it can also be taken as a cross section of the public from across the globe. This may be a small sample but it does show a similar story to the recording sales stats.

As I alluded to previously... I have never spent one cent on the Beatles. I just accord them the status of "the best" ever... ;)

I think you guys need to cool off.

http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/tap_water.jpg

http://www.free-pictures-photos.com/water/water-uv5k.jpg


We're okay 80sfan. It would take a lot more than a comparison between these bands to get us really mad at each other.  ;D  I'd be really surprised if that was not the case... :-\\

We're okay 80sfan. It would take a lot more than a comparison between these bands to get us really mad at each other.  ;D  I'd be really surprised if that was not the case... :-\\


Oh, I think I was just using an excuse to post pictures. ;D

Oh, I think I was just using an excuse to post pictures. ;D


I don't know what you mean!  ;)

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m214/Dragonwindspirit/funny-pictures-creature-deploys-its.jpg

I said yes!

And here's my Top-13 Bands/Musicians of all time....

1-The Beatles. They were a simple band for awhile, but they came at a time when America was STILL mourning the death of JFK...it wasn't until 1966 when The Beatles were talented. They only needed 8 years!

2-The Moody Blues. This band has a longevity (1964-Present), They transformed when Denny Laine and Clint Warwick left and John Lodge and Justin Hayward came in 1967. "Days of Future Passed" is one of the first Art-Rock Albums out there.

3-Procol Harum. Like The Moody Blues, Procol Harum became big in 1967 with "A Whiter Shade of Pale", but there's more to Procol Harum than that song, I made an article about this on here!

4-Beach Boys. The only band that really was on the competition in the 60's was The Beach Boys. Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney would have a friendly head-to-head on who'd make a ground-breaking album. Beatles..."Rubber Soul", then...Beach Boys..."Pet Sounds", then...Beatles..."Revolver", then supposedly "Smile" was to be released in 1967, but because of Brian Wilson's burn-out and Mike Love just wanting to be a Surf-Rock Band..."Smile" was unreleased until 2004 by Brian Wilson!

5-Barenaked Ladies. This is my favorite Canadian band, they use a combination of folk, rock, and humor. I haven't listened to their new album when Steve Page left.

6-Jimi Hendrix. All he needed was 3 years to play the guitar and boy...he can play!

7-Genesis. Laugh all you want, but I like BOTH the Peter Gabriel AND Phil Collins Eras of Genesis. Peter Gabriel is really poetic and Phil Collins can really play drums.

8-Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder is VERY talented, despite being blind...he can play keyboards and drums. This is why his 3 albums ("Innervisions", "Fufillingness First Finale", and "Songs in the Key of Life") won Grammys 3 of the 4 years!

9-Billy Joel. He may be The Piano Man, but he has a good library of albums.

10-Elton John. Oddly Enough...I put him after Billy Joel, but what could I say? He dresses as well as he plays!

11-Frank Sinatra. He's the voice of many generations, I just love his songs and I would play his albums while dining on Italian Food.

12-The Divine Comedy. This is mostly Neil Hannon and his music is popular in England, but underground in The States...but boy...the music that The Divine Comedy makes is poetic and symphonic....

13-Todd Rundgren. Like Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, he played all the instruments on many of his albums. "Something/Anything" is his most eclectic album out there.

I have a friend who looks exactly like John Lennon. Like he could play him in a biopic. Its pretty funny/awesome.

I myself look pretty similar to Beatlemania-era George Harrison.

I don't know about the best *ever* but if rock music has its Shakespeare, it's the Beatles.

The thing about the Beatles is that from a historic perspective, all 4 members were superstars in their own right. In some ways you can consider them one of the first "boybands". :D The (one of many) difference is that each one could also play an instrument.  

The Beatles vs Rolling Stones argument is rather useless since they were really were two different types of bands. The Beatles started as a Rock and Roll band the turned into Instrumental Pop. The Stones are really more of a classic R&B band with it distinctive rifts, beats, and hooks at the core of its music. So yes, you can like and rate both as the best in their respectful genres. ;)


Inatrumental Pop?  Experimental cross genre, maybe, if one tried to classify.

http://blogs-images.forbes.com/johndragoon/files/2010/12/beatles.jpg

http://blogs-images.forbes.com/johndragoon/files/2010/12/beatles.jpg



They had such freakish long hair.  :D ;D ;D ;D ;D



Cat

They had such freakish long hair.  :D ;D ;D ;D ;D



Cat


It was the 60s man!!  :D Or should I say woman.

Looks like these slackers need to get a haircut and a job. Whoever they are they won't amount to much in life I can already tell you that!


;D

Looks like these slackers need to get a haircut and a real job.


Fixed that for you.  But George Thorogood won't write that song until 1993, so these Beatles still have a shot at it as long as they don't use their time machine to rip off Tiffany for "I think we're alone now" :)

Its too late. It looks like the one on the right traveled to future and caught "Bieber Fever"!  :D


I like this guy.  He's gonna fit right in here :)

Fixed that for you.  But George Thorogood won't write that song until 1993, so these Beatles still have a shot at it as long as they don't use their time machine to rip off Tiffany for "I think we're alone now" :)



Going off topic for a bit here:

Back in 1988 (?), we went to see Tommy James & the Shondells. When they played the song "I Think We're Alone Now", my niece who was about 12 years old at the time and her friend both said, "They stole that song from Tiffany." We looked at the two girls and there were about a half dozen of us who said almost in unison , "No, Tiffany stole it from them."



Cat

The Beatles are my favorite band/musical act ever, by a whole lot. Nothing comes even close to 2nd place. Are they the best band ever? Who knows. Depends on what you like and don’t like.  All I know is that between 1964 and 1970 they had a magic that no one else ever had, and no one else ever will. They were times in the 70s where all 4 individuals had songs in the top 40, simultaneously. Impressive.

I think John and Paul are the 2 most talented songwriters ever and probably my 2 favorite pop /rock stars ever.

The best rock and roll band ever? Dunno about that. The Stones have been around for 50 years. Granted they didn’t have the talent the Beatles had (no one ever did, really) , but being very good for a long time counts for something.

Beatles and the Stones are #1 and #2. I don’t really care what order you put them in. I'd put the Beatles as #1. If someone wants to put the Stones as #1, fine with me.

They have sold more than any other bands or solo artists in history! But it might be an unfair measure of popularity because people such as Beethoven or Mozart didn't have the luxury of having vinyl records or Cd's.

They have sold more than any other bands or solo artists in history! But it might be an unfair measure of popularity because people such as Beethoven or Mozart didn't have the luxury of having vinyl records or Cd's.


Selling more albums can be one good indicator, but lots of crap artists have sold lots of albums (Bieber and others I won't mention)
I don't know too many people who don't like the Beatles at all, that's a pretty good indicator too.

Selling more albums can be one good indicator, but lots of crap artists have sold lots of albums (Bieber and others I won't mention)
I don't know too many people who don't like the Beatles at all, that's a pretty good indicator too.


Britney Spears? :-X :-X

They have sold more than any other bands or solo artists in history! But it might be an unfair measure of popularity because people such as Beethoven or Mozart didn't have the luxury of having vinyl records or Cd's.


their music appealed to a young fan base.

their music appealed to a young fan base.


Remember those pics of screaming teenage girls in the 60s??  :D

Remember those pics of screaming teenage girls in the 60s??  :D



just like they did with Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5.

just like they did with Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5.


Sorry Howard, you can't compare the reaction to the Beatles with the Jackson five. Oy. ::)

Elvis Presley in the late 50s had the same reaction from teenage girls as The Beatles.

Michael Jackson as a solo artist had the same reaction, I can see that, especially during the mid 80s!

Elvis Presley in the late 50s had the same reaction from teenage girls as The Beatles.



Elvis's was similar yeah.

Elvis's was similar yeah.


I remember a picture, from circa 1964, where a few teenagers held up signs, "Move over Elvis, the Beatles are here," or something along those lines. I LOL'd.

I remember a picture, from circa 1964, where a few teenagers held up signs, "Move over Elvis, the Beatles are here," or something along those lines. I LOL'd.


Probably happened. I was too young to remember that. I only remember the Beatles at the end of their career.
I was never much of an Elvis fan. There are a couple songs I like, but that's it. 

When I think of all the acts that have been very popular over the years (Sinatra, Elvis, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, MJ, U2, Madonna, Nirvana, now Gaga and Bieber...or whoever) I don't know anyone who dislikes Beatles music. I know different people who dislike everyone else on that list, but not The Beatles. Maybe that's what makes them different?

Sorry Howard, you can't compare the reaction to the Beatles with the Jackson five. Oy. ::)


The Jacksons had their audience.

Hmm...they are from way before my time, lol. But I think "If I fell in love with you" is probably one of the most beautiful songs ever made. And they had all those other great songs. My father has always been a fan of the Beatles, says they are the greatest band/music group ever. So I'm going to take his word for it and say YES!

Elvis Presley in the late 50s had the same reaction from teenage girls as The Beatles.

Michael Jackson as a solo artist had the same reaction, I can see that, especially during the mid 80s!


You needn't stop there - by all accounts Messrs Jolson and Crosby were HUGE in their heyday, but, as record sales were in their infancy (I'll conveniently 'forget' about 'White Christmas'!) this can't be used this as any kind of yardstick. But going by sheer heft of influence alone...wow!

You needn't stop there - by all accounts Messrs Jolson and Crosby were HUGE in their heyday, but, as record sales were in their infancy (I'll conveniently 'forget' about 'White Christmas'!) this can't be used this as any kind of yardstick. But going by sheer heft of influence alone...wow!


Frank Sinatra too.

Frank Sinatra too.


Indeed...'pop idol hero worship' started with this man (Crosby was getting too old by then!) and very conveniently for Francis, after WW2 died away, so did the type of big bands that he sang with - and everything began to focus upon the devilishly handsome singer...

...helpful that he could sing too!