Fans of the legendary rock group The Beatles are torn over which of their records is the best, with two reportedly neck and neck for the title.

The iconic album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, released by the Fab Four – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison – is widely considered their best and is still hailed as one of history’s greatest records.

However debate is heating up among fans as to whether there’s an earlier Beatles album that might just eclipse Sgt. Pepper’s acclaim. Conversation erupted on the r/Beatles subreddit, where fans delved into whether any album could topple Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band from its pedestal.

Divisions arose particularly around one contender.

According to the original reddit post, Magical Mystery Tour, designed as a soundtrack for The Beatles’ film by the same name, was mentioned as arguably surpassing Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in quality.

One commenter pointed out: “It certainly doesn’t help that the second half of the record is loaded up with four #1 singles. Here’s the thing, though: if you just listen to the British six-track EP, it’s absolutely not as good as Sgt Pepper.”

Another argued: “While I absolutely do not agree with you, I will admit Magical Mystery Tour is an incredible album front to back. And there are a couple of songs that are better than anything on Pepper.”

A third added: “Yeah I just think people tend to put Pepper as the greatest thing in music history which it’s a great accomplishment and I get why it’s so hyped but Magical Mystery Tour is just so much better man.”

Others suggested a noticeable shift was heard on the album in fan circles. One user wrote: “Magical Mystery Tour has seen a serious reassessment by Beatles fans in the last 5-10 years.

“I’ve always thought it is the more powerful set of songs between the two, but the greater sentiment now seems to be catching on to that idea more and more, I’d think because of the younger generations.”

Some users shared the same sentiment, describing Magical Mystery Tour as a “fun ride” that can be enjoyed in any mood. One wrote: “I absolutely agree.

“Peppers is a better album and production in all senses, but I really need to choose when to listen to it, cause I’m not in the mood of Peppers every day. Meanwhile, Magical Mystery Tour, not as good, but it is a fun ride I can take anytime I want.”

Another fan agreed, stating: “I honestly agree. I think Sgt. Pepper’s has the far superior closing track but in general, I prefer the songs on Magical Mystery Tour.”

“It has many of my absolute favorite of their songs such as Strawberry Fields Forever, The Fool On The Hill, I Am The Walrus, Blue Jay Way and Penny Lane, though I really wish It’s All Too Much was on Magical Mystery Tour as well.”

A third added: “Magical Mystery Tour has the same dirty quality as Revolver. There’s something chaotic there despite all the beauty there’s a darkness as well.”

There’s no doubt that Queen’s guitarist and background vocalist, Brian May, has crafted a legacy in the musical world.

With evergreen smash-hits like Under Pressure, Don’t Stop Me Now, We Will Rock You, and the damn-near unforgettable Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen has left an indelible mark on music and all the following generations of artists.

Queen’s legacy remains untouched, with Bohemian Rhapsody topping the charts as the most streamed song of the 20th century. With the track coming up on its 50th anniversary this year, here’s hoping Queen has some big celebrations planned.

Brian May recently took to social media and shared what can be considered a befitting tribute to the song. Winding up a Queen music box that’s playing Bohemian Rhapsody, Sir Brian can be heard exclaiming: “This is a gem! Perfect!”

He also captioned the video: “What a difference a semitone makes !!! This makes me giggle every time. Maybe Freddie should have written his melody line this way in the first place ! ha ha ! Fabulous ! Bri.”

When it comes to their own music, Brian has admitted in the past that there’s no song he prefers performing live more than We Will Rock You. In a conversation on The One Show, May shared: “I still love playing them all, I have to be honest. I would have to say We Will Rock You. Especially as this is the moment when we’re relaunching the musical that is named after that song. It always gives me a good feeling.”

However, that doesn’t mean it’s the music icon’s favourite song. The Englishman much prefers the band’s lesser-known tune The Miracle, which was written by Freddie Mercury – the band’s enigmatic frontman – shortly before his death. The rock-band has never performed the song live, presumably because it didn’t feel right to do so without their legendary bandmate.

During a Question & Answer session on the iconic band’s official YouTube channel, Brian previously shared: “I’m going to pick a song that not everybody knows out there, which is called The Miracle, which Freddie wrote that I always thought has a strange, unique magic to it. Especially because Freddie wrote it at a time when it was very hard for him to be optimistic, and it’s just very beautiful. I’ll go for that.”

But it’s not just Queen’s music that makes him groove. In 2019, Brian shared a list of his all-time favourite songs via Queen’s official Spotify profile. The playlist features some absolute bangers, while also giving certain lesser-recognised songs their due.

From Doris Day’s soulful Secret Love to John Lennon’s Jealous Guy all the way across to Led Zeppelin’s certified-genius track Kashmir and Foreigner’s evergreen I Want To Know What Love Is – the guitarist hasn’t been shy in showcasing his musical palate to the world.

See below the list of Brian May’s favourite songs:

1. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
2. Love Kills (The Ballad) – Queen
3. Bold as Love – Jimi Hendrix
4. My Generation (Mono Version) – The Who
5. Jealous Guy – John Lennon
6. Secret Love – Doris Day
7. Maybe Baby – The Crickets
8. Kashmir – Led Zeppelin
9. Back On My Feet Again – The Babys
10. The Tracks Of My Tears – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
11. Stand By Me – Ben E. King
12. When a Man Loves a Woman – Percy Sledge
13. I Want to Know What Love Is – Foreigner
14. Where Were You – Jeff Beck, Alice Cooper
15. Shapes Of Things – The Yardbirds
16. Key To Love (Mono) – John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan, two of the most iconic figures in music history, have long shared a deep mutual respect for one another. Their relationship spans several decades, and despite initial reservations, Clapton has come to appreciate Dylan’s profound influence on the music world.

Eric Clapton’s relationship with Bob Dylan’s music has evolved significantly over the years. Initially, Clapton’s perception of Dylan was shaped by a kind of “healthy prejudice”, according to his autobiography.

In the early days of his career, Clapton was not particularly enamored with Dylan’s style, particularly his voice and delivery. In his memoir, Clapton candidly admitted that he didn’t initially understand Dylan’s appeal until he heard Blonde on Blonde – an album that would change his outlook. His appreciation deepened as he began to recognize the genius in Dylan’s songwriting.

In the early 1970s, Clapton was still experimenting with his own musical identity, often drawing from a wide range of influences. During this period, he revisited Dylan’s work, which eventually led him to a profound appreciation of Dylan’s craftsmanship.

One of the songs that particularly resonated with Clapton was ‘Song to Woody’, a track Dylan penned as an homage to the folk legend who deeply influenced his own artistic path.

In a 1985 interview with The Telegraph, Clapton declared: “Have you heard that thing he wrote about Woody Guthrie? That to me is the sum of his life’s work so far. Whatever happens, that is it. That sums it up.”

Dylan’s decision to write ‘Song to Woody’ in the early 1960s came at a pivotal moment in his career. At that time, Dylan had already become known for his interpretations of folk songs, but he felt a strong need to write something of his own.

Speaking to WNEW-FM in 1985, Dylan remarked: “One day, I just wrote a song, and it was the first song I ever wrote, and it was a song for Woody Guthrie”.

“I just wanted a song to sing and there came a certain point where I couldn’t sing anything, I had to write what I wanted to sing because what I wanted to sing nobody else was writing, I couldn’t find that song someplace. If I could’ve I probably wouldn’t have ever started writing”, he added.

Over the years, Dylan and Clapton developed a professional relationship that was rooted in mutual respect – and which culminated with a track for Clapton’s album No Reason to Cry.

The song, ‘Sign Language’, was written by Dylan and given to Clapton without much explanation, he explained in his autobiography: “One day he came in and offered me a song called ‘Sign Language,’ which he had played for me in New York. He told me he had written the whole song down at one sitting, without even understanding what it was about. Dylan himself admitted that he didn’t fully understand what the song was about when he wrote it”.

Despite its ambiguous origins, Clapton was captivated by the track. He recalled, “I just loved the words and the melody, and the chord sequence was great.”

In the mid-1970s, Clapton covered Dylan’s iconic track, ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’. Released as a single in 1975, Clapton’s version of the song was a reggae-infused interpretation of Dylan’s original.