The Beatles are probably the only band you can mention to any person you know and you can guarantee they have at least heard of them. John, Paul, George, and Ringo are four names that have impacted music for over 60 years. In the span of 8 years, they released 13 powerful albums that have remained timeless. As an esteemed and self-proclaimed Beatlemaniac, I’ve comprised a ranking of all 13 of their albums. Here are my viciously unpopular opinions about the Beatles years of work:
13. Beatles For Sale (1964)
Many claim the 1964 album to be underrated and full of hits, but I believe it has fallen under the radar for a reason. There aren’t many memorable songs on the album besides “Eight Days A Week,” and most of the album comprises covers that can’t compare to their earlier albums. Altogether, the album is a sorry follow up to A Hard Day’s Night. I still love to listen to it, because of course, it is the Beatles, but in comparison to their other work, I find it subpar.
12. Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
This placement may shock some, but somebody has to take the bottom spots. The 1967 album was their last fully psychedelic album, following Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. While the album has some extraordinary songs, like “All You Need Is Love,” “Penny Lane,” and of course, the unmatched “Strawberry Fields Forever,” the album altogether doesn’t hold the same flow of Sgt. Pepper’s. Although Sgt. Pepper’s is regarded as the messy album, Magical Mystery Tour doesn’t seem much cleaner to me. It comes down to the fact that even though I enjoy many of the songs on the album, the album in total can’t compare to the structure of their other albums.
11. Abbey Road (1969)
Now, I know I may have struck a nerve by ranking their most iconic album toward the bottom. But when I am in the mood for the Beatles, I consistently find that this is not the album I’m reaching for. I still am highly impressed by the album, purely because you don’t get songs like “Something” and “Come Together” every day. Side A is always a treat, but Side B lacks the same drive as its sibling. While I like their little ditties like “Mean Mr. Mustard,” I don’t find them particularly innovative or compelling. Side B can be fun to listen to, but there is not much there besides the comprehensive Abbey Road Medley. Ultimately, I think the second side of this album drags it down the ranks.
10. Please Please Me (1963)
There’s nothing I like better than an album that starts and ends with a smash hit, and the Beatles’ debut album does just that. Kicking off with “I Saw Her Standing There” and closing with “Twist and Shout,” Please Please Me is an album that keeps chugging you along, with 13 tracks that truly compliment each other. It holds early Lennon-McCartney hits, beautiful ballads, and covers that could challenge their originals. The 1963 album was a great kickstart to their international career, and one album that I thoroughly enjoy.
9. Help! (1965)
Help! is an album that teeters on a concept album–purely because of how well each track compliments each other. Each song is a joy in its own way, from simpler tunes like “Act Naturally” to emotionally complex journeys like “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” and “Yesterday.” The album really proves their significance and peak at the time, a perfect snapshot of their career in 1965.
8. Yellow Submarine (1969)
The soundtrack to their 1968 film of the same name, Yellow Submarine has some of the most creative pieces the Beatles did. More specifically, George Harrison crafted some of his best pieces for this album, like “Only A Northern Song” and “It’s All Too Much.” Side A is a masterpiece by happenstance, and it was truly the last pure psychedelic album of the Beatles’ career. In addition, Yellow Submarine holds George Martin’s artistic score to the film, a perfect compliment to Side A.
7. With the Beatles (1963)
This album is typically poorly rated, but not in my book. Although it holds similar content to Please Please Me, it takes its ideas to the next level. This album has some of the Beatles’ best covers, like “‘Til There Was You” from The Music Man and The Miracles’ “You Really Got A Hold On Me,” but also includes amazing originals like “All My Loving” and “Don’t Bother Me.” Altogether, this album covers pop tunes, ballads, covers, and everything in between, and still holds some of their catchiest tunes.
6. Let it Be (1970)
Let it Be was the final addition to the Beatles’ catalogue (released not long after Paul McCartney’s first solo album, McCartney,) with the most beautiful simplicity out of all their albums. The Beatles took time to return to their beginnings and the songs that inspired them. It really shows how far they had come in their career, and how far each Beatle had come in their songwriting. A perfect way to end the band and to kickstart years of fantastic solo work, Let it Be is one of my favorites.
5. The Beatles (White Album) (1968)
Kicking off the top 5 is The Beatles self-titled double album, filled with some of their most creative works, many of them being written on their escapade to India. Each Beatle made substantial contributions to the album, and showed some of their best work. From simpler tunes to complex masterpieces, the Beatles really took advantage of a double album. The creativity on this album exceeds most, really touching on many different genres and styles.
4. A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
Accompanied by their first film, A Hard Day’s Night was an album that took the Beatles to the next level. One of my favorite songs from the album, “And I Love Her,” really shows how far the Beatles had come as musicians and band mates, with the songwriting charge led by Paul McCartney but the intro being some unexpected strums on the guitar by George Harrison. This album was what the Beatles had been working toward since the beginning of the band, and to me, it’s the best of their earlier albums.
3. Revolver (1966)
Revolver is widely considered to be the wife of Rubber Soul, and an amazing follow up. It’s always the album that I decide to put on and then discover how much I love it over and over again. This album and its spouse are, in my opinion, the peak of the Beatles’ career. It’s an album where not a single song is a let down or subpar in comparison to the other tracks. Every song is its own, and every song is perfect. Revolver, along with Rubber Soul, was the perfect precursor to their final albums.
2. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Sgt. Pepper’s is by far the Beatles’ most creative and complex album. Song after song is a masterpiece, each with its own story and sound. Sgt. Pepper’s completely redefined the music scene and launched the psychedelic rock genre, ending the album with the greatest Lennon-McCartney composition, “A Day in the Life,” which finished with an E major chord considered to be the greatest chord played in rock history. The only thing that keeps it from number 1 is its lack of structure, caused by many disagreements between the band. George Harrison was not above calling it one of their messier albums. However, it still remains one of my favorites.
1. Rubber Soul (1965)
Coming in at number 1 is the subtle beginning of the Beatles’ psychedelic era, Rubber Soul. I chose this for number one because it really takes all the strengths of other albums and melds them together for the perfect Beatles album. This album is creative, daring, and innovative, and still remains to be crisp and concise in a way that their other top albums (like Sgt. Pepper’s) are not. This was by far the best work the Beatles put out, and probably the peak of their career together. This will always remain my favorite Beatles album, as nothing captures their magic quite like Rubber Soul does.
