Classic Rocker, 75, Makes Bold Comment About Paul McCartney originally appeared on Parade.
By this point in his decades-long career, fans know Gene Simmons isn’t afraid to speak his mind.
The KISS bassist and vocalist, 75, recently shared his thoughts on The Beatles and Paul McCartney’s songwriting legacy.
“Clearly, The Beatles are above and beyond anything that anybody’s seen in music over 200 years, easily. Not since the Renaissance. You have to understand, they only existed for seven years and they came from a place that was a pool filled with liver, Liverpool, where nothing ever happened. High unemployment rate, no experience, no resume, no nothing,” Simmons explained during an episode of Lewis Howes’ podcast earlier this week.
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“And yet—(sings) ‘I want to hold your hand,’ (sings) ‘She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah.’ That last chord, that minor ninth—that’s a sophisticated chord if you know music. It’s almost like a jazz chord, totally unheard of in rock at the time. Their songwriting is undeniable. Paul McCartney, especially, is by far the most successful songwriter in recorded history,” the “Love Gun” artist mused.
Of course, there’s no denying McCartney’s talent and countless accolades, but when it comes to a title like that, there’s always room for debate. That said, there are a few key metrics that would support Simmons’ opinion.
Firstly, Guinness World Records recognizes McCartney as the most successful songwriter in history. Secondly, he has written or co-written 32 songs that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The cherry on top? McCartney’s song “Yesterday” is one of the most covered songs in music history, not to mention his catalog of over 500 songs.
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Classic Rocker, 75, Makes Bold Comment About Paul McCartney first appeared on Parade on Jun 6, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
