But, remember, Frank Sinatra's recording career pre-dated theirs by 20 years and outlasted theirs by another 20!

From Inside Higher Ed (3/4/09)

Master's Degree in Beatles Studies

Liverpool Hope University has announced a new master's degree program: The Beatles, Popular Music and Society. The university believes that the program is the first Beatles studies master's program in the world. A statement from Mike Brocken, senior lecturer in popular music, said that 'there have been over 8,000 books about the Beatles but there has never been serious academic study and that is what we are going to address." He added that the program marks "a seminal advance in popular music studies" because "for the first time in the UK and possibly the world, a postgraduate taught course is offered to research into the Beatles, the city from which they emerged, the contexts of the 1960s, technology, sound and songwriting and the industries that have set up in their wake to capitalize on tourism in the city of Liverpool." University officials said that they expect significant interest from American students.