Will remixing the Beatles’ catalogue keep their music relevant in the coming years?

I don't think new potential fans would even hear a difference in a remix. If they like the music they’ll simply like the music.

 

I don't need music to be relevant to the culture. I just need it to sound good to my ears.

 

One word - bullshot

 

I suppose only time will tell. People listening via earphones and headphones will have a hard time listening to the hard panned stereo albums. Mono will also be an uncomfortable listen as it seems like the music is coming from the center of your head. Giles Martin is in charge of making sure the Beatles’ music sounds as good as possible on streaming services. All new Beatles projects go through him so let’s hope he remixes all the albums.

 

I think you meant “bullseye”. Thanks!

 

If I had to pick one, I'd say panned stereo..but that's only if i HAD to pick.

 

OMG! GEEZ...PERISH the thought!!! HAHA!

 

I honestly can't claim any special insight into what will tickle the fancy of young people today, but my sense is that anyone who is old fashioned enough to be interested in music that was released fifty years ago will want to hear the authentic original presentation, whether it be mono or "ping-pong" stereo. With that said, if the new GM remixes help to draw in new fans, that's cool too.

 

I really am not interested in the remixes of Hey Jude or any other Beatles songs.In my lifetime so far I've gone from 45 to 33LP then cassette to CD and pretty much am staying here.If you love the way a certain band sounds be it analog or digital that will be what I listen to until I'm 100.

 

YOU NAILED IT!
remixing the Beatles will have NOTHING to do with bringing new fans to the Beatles...heck, I was a fan via AM Radio where I heard most of the new Beatles singles played everyday and night back in 64...it was all Beatles back then!

 

I always have a little chuckle to myself whenever someone claims that someone else besides Giles Martin will be remixing The Beatles catalog in full (and yes, I believe that they will be using Abbey Road's new proprietary "demixing" technology on the first 2 albums). Let's face it: it's happening whether we like it or not. As much as I can think of several others who would perform mixes more to my tastes, Giles is the person they have chosen, and if that's the ticket to getting more Beatles product approved for release, so be it.

For my part, I will purchase the products, praise what they get right, and criticize what they get wrong. As us discerning consumers should do.

 

I don't totally agree with the idea that the Beatles have that much risk of getting irrelevant, nor do I agree that they're an absolute untouchable monument for most young music listeners; they weren't when I was a kid either, though -- I was considered pretty out-there for my obsession in elementary school, less so later on.

Anyway I work in a library and see/talk to kids every day and I have shocking news: some of them like old music like the Beatles. Some of them don't. It's so weird... just like two decades ago when I was in school. (The Beatles and Elvis still seem most ubiquitous -- I have Yellow Submarine action figures on my desk and they get noticed more often than you'd think -- though I saw a teenager in a Stones shirt a few days ago, and a young girl recently printed out a bunch of Bowie chords. Some of them have no idea who Al Green is. Some of them know more than their parents or grandparents. Etc.) The important thing is that we let them have their own culture and accept that; certain things from the past will fit within it. Certain kids with gravitate exclusively toward older material. It just happens however it wants to.

Anyway, I really doubt any of them make any mix distinctions?? I guess I could be wrong on that.

 

I am use to hearing the old mixes on vinyl so I don't see a reason for them to be remixed.

 

Rubber Soul is really the only album that requires a proper remix. Perhaps Revolver. Both stereo mixes of Rubber Soul are poor, IMHO.

 

Needless compression, which sucks the life out of the music. He doesn’t understand that less is more.

 

Beatles will always be relevant. Remix or not.

 

re relevance - yes they will be 'tinkering' with the catalogue forevermore....

and 'Beatle buffs' will be buying the new variations forevermore as well

- if only to 'slag em off' !! lol


Did they ever improve the mix of 'Help !' ?

The original mono and stereo mixes always sounded very rushed jobs (which I think they were) and I recall George Martin said he wanted to remix it, I think a later mix was done re the stereo version (?)

the earlier stereo albums had some tracks with that very basic vocals / most instruments separation and the odd error or two left in that was corrected in mono - where those issues ever resolved ?

if so what versions had any corrected stereo and revised mixes ?

also has anyone heard a 'clean start' version of 'A Day in The Life' in stereo ? - that is the guitar just opens it minus that 'applause fade out' of 'Sgt Pepper' reprise and the 'fade in' to ADITL

 

Remixing, recontextualizing, deconstructing and reassembling the Beatles has been going on for years. I apologize if this has been covered, haven’t read all 8 pages of the thread. YouTube is the most popular way youngsters listen to music, and it has lots of this kind of thing:

 

Yes, it's on the CD of The Beatles 1967-70 (1993 and 2010 versions)

The 1987 CD was the George Martin remix, as is the 2009 remaster and the 1987 and 2012 vinyl LPs. The original stereo mix is included on the mono CD from 2009, untouched (as is the mono mix).

 

Of course the music will be preserved, but their omnipresence will take a few hits once the remaining members have passed along with the generation that grew up with them, who are currently their biggest champions.

 

I was a teenage Beatles fan in the 80s and 90s and even back then, their music was totally irrelevant to most of my peers, except for a few likeminded music nerds. My two younger brothers don't listen to them at all either.

 

And adults seem to forget that all you want to do when you're a kid is identify with some music of your own, not mum & dad's.

 

It's really up to you the parent/relative/adult to expose the kids into good music, movies, books, etc.. Do it early and often.

 

Agreed. My father influenced me greatly with the music I listen to.

 

This thread is hilarious to me as a younger adult. The Beatles are evergreen rock, and are often as important to subsequent generations musical tastes as they were to boomers. I think the only thing working against the Beatles for younger fans is the feeling that they’re overrated, too obsessed over to be as good as fans claim to be. IMO the band will never “fade away” as long as rock itself remains relevant.

As far as the mixing, it’s not like contemporary indie or alt rock has some sheen and polish beyond the Beatles work. It’s always the hard pans that drove me nuts growing up, because they were insufferable with headphones. Most people don’t care about this and let the music shine through, but I do think it’s a mistake that the first few LPs streaming copies are the stereo masters, as those are the most offensive. I’m perplexed as to why the mono masters aren’t streaming like they are for the Stones work. Just another revenue stream waiting to be turned on.