The Beatles are only overrated in the sense of being musical "innovators". In terms of being great melodists, they get all the praise they deserve and anybody who denies that is an idiot.
But it is true that they are overrated in terms of discussions about innovation and significance to the development of rock music. The Beatles were only influential in the sense of inspiring others to start playing, writing and recording. Far as the music itself goes, they invented very little and merely adapted the emerging popular and underground styles of the time, whatever year it might have been. Even then, their sound by all accounts was quite retro, with the focus being on melody and harmony while the rest of the rock movement had shifted away from that and were trying to break into completely unchartered territory.
Fair enough, "melody and pop" was the Beatles' musical vision, and they were the best of the best at those things. But then, people shouldn't try to construe them as the great musical innovators that they never actually were. The real sonic revolution was happening rather elsewhere.
But it is true that they are overrated in terms of discussions about innovation and significance to the development of rock music. The Beatles were only influential in the sense of inspiring others to start playing, writing and recording. Far as the music itself goes, they invented very little and merely adapted the emerging popular and underground styles of the time, whatever year it might have been. Even then, their sound by all accounts was quite retro, with the focus being on melody and harmony while the rest of the rock movement had shifted away from that and were trying to break into completely unchartered territory.
Fair enough, "melody and pop" was the Beatles' musical vision, and they were the best of the best at those things. But then, people shouldn't try to construe them as the great musical innovators that they never actually were. The real sonic revolution was happening rather elsewhere.