Are the Beatles the reason why modern music exists

While the Beatles were a very popular band, in my opinion they were not responsible for any great shift in music theory or in what you might call rock theory. They wrote a lot of good music that is still enjoyed today and without them we would be out oh so many clever allusions. But if they hadn't given us those jokes and tunes to listen to, someone else would have. If what you're suggesting is that without them the whole course of music would have changed, I don't know if I agree. While Chaos Theory does come into play, it also does with every butterfly who flaps its wings and every single one of us. And farbeit from me to credit myself with any major shift in human history.

My point is, if you want to give someone credit with why modern music exists, give it to the first dude who started banging some rocks together or hitting a tree with a stick and nodding his head to it. Or perhaps you could credit birds and other animals which provide nature's own melody and the inspiration for many early pieces of music :P But if that guy hadn't started banging those rocks or sticks together, someone else would have, maybe not to the same beat, but it would've been close enough for jazz. Same with the Beatles.

The Beatles were great and a lot of bands list them as an influence. But that's also true of the Pixies and many other bands, but nobody's praying to them for musical guidance. Let's let the Beatles religion go and let these fine men rest in peace.

Audiofeil:

If your litmus test for the greatness of music/art is longevity, then do you believe that no artist can truly be credited or appreciated in their own time?

While I agree that truly great pieces of music and art will find a way to survive the ages, I also feel that many great pieces might disappear under the duress of War, Tyranny, and oppression. Who can say what great artists are no longer known because of oppressive government? It is for that that I suggest to you that the true test of music, and any art, is that it expresses emotions and ideas in a way that moves and inspires.

As you said Audiofeil, the demigod appearence of the Beatles has a lot to do with their timing and the walls they tore down.

Again, I'd like to state that I do love the Beatles. I just think it's a little bizzare how some people want to give them credit for every melody, every note that's ever been crapped out when they too have bands and artists before them which inspired them. It all gets back to, as I said, animals chirping and some guy banging some sticks together. Where's that guy/gal's place in the pantheon of rock gods?

I agree with Ben and Macrojack.

Naturally corporate forces dictate everything that flows in the mainstream. Although, the people are at least as much to blame as the big wigs at the record/broadcast companies for letting it happen.

There is a lot of good music out there that doesn't get played publicly often. I've found that lately a lot of it seems to occassionally be squeaking into some air time though, which is good news.