The "British Invasion". A question for you old farts out there.


In school as a young teen ager, we has two groups....the Beatles fans and the Dave Clark Five fans, which I was one of.  In your youth did you have different cliques (I am thinking high school) based on what bands/singers they liked?  I was also in the minority by being a Del Shannon fan.  (yes, I am a dinosaur! ).  Thankfully I aged into Jazz and Classical for the most part, but did enjoy some popular music in the 80s.   And you?
    




jusam
In the UK there were definitely cliques in the 60's that determined what music was acceptable - Mods, Rockers, Skinheads, Hippies, Folkies and others. There were all these little countercultures that dressed, wore their hair and used slang differently. In the US you saw that as the British Invasion of lots of Beat and rock n' roll acts. Of course what you listened to at home and with your 'mates' could be very different.

BTW my farts are new!
Beatles vs. Rolling Stones. All others were on the sidelines. I was (am) a Beatles fan. They put out some of the most inventive, groundbreaking music and continually evolved. Each of their albums was a step in a new direction that you could listen to over and over and find something new with each listen.
Two music cliques growing up;

Grateful Dead - pot smoking, mellow hippies (me)

VS.

Lead Zeppelin - alcohol drinking, tough guys





All of those were great groups, but especially The Beatles. My 16 year old son (yes, I’m an old codger with young children) still listens to them all the time and loves their music.

Someone mentioned Paul Revere and the Raiders holding up the American end. There was also the Lovin’ Spoonful, good music and good run in the mid 1960’s.
Apple Music has a nice “British Invasion” playlist. I was also surprised occasionally to see that somebody I thought was American was British. The only clique I recall — in jr. hi, since I’m so old —  was Beatles vs. Stones. Or maybe the folks who liked The Beach Boys as a genuine US group. Or Dylan if they were self-consciously hip. In college a friend introduced me to classical music and as a result I have a 10-year gap in my popular music experience, regardless or which side of the pond they came from.