I would say that most indie pop is, especially Belle and Sebastian, britpop groups like Oasis, certain new wave groups (particularly say, the Thompson Twins and Tears for Fears) are "blatantly" Beatles-influenced.

Oasis is what the Beatles would sound like if they were a sh*tty Beatles cover band.

Not a contemporary band, but grab a hold of 'Lies' by an American group called The Knickerbockers...

...and see if you think if that's Lennon singing!

It's hard to ascertain what bands are deliberately "Beatles influenced" because the Beatles' influence on pop music is so pervasive. It's sort of like discussing Bach's influence on the Classical period or Beethoven's influence on the Romantic period (which people still do ad nauseam).
I would say, though, the Who, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath had a bigger influence on "hard rock" and "heavy metal" than the Beatles did.
One band that had a deliberate Beatles influence was the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), who attempted to sound specifically like the Beatles. Attempted, that is. Of course, you had The Monkees, which was a Hollywood-contrived version of pre-psychedelic Beatles, and the Beatles' movie "Help!"

As for groups around in the past 15 year or so, you already mentioned Oasis.
In addition

Radiohead ("Karma Police" vs. "Sexy Sadie")
The Pixies (Frank Black sites George Harrison's guitar style)
Elliott Smith (talks a lot about his Beatles influence)
Tears For Fears (specifically "Sowing the Seeds of Love")
Coldplay
Apples In Stereo
Crowded House

It's hard to ascertain what bands are deliberately "Beatles influenced" because the Beatles' influence on pop music is so pervasive. It's sort of like discussing Bach's influence on the Classical period or Beethoven's influence on the Romantic period (which people still do ad nauseam).
I would say, though, the Who, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath had a bigger influence on "hard rock" and "heavy metal" than the Beatles did.
One band that had a deliberate Beatles influence was the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), who attempted to sound specifically like the Beatles. Attempted, that is. Of course, you had The Monkees, which was a Hollywood-contrived version of pre-psychedelic Beatles, and the Beatles' movie "Help!"

As for groups around in the past 15 year or so, you already mentioned Oasis.
In addition

Radiohead ("Karma Police" vs. "Sexy Sadie")
The Pixies (Frank Black sites George Harrison's guitar style)
Elliott Smith (talks a lot about his Beatles influence)
Tears For Fears (specifically "Sowing the Seeds of Love")
Coldplay
Apples In Stereo
Crowded House




Also, the Bangles were sort of Beatles-esque. Even the Smiths were a little Beatles-esque at times, like "Is It Really So Strange?" or "This Charming Man."

Also, the Bangles were sort of Beatles-esque. Even the Smiths were a little Beatles-esque at times, like "Is It Really So Strange?" or "This Charming Man."

I agree...but the Beatles set a standard so widely followed it's hard to say which pop songwriters had the Fab Four in mind specifically.

Of Montreal and Beulah take a lot from the Beatles.. then again, almost all of the Elephant 6 label does.

Of Montreal and Beulah take a lot from the Beatles.. then again, almost all of the Elephant 6 label does.

Oh, I know "Oh Montreal," but the goup is not well known in the U.S., it's very much a college station indie band.

Oasis?  ::)

Oasis?  ::)

Yes, that was the first one out of the basket!

A Beatles cover band?  :D

Nah, I think people overplay the whole Oasis/Beatles thing - sure they were Beatlesque, but hardly a 'rip-off' off the Fab Four. If you count groups in the actual 60s, there were a ton of Beatles imitators - of course who could forget the Monkees? Even Queen (who cite the Beatles as a major influence as well) is sort of the Beatles of the 70s. I also agree about Belle and Sebastian, and to a lesser extent the others you mention. 'Tigermilk' was more folk-inspired, but their others seemed more glossy pop.

A Beatles cover band?  :D

Nah, I think people overplay the whole Oasis/Beatles thing - sure they were Beatlesque, but hardly a 'rip-off' off the Fab Four. If you count groups in the actual 60s, there were a ton of Beatles imitators - of course who could forget the Monkees? Even Queen (who cite the Beatles as a major influence as well) is sort of the Beatles of the 70s. I also agree about Belle and Sebastian, and to a lesser extent the others you mention. 'Tigermilk' was more folk-inspired, but their others seemed more glossy pop.


The Boy With the Arab Strap is oh-so Beatlesesque. Also, the Beatles started chamber pop, which Belle and Sebastian exemplify.

The Boy With the Arab Strap is oh-so Beatlesesque. Also, the Beatles started chamber pop, which Belle and Sebastian exemplify.


Chamber Pop? That's a term I've never heard.  ??? I wouldn't think it would have anything to do with a Church organ, would it? Please enlighten me on what 'chamber pop' is, and some examples from both aforementioned groups.

Chamber Pop? That's a term I've never heard.  ??? I wouldn't think it would have anything to do with a Church organ, would it? Please enlighten me on what 'chamber pop' is, and some examples from both aforementioned groups.


Chamber pop uses instruments more usually used in symphonic music than "pop." An example would be "Eleanor Rigby."

Chamber pop uses instruments more usually used in symphonic music than "pop." An example would be "Eleanor Rigby."


Ah yes...But I hardly see how the Beatles pioneered it. I mean, alot of pop music in the classical 30s and 40s used alot of orchestral backing - i.e. brass, strings.etc. Today groups like Mercury Rev and Arcade Fire seem to use alot of orchestration - not to mention the Polyphonic Spree, which was like a mini-orchestra in itself. Of course, operatic pop like 'Bond' and 'Il Divo' would be exempt from the term.

Ah yes...But I hardly see how the Beatles pioneered it. I mean, alot of pop music in the classical 30s and 40s used alot of orchestral backing - i.e. brass, strings.etc. Today groups like Mercury Rev and Arcade Fire seem to use alot of orchestration - not to mention the Polyphonic Spree, which was like a mini-orchestra in itself. Of course, operatic pop like 'Bond' and 'Il Divo' would be exempt from the term.


The critics who created the term probably totally neglect traditional pop, lol.

The critics who created the term probably totally neglect traditional pop, lol.


:D Yes, very likely. It seems while praise and nostalgia have been heaped on the 50s, 60s, 70s.etc, the 30s and 40s have been largely ignored.

Oasis  :D

The most egregious rip-off of the Fab Four has to be the song "Lies" by the American group, The Knickerbockers. I don't know if that was how they usually sounded like, since they were one-hit wonders as far as I know. They was a local band in the 80s that called themselves "The Beatsters", who later became The Etals Bay (get it, ixnay on the etalsbay? ::)). Contrary to what the name suggests, they weren't a Beatles cover band.

The most egregious rip-off of the Fab Four has to be the song "Lies" by the American group, The Knickerbockers. I don't know if that was how they usually sounded like, since they were one-hit wonders as far as I know. They was a local band in the 80s that called themselves "The Beatsters", who later became The Etals Bay (get it, ixnay on the etalsbay? ::)). Contrary to what the name suggests, they weren't a Beatles cover band.


There were likely hundreds or thousands of those sort of imitator bands - not cover or tribute bands - but those who religiously copied the Fab Four's style in the 60s and into the 70s.