Memories of the Beatles collected from around the world by scientists have highlighted how the Fab Four changed the lives of millions.
Memories of the Beatles collected from around the world by scientists have highlighted how the Fab Four changed the lives of millions.
People rolled up to take part in The Magical Memory Tour, the biggest online survey of personal memories ever conducted.
The aim was to see how Beatles associations shed light on the psychological effect of autobiographical memory.
The six-month study generated around 3000 responses from people aged 17 to 87 spanning 69 different nationalities.
Participants were invited to recount their most vivid memory relating to a Beatles album, song, news story or band member.
Most respondents were "silver surfers" between the ages of 55 and 65 who would have been in their teens during the Beatles' 1960s hey-day.
"Autobiographical memory is essential for our sense of self," said researcher Dr Catriona Morrison, from the University of Leeds.
The memories showed an expected "reminiscence bump" - a time in life which is remembered especially vividly and often coincides with the teenage years.
In the case of Beatles memories, the bump occurred somewhat earlier than usual, the scientists found.
"What's interesting is that the majority of memories cluster in the early teenage years," said Ms Morrison, who outlines the research today at the start of the British Association Festival of Science at the University of Liverpool.
"The early teenage years are the years during which you are making your musical decisions. By the age of about 14 most people have made up their mind, and that's the age when music makes the most powerful impression on us."
The Beatles song that generated the most memory associations was She Loves You, the UK's biggest selling single of the 1960s.
Differences between the most nostalgic song memories emerged between nationalities. While She Loves You tended to send English participants down memory lane, for Americans it was I Want to Hold Your Hand that sparked off the most memories.
However the researchers were struck by the similarity of moods, feelings, scenes and situations relayed by Beatles memories around the world.
"We were so impressed with how vividly people could recall memories, sometimes from more than 40 years ago, especially when many eloquent and vivid memories appeared to have been little recalled in decades," said Ms Morrison.
"This shows the power of music in shaping and reliving sometimes long-neglected memories."
With the exception of John Lennon's murder in New York in 1980, memories were on the whole overwhelmingly positive.
Ms Morrison added: "We argue that music is more than auditory cheesecake.
"It's a means by which people can account for themselves both as an individual and as part of society."
Colleague Professor Martin Conway said it was possible that happy memories of the Beatles could be used therapeutically to help people suffering from depression.
Ms Morrison's most evocative Beatles song was Yellow Submarine, while for Mr Conway it was Twist and Shout - the first record he ever bought.
