If there was a movement that changed the world both musically and culturally was Beatlemania during The Beatles's run in the 1960s. While the legendary Liverpool group only lasted 7 years under the spotlight since their release of Please Please Me, their influence is felt today. That said, Ringo Starr believes that Taylor Swift is this new generation's Beatlemania.
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While promoting his new country album, Look Up - his first in the genre -, Starr sat down with American Songwriter and, among other things, mentioned how Swift could represent what The Beatles represented back in the day with today's generation. Starr met Swift when she was 14.
"I think Taylor Swift is great anyway," said Starr. "She's pulling them in, you know. When we talk about her, I always have to mention that the first time I met her, she was 14. She was at the Grammys with her mother. Then, I saw a photo of her the other day, just yesterday, of her and her mother."
A Beatle-Swift Connection
This is not the first time Starr has talked about Swift. Back in 2009, Starr talked with ABC and expressed his love for Swift and her music. "Taylor Swift. I love Taylor Swift, that's just how I am," he said.
Starr is not the only Beatle who talked about Swift. Paul McCartney, a personal Taylor Swift friend and fan, also spoke highly about her during a 2018 BBC interview, centering around Swift's relationship with her fans and connecting with their struggles. "I was actually thinking about Taylor Swift and her relationship to her young fans and how it's sort of a sisterly thing," McCartney said.
Taylor Swift among many other artists, while standing on her own, has definitely been influenced by The Beatles's music. Reportedly, she talked about how she sees McCartney as a role model, according to a Cosmic Magazine article. "I'm also very influenced by having a role model to look up to," said Swift. "I look at Paul McCartney and he's had just this amazing career. He's created unparalleled art."
Ringo Starr will release Look Up on January 10, 2025, which includes collaborations with artists like Molly Tuttle, Billy Strings, and Lucius, among others.
