About
Piero Scaruffi’s Beatles Commentary refers to a copypasta taken from an analysis about The Beatles by the Italian software engineer and music critic. Online, the quotation has gained notoriety for its critical attitude toward the band, as well as its perceived air of pretentiousness. The quote is also often used to infuriate people that are so-called “music defeners” or to critique artists of other genres.
Origin
Beatles, a retrospective article on rock group The Beatles, was published on Piero Scaruffi’s website in 1999.[1] In the article, Scaruffi makes the claim that The Beatles are overrated by many other critics due to their fame. The copypasta, which was translated to English from its original Italian, is taken from its first paragraph, reproduced below.
The fact that so many books still name the Beatles as “the greatest or most significant or most influential” rock band ever only tells you how far rock music still is from becoming a serious art. Jazz critics have long recognized that the greatest jazz musicians of all times are Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, who were not the most famous or richest or best sellers of their times, let alone of all times. Classical critics rank the highly controversial Beethoven over classical musicians who were highly popular in courts around Europe. Rock critics are still blinded by commercial success. The Beatles sold more than anyone else (not true, by the way), therefore they must have been the greatest. Jazz critics grow up listening to a lot of jazz music of the past, classical critics grow up listening to a lot of classical music of the past. Rock critics are often totally ignorant of the rock music of the past, they barely know the best sellers. No wonder they will think that the Beatles did anything worthy of being saved.
Spread
The copypasta was first posted onto 4chan’s music board (/mu/) on June 23rd, 2012, in a thread about The Beatles.[2] It has since been reposted onto the board over 2,000 times in various incarnations since then. A video of Tyrone reading the copypasta was uploaded to YouTube in January 2014.
Variants
The fact that so many books still name melodic music “the greatest or most significant or most influential” type of sound ever only tells you how far music still is from becoming a serious art. Noise critics have long recognized that the greatest noise musicians of all times are Merzbow and Masonna, who were not the most famous or richest or best sellers of their times, let alone of all times. Musique concrete critics rank the highly controversial Pierre Schaeffer over rock musicians who were highly popular in courts around Europe. Music critics are still blinded by commercial success: melodic records sell more than anything else (not true, by the way), therefore they must have been the greatest. Noise critics grow up listening to a lot of noise music of the past, classical critics grow up listening to a lot of classical music of the past. Musical critics are often totally ignorant of the pop music of the past, they barely know the best sellers. No wonder they will think melodic music has produced worth of being saved.
The fact that so many books still name Pierro Scaruffi “the greatest or most significant or most influential” copypasta ever only tells you how far trolling still is from becoming a serious art. OC critics have long recognized that the greatest original producers of all times are reddit and memebase, who were not the most famous or richest or best sellers of their times, let alone of all times. Gore critics rank the highly controversial Gorespammer over more notable gore sites who were highly popular in boards around the web. Trolling critics are still blinded by commercial success: Scaruffi angered than anyone else (not true, by the way), therefore he must have been the greatest. OC critics grow up listening to a lot of original content of the past, Gore critics grow up listening to a lot of classical music of the past. Trolling critics are often totally ignorant of the copypasta of the past, they barely know the best material. No wonder they will think that Scaruffi did anything worth of being saved.
The fact that so many books still name OP “the greatest or most significant or most influential” faggot ever only tells you how far faggotry still is from becoming a serious art. Gayness critics have long recognized that the greatest gay musicians of all times are Elton John and Jimmy Somerville, who were not the most famous or richest or best sellers of their times, let alone of all times. Classical gayness critics rank the highly controversial Tchaikovsky over classical homosexuals who were highly popular in courts around Europe. Faggotry critics are still blinded by commercial success: OP sucked more dicks than anyone else (not true, by the way), therefore he must have been the gayest. Gay critics grow up listening to a lot of gay music of the past, gay classical critics grow up listening to a lot of gay classical music of the past. Faggotry critics are often totally ignorant of the faggoty music of the past, they barely know the best sellers. No wonder they will think that OP is a gigantic winged faggot.
The fact that so many books name chocolate as “the greatest and most influential” flavor ever only shows how far ice cream still is from becoming a serious art. Milkshake critics have long recognized that the greatest milkshake flavors are cookies n’ cream and peanut butter, which are not the most famous or richest or best sellers of their times, let alone of all time. Candy critics rank the highly controversial orange lollipop over classical candy who were highly popular in playgrounds across the world. Ice cream critics are still blinded by commercial success: chocolate sold more than anyone else (not true, by the way), therefore they must have been the greatest. Milkshake critics grow up drinking a lot of milkshakes of the past, candy critics grow up eating to a lot of candy from the past. Ice cream critics are often totally ignorant of the ice cream of the past, they barely know the best sellers. No wonder they will think chocolate did anything worth being saved.
The fact that so many books still name Harry Potter “the greatest or most significant or most influential” children’s series ever only tells you how far kid’s writing still is from becoming a serious art. Drama critics have long recognized that the greatest drama writers of all times are Tolstoy or Goethe, who were not the most famous or richest or best sellers of their times, let alone of all times. Romance critics rank the highly controversial Harlequin over classic writers who were highly popular in courts around Europe. Children’s book critics are still blinded by commercial success: Harry Potter sold more than anyone else (not true, by the way), therefore they must have been the greatest. Romance critics grow up reading a lot of romance books of the past, drama critics grow up reading a lot of drama books of the past. Children’s book critics are often totally ignorant of the children’s books of the past, they barely know the best sellers. No wonder they will think that JK Rowling did anything worth of being saved.
The fact that so many books still name Trout Mask Replica “the greatest or most significant or most influential” Scarufficore album ever only tells you how far Scarufficore still is from becoming a serious art. Pitchfork readers have long recognized that the greatest Pitchforkcore albums of all times are Kid A and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, who were not the most famous or richest or best sellers of their times, let alone of all times. Rolling Stone readers rank the highly controversial Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band over classical musicians who were highly popular in courts around Europe. Scaruffi readers are still blinded by best-of lists: Trout Mask Replica was listed higher than everyone else (not true, by the way), therefore it must have been the greatest. Pitchfork readers grow up listening to a lot of Pitchforkcore of the past, Robert Christgau readers grow up listening to a lot of Christgaucore of the past. Scaruffi readers are often totally ignorant of the Scarufficore of the past, they barely know the highest rankers. No wonder they will think that Captain Beefheart did anything worth of being saved.
Search Interest
References
[2]Rebecca Black Tech – /mu/ – Music