The Beatles are considered the most influential popular music act of the twentieth century, widely recognized for their influence on popular culture. The inability of other bands and artists to imitate their fame has prompted questions such as: How did the Beatles become so successful? What factors contributed to their success? Why did they break up? Ron and Ed explored these questions and more in their interview with Professor Samuel R. Staley, author of The Beatles and Economics.

Before we get to the show notes…

A Bit More About Sam Staley
Sam Staley became director of the DeVoe Moore Center in January 2014 after serving as Managing Director from September 2011 to December 2013. In addition to his responsibilities providing strategic direction and supervision of center operations and programs, he teaches advanced undergraduate and professional masters courses in social entrepreneurship, economic development, land use and regulation, urban policy, and research methods. Prior to joining Florida State, Dr. Staley was the Robert W. Galvin Fellow at Reason Foundation, an internationally recognized public policy think tank based in Los Angeles where he worked on issues such as transportation system management and performance, public private partnerships, growth management, and regulatory reform. While at Reason Foundation, he managed the China Mobility Project, traveling to China more than 30 times as supervisor of academic research projects on transportation policy and finance. He has more than 25 years of experience in urban policy and is the author, co-author, or editor of five books on public policy and more than 100 professional articles and reports. His research has appeared in leading academic journals, including the Journal of the American Planning Association, Housing Policy Debate, Town Planning Review, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, and the Journal of Transportation Engineering.

Here are some Twitter links for Sam Staley’s affiliations:

@FSUDSA
@DMCFSU
@FSUCOSS
@FSUsoccer

Show Notes:

Not a Beatles fan? Sam brings the lens of economics to The Beatles. Even if you are not a fan, this book will keep you glued to it. https://samuelrstaley.com/beatles-%26-economics
In the first chapter of The Beatles and Economics, Sam asks, “Were The Beatles a black swan?” The important thing about a black swan is that it is unpredictable and has a massive impact on the economy. Sam’s answer might surprise you.
The Beatles figured out their specialization and division of labor during their early residencies. This is an early economic lesson in Sam’s book.
“In economics jargon [The Beatles] formed a firm or an organization with a dedicated mission of producing a service for public consumption, in this case rock and roll music.” —Sam Staley
John, Paul, George, and Ringo were very open to creative direction in their music. They would ask questions like, “Is it new?” and “Are you adding something?” (Sound familiar to anyone versed in value pricing 2.0?)
Brian Epstein managed the Beatles from 1962 until his passing. From Sam’s book, he was “more than a manager. He was also a venture capitalist.”
There is a debate about who was the 5th Beatle. Based on Sam’s research it was George Martin who was very helpful in giving them structure and had an ear for the music that was going to breakout.
Sam commented on the show today that “All You Need Is Ears” is a FANTASTIC book and needs to go back into print. Here is a link: https://www.amazon.com/All-You-Need-Ears-personal/dp/0312114826
Apple took sales from the iPod and leveraged that into the iPhone. The Beatles leveraged their wealth for commercial art (and to innovate).
Businesses are told to stay in their lane. When The Beatles were in the studio they clearly DID NOT stay in their lane. They were creating new sounds and continuing to innovate.
“Entrepreneurship is about discovery” —Sam Staley
It’s hard for a company to disband because they recognize the end of the road. The Beatles all knew that they were at the end and could feel it. It just took them a bit to recognize it due to factors like marketing, momentum, and even personal feelings.
The Beatles are 4 out of 14 inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame both as solo acts AND members of a band.
Had John Lennon’s life not been tragically cut short, would The Beatles have faced economic pressure to “Get back” either into the studio or onto the stage? Sam’s answer today is summarized as “most certainly” but his answer is much more nuanced on the show.
“Those Damn Beatles” by Ron Baker: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140406204656-38251380-those-damn-beatles/
A big THANK YOU to Sam Staley for joining us today to talk about his book “The Beatles and Economics”. More info is here: https://samuelrstaley.com/beatles-%26-economics

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

This past week was bonus episode 367 - Those Damn Beatles — Here are a few links discussed by Ron and Ed: