It’s hard to put into words just how imposing the figure of The Beatles is over popular music. Largely cited as one of the forefathers of modern music, the strength of the records The Beatles put out across their comparatively short time together is truly impressive and is rightly revered by all. The mythology surrounding the group may feel like overkill to some, especially with 60 years of weight behind them, but there is a reason such tales are told.
Across their discography, there are moments of pure brilliance and unbridled genius. However, as is only right, there are also some less savoury moments most would rather forget. But, ups, downs, peaks and troughs, the quartet shaped the sonic landscape as we hear it today. Put it simply, you won’t find many serious musicians who discredit the impact the Fab Four had on music as a whole.
However, as with every facet of life, there simply has to be a spectrum of quality laid upon their discography. It means that, despite protestations to the contrary, there is a ‘worst’ Beatles album and a ‘best’ Beatles album. Below, taking a look back at the band’s studio albums and ranking them in order of greatness, is a guaranteed way to get into the group. It should provide any non-Beatles fan with a great jumping-off point to get to know the biggest band the world has ever known.
There’s a difficulty with these lists in that they try to place how a singular piece of art has affected—and continues to affect—the world around it. What’s more, how important it can be to both the band and their audience can be wildly different on a mass scale, let alone on an individual listener basis. So while we think the below list is airtight, we’re certain most people will have a giant skewer at the ready to punch a few holes in it. But we encourage that anyway.
After all, the four members of the band all preferred different albums, so why shouldn’t you? For Paul McCartney, it was the psychedelic centrepiece Sgt. Pepper, for Lennon, he loved the band’s return to rock in The White Album, Ringo preferred Abbey Road while Harrison’s pick is more leftfield in Rubber Soul. The fact that the band members can pick four different albums as their best and there could be few complaints with any of the choices, proves how dense and fruitful the band’s catalogue truly is.
So, we’re looking back at The Beatles’ 13 studio albums and placing them in order of greatness as we aim to get into order one of the most imposing bands of all time. The Beatles can’t be contained within these 13 entires, but it is certainly worth trying.
