Readers reply: will there ever again be a band as big as the Beatles or the Stones?

Readers weigh in on whether the era of all-conquering bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones will ever return.

The full report

The Guardian — Life and Style recently asked readers if there will ever again be a band as big as the Beatles or the Stones. The response was mixed, with some readers arguing that the era of the all-conquering group is over, while others believe it could still happen. Dominique Perrault suggested that Oasis fandom is giving it a good try, while dfic1999 questioned how to measure the cultural significance of bands.

Some readers pointed out that individual pop artists have made it big in recent years, such as Taylor Swift and Harry Styles. However, they noted that the charts are not full of bands like they used to be. DrBlamm0 argued that the music industry's treatment of artists as commodities, allowing music to be given away for free, has contributed to the decline of bands.

Alex42 suggested that bands are a short-lived phenomenon, and that the industry has always found them annoying due to their tendency to split up and argue over creative control. Randomusername222 wondered if the arrival of streaming has diversified music-listening to the point where nobody can dominate.

The discussion also touched on the influence of other bands and the cultural significance of music. Some readers noted that the Beatles' influence can be seen in many other bands, while others argued that the cultural significance of music is subjective and difficult to measure.