The Music of the Beatles

Grow your skills with Coursera Plus for $239/year (usually $399). Save now.

The Music of the Beatles

Instructor: John Covach

43,951 already enrolled

Included with

Learn more

7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

751 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

751 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

Students will be able to summarize and describe the evolution of the Beatles from their early days to Beatlemania and beyond.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

6 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

There are 7 modules in this course

The Music of the Beatles will track the musical development of the band, starting from the earliest days in Liverpool and Hamburg, moving through the excitement of Beatlemania, the rush of psychedelia, and the maturity of Abbey Road. While the focus will be on the music, we will also consider how recording techniques, the music business, the music of other artists, and the culture of the 1960s affected John, Paul, George, and Ringo as they created the Beatles repertory.

There is probably no band or artist that has had more written about their music than the Beatles. There are many good books on the band's biography, several insider accounts offering glimpses behind the scenes, books that interpret the meaning of the songs, and even books that catalog dates and people regarding the band. This course will try to synthesize much of that information into an account of the Beatles' development as musicians and songwriters.

What's included

5 videos4 readings

The Beatles as pop craftsmen. Study of cover versions at Cavern and Hamburg shows, Please Please Me, With the Beatles, and the singles from this period.

What's included

9 videos1 assignment

9 videosTotal 109 minutes

Organizing the Biography and Music14 minutes
Before Beatlemania13 minutes
Hamburg and Liverpool18 minutes
The First Recordings for Parlophone12 minutes
Please Please Me10 minutes
SCU – Love Me Do, Please Please Me, I Saw Her Standing There14 minutes
The Beatles and UK Pop, 196310 minutes
With the Beatles6 minutes
SCU - She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand13 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Early Day and Success in the UK30 minutes

The Beatles begin to move toward the artist model. Music from A Hard Day's Night, Beatles For Sale, and singles from this period. From this point on we will closely follow particular authorship of songs, keeping track of John, Paul, and George as individual songwriters.

What's included

8 videos1 assignment

8 videosTotal 81 minutes

Introduction3 minutes
The Beatles are Coming!12 minutes
The Beatles in the Movies8 minutes
A Hard Day’s Night, the Album14 minutes
SCU - A Hard Day’s Night, Can’t Buy Me Love, and Any Time At All9 minutes
Beatles For Sale, Fall 196415 minutes
SCU - I’m A Loser and Eight Days a Week7 minutes
Brian Epstein and George Martin13 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Success in America and the World30 minutes

Increased experimentation, still mostly within the context of the pop single. The increasingly important role of the recording studio and recording techniques and innovations. Help!, Rubber Soul, and singles from this period.

What's included

7 videos1 assignment

7 videosTotal 82 minutes

Overview of 1965: Beatlemania Continues10 minutes
Help! The Movie7 minutes
From Craftsmen to Artists8 minutes
Help! The Album12 minutes
SCU - Help!, You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away, I’ve Just Seen a Face, Yesterday14 minutes
Rubber Soul15 minutes
SCU - Norwegian Wood, In My Life, Michelle, I’m Looking Through You, If I Needed Someone15 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Pop Maturity30 minutes

The artist model comes into full bloom. The rise of importance of the album and idea-driven projects. Revolver, "Penny Lane," "Strawberry Fields," Sgt. Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour, and other singles from this period, including the tracks that would end up on Yellow Submarine.

What's included

9 videos1 assignment

9 videosTotal 112 minutes

The Rigors of Touring and the Freedom of the Studio13 minutes
Revolver: The Album13 minutes
SCU - Rain, Tomorrow Never Knows, Eleanor Rigby, For No One, Taxman15 minutes
On the Way to the Summer of Love8 minutes
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band18 minutes
SCU - Strawberry Fields, Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite, Penny Lane, She’ Leaving Home, Within You Without You16 minutes
Loss and New Directions in Fall, 196711 minutes
Magical Mystery Tour: The Album6 minutes
SCU - All You Need Is Love, Fool on the Hill, Blue Jay Way13 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Psychedelia30 minutes

The White Album both begins a return to roots while also continuing the musical experimentation of the earlier music, but now each song is less of a group effort. Creative differences arise. The White Album and singles from this period.

What's included

9 videos1 assignment

9 videosTotal 98 minutes

1968 - Events and Singles16 minutes
The Beatles (White Album)7 minutes
White Album - The Paul Songs10 minutes
SCU - Lady Madonna, Hey Jude, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da12 minutes
White Album - The John Songs14 minutes
SCU - Revolution, Happiness Is a Warm Gun, Julia13 minutes
White Album – George and Ringo Songs8 minutes
SCU - The Inner Light, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Piggies11 minutes
Yellow Submarine6 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

A Co-Op of Singer-Songwriters30 minutes

Once there was a way to get back home. The Get Back sessions embrace a return-to-simplicity approach but are aborted. Abbey Road attempts to get back to the band's previous manner of working. Let It Be combines material from Get Back with newly recorded tracks. Abbey Road, Let It Be, and singles from this period.

What's included

9 videos1 assignment

9 videosTotal 111 minutes

Introduction7 minutes
The Get Back Project15 minutes
Get Back/Let It Be, The Album11 minutes
SCU - Let It Be, Dig a Pony, I Me Mine, I Got a Feeling14 minutes
The Grand Finale: Abbey Road10 minutes
Abbey Road: Side One6 minutes
SCU - Here Comes the Sun, Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, I Want You (She’s So Heavy)15 minutes
Abbey Road: Side Two (A Longer Day in the Life)17 minutes
Conclusions16 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Get Back30 minutes

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(146 ratings)

John Covach

University of Rochester

4 Courses107,363 learners

Offered by

University of Rochester

Explore more from Music and Art

Status: Preview
University of Rochester
History of Rock, Part One
Course
Status: Preview
University of Rochester
The Music of the Rolling Stones, 1962-1974
Course
Status: Preview
University of Rochester
History of Rock, Part Two
Course
Status: Free Trial
Berklee
Songwriting: Writing the Music
Course

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018

"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020

"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021

"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Learner reviews

5 stars
85.20%
4 stars
11.33%
3 stars
2.53%
2 stars
0.40%
1 star
0.53%

Showing 3 of 751

Reviewed on Aug 14, 2020

I really enjoyed the course, including the side stories. I only wish that there was no problem with copyright infringement and all so one can listen to the songs as they are being discussed.

Reviewed on Aug 21, 2020

Gave me a better appreciation of the Beatles' music and their place in history. The instructor was very engaging and informative. Tons of information.

Reviewed on Jun 24, 2020

i was a pure, untouched soul who was inspired by john covach to listen to the entire of Rubber Soul on Pot and Revolver on LSD, 14/10 would recommend

View more reviews

Open new doors with Coursera Plus

Unlimited access to 10,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription

Learn more

Advance your career with an online degree

Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online

Explore degrees

Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy

Learn more

Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.