I think the best way to describe The Beatles in modern context is that they are the Citizen Kane of music. Was there influential music that came before the Beatles? Yes. Absolutely. However what the Beatles did in 7 years between 1963 until 1970 cannot be understated for the Absolutely sheer advancement of musical theory and how popular music is perceived. Yes, they are the most popular band in the world, thanks in large part to how they marketed themselves, but as far as studio music they pioneered or brought to the public consciousness several techniques that are taken advantage of still today. Their importance cannot be understated, just as Citizen Kane did all of that for film theory and film production.