Ringo Starr On Why Taylor Swift Is The Modern-Day Beatlemania

Ringo Starr sat down with American Songwriter and dubbed Taylor Swift the modern-day Beatlemania.

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[TheStinkusofYore]

He really mastered the art of being a sweetheart!

[martinn]

"They influenced me too" (when she mentioned the The Beatles being an influence now). Awesome response.

[carla]

I love you, Ringo, thanks for being so respectful ❤
I am absolutely in love with The Beatles since I was 13 years old (now I am 27), I met them through my grandpa. It was a "gift" from him, if you may say. He said "those guys were part of my youth, and I think you will like them". He was SO right, and I thank him every day for showing me such and amazing band. I miss him, but I get to remember him in every Beatles' song.
At the same time I was discovering The Beatles, I discovered a young girl named Taylor Swift who sang songs about things that I was ashamed of admitting, about things I wanted to understand but couldn't on my own. About friendship, about love, about teenage dreams and insecurities and things that made so much sense to me. I fell in love with her music too. All I ever listened was mostly The Beatles and Taylor Swift, ask my parents.
Luckily, I got to see both Taylor and Sir Paul here in my country, Argentina. I can assure you, Ringo is so right. Taylor has fans older than her, fans of her same age and fans who are just little kids. It's magical. And guess what? The Beatles do too! Sir Paul's concert was filled with so, so many different people, the youngest I saw maybe six years old (he was dancing to Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da so cutely) and the oldest being around 80 something. It was also magical. And guess what, I know for sure that many people went to see Taylor and ALSO Paul. I know that because I know those people.
I guess that influential artists differ from one another through time, I guess there's one for each generation. As Ringo so well said, Taylor is "the now thing", but what's stopping her for some day becoming the "still here thing"? If I can take a guess, nothing. Nothing is stopping her, and nothing will. As a fan of Taylor, I very much plan to show my kids her music. To raise them with her records, in hope they take a liking for her. A lot of my friends plan to do exactly the same with her music (and The Beatles' too!). Just like my grandpa did with me. He shared something of his youth just because he liked it so much, and it became a major part of my life. I expect to do the same with Taylor, so I guess, after all, Beatles' fans and Taylor's fans aren't so different from each other, are we?
And, regarding the "musical" part, Taylor has made a enormous impact on music industry. Just... Just read about it. How her decisions and her way of thinking has inspired so many artists since at least 2010, and how many of her moves literally changed the way we perceive music today. Just like The Beatles, only that different. Because we live in DIFFERENT times now, a different music industry, so artists are going to be different as well.

If you read up to here, thank you. Sorry if there's any mistake, English is not my first language. But, well, I just hope we can get past the undermining Taylor's success and influence just because, and simply rejoice in the fact that music is still a source of joy and strength to many people, neverminding the generation they're from.

[llongdong]

There is no Beatles of "this generation". There is only, THE BEATLES, period.

[teddyfurstman]

Ringo respecting Taylor Swift is so nice to see.

[sunshine]

Ringo looks better than I last saw him, 15 or so years ago.

[peterschmitz]

Taylor Swiftˋs Success is a worldwide Phenomen, which is still not comparable to the sheer Madness and Frenziness of the Beatlemania. They nearly and litterally shred the Boys to Pieces, but they luckily survived this Madness.

[donnacushman]

The Beatles have nothing to worry about!

[mechele]

Still looks amazing, just purchased his country album that is coming out, can't wait to get it. Such a sweetheart, with a beautiful loving wife.

[ead]

I feel like the nature of Taylor Swift -mania is more similar to the Jackson-mania of 1984 in nature (in nature, not in size) than Beatlemania

[candelise]

The Beatles had screaming girls and lots of guys who started bands as a result of seeing them perform. How many guys are at Taylor Swift gigs as opposed to all those girls?

[johnurban]

But will Taylor Swift still hold the same influence as The Beatles 60 years from now? Even this young lady is in awe of Ringo. I bet more young people know more Beatles songs than Taylor Swift songs

[patriotusa]

Sorry, Ringo, but Swift isn't even in the same league as the Beatles. Not even close.

[CliffMcAulay]

Just like The Bay City Rollers, and lets not forget...the Wombles ! Everyone gets a little moment in the Sun, and the Telegraph.

[TheBeatleCavern]

I disagree Ringo. Didn't want to.

[СусаннаКрокодилова]

I am a huge fan of both the Beatles and Taylor Swift. 💖

[ryanniv]

How can this guy be 84 and look younger than Wayne Rooney 😂

[bullis]

Ringo you are outta ya mind about Swift

[dangremillion]

No mention of the talent level of Swift compared to the talent level of The Beatles.

[mechele]

I couldn't tell one song, swift sings. Beatles for me are still on top, then Elvis.