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The story
A survey of Beatles fans aged 40 to 70 on their favorite songs sparked discussion on 5ch’s Geinou/Sports News+ board, after “Help!” (No. 4) and “Hey Jude” (No. 3) turned out to be in a tight contest. The story originated from news about the expanded reissue of “Rubber Soul,” released on October 2, 2026, but the thread’s real focus was disagreement with the rankings themselves — comments like “that’s such a deep-cuts pick” and “way too subdued” came one after another. At the same time, the conversation turned into everyone sharing their own personal top five, with plenty of posts expressing love for songs that didn’t make the official ranking, like “Blackbird,” “Michelle,” and “Octopus’s Garden.” With such a wide range of generations represented, the fact that tastes diverge so much has become a talking point in itself.
November 1, 2026
“Rubber Soul” stands as a landmark album in rock history — the turning point where the Beatles transformed from pop stars into artists. Released in December 1965, it shook the world, and now an expanded special edition of that landmark album hit shelves on October 2, 2026.
The reissue features a new mix produced by Giles Martin and engineered by Sam Okell, including a stunning new stereo mix and Dolby Atmos mix, alongside the original mono mix and the original Capitol US album version. It also adds previously unreleased session recordings, home demos, and the era’s double A-side single “Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out.”
Source: news.livedoor.com / Original article here
What people said
Yeah, that was a bit too subdued, huh.
Haven't Japanese fans always had a thing for Paul's songs?
Paul's acoustic songs on the White Album are really good… stuff like ♪Mother Nature's Son♪ and ♪I Will♪…
I'd love to see that old Edwin Jeans commercial that used "She Loves You," but even YouTube, where you can find literally anything, doesn't have it.
There's a rumor that's actually a cover version. I thought it was the Beatles too, though.
Back in the day, there was a ride at Nasu Royal Center called "Fantarama" that took you on a tour of the world, and in the UK zone there were Beatles figures singing "She Loves You."
Just a fun fact.
There's a copypasta like that going around — I think the original was about BOØWY.
In fact, the sales of the DVDs and other releases coming out these days are incredible.
That kind of long-lasting popularity has something in common with pro wrestling. Let's talk about it till we're blue in the face!
Anyway, here's my personal best:
1. Let It Be
2. Yesterday
3. Hey Jude
4. Help!
5. Come Together (lol, maybe a bit too deep-cut)
Close, but it's missing "Dr. Beatles." (a fixed line from the copypasta template)
Try again.
You're an old geezer yourself though, lol
It's not that I dislike them, it's more like an "okay, I've had enough" feeling.
I get that.
I don't feel like actively listening either.
Irving Berlin, who gets played a lot around this time of year, gives me that same feeling.
It was used in "Island of Evil Spirits" (Akuryōjima) too, wasn't it?
That's my personal favorite, even though I'm nowhere near the Beatles' generation.
Narrowing it down to just 5 songs is impossible to begin with.
George's guitar playing on that song is insane — amazing.
1. All I've Got to Do
2. Strawberry Fields Forever
3. Tomorrow Never Knows
4. Taxman
5. Dear Prudence
6. Savoy Truffle
7. Across the Universe
8. Here Comes the Sun
8. Yes It Is
9. And Your Bird Can Sing
"All I've Got to Do" is great.
It's No. 4 in my current ranking.
No. 5 is "Ask Me Why."
The one singing in "Island of Evil Spirits" was actually a cover by a different singer.
In the Kadokawa film "Island of Evil Spirits" (released 1981), the original Beatles tracks were swapped out for cover recordings by a different artist due to rights issues (the usage rights lapsed/expired).
Background on the swap:
• At the theatrical release and in early video releases: the original Beatles recordings were used as-is.
• Rights lapse: the usage rights for the songs later lapsed/expired, which for a time made the film a "lost film" that was hard to release on home video or air on TV.
• Since the 2004 DVD release: all current DVDs and streaming versions use the version with the cover tracks mentioned above.
In fact, the sales of the DVDs and other releases coming out these days are incredible.
That kind of long-lasting popularity has something in common with pro wrestling. Let's talk about it till we're blue in the face!
Anyway, here's my personal best:
1. MY REVOLUTION
2. P.S. I Love You
3. YESTERDAY
4. LET IT BE
5. HEY JUDE (lol, maybe a bit too deep-cut) (note: "MY REVOLUTION" is actually a Misato Watanabe song, not a Beatles track — the copypasta template got misapplied)
You win, lol
Paul wrote it for Aretha, but she wasn't into it — she apparently said, "I'd rather have 'The Fool on the Hill.'"
Didn't that singer also do "Come Together"?
That's not even a Beatles song!
If we're talking John, it'd be "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)."
That's the single record where I first heard "Get Back."
I thought it was incredibly cool, especially that guitar solo.
Why isn't this one better known?
It's gotta be this one.
That sweet, dreamy guitar sound — irresistible.
Did the "Let It Be" album actually ever come out?
Was it the movie soundtrack?
"Let It Be" is one of the tracks from that shelved album, right?
How did the "Let It Be" album actually end up coming out?
Was it the movie soundtrack?
Background and Key Points of This Topic
This topic stems from a Beatles favorite-songs survey of fans aged 40 to 70, released around the same time as the expanded “Rubber Soul” reissue in October 2026. Because the surveyed generation spans nearly half a century, there’s a mix of people who favor the poppy early songs from the band’s debut era and people who favor the more introspective songs from the “White Album” onward — a structure that naturally produces reactions like “too obscure” or “too subdued.” In the thread, the conversation shifted away from the official ranking itself and toward everyone sharing their own personal top five, without any consensus emerging. As trivia, posters noted that “Let It Be,” as used in the film “Island of Evil Spirits,” was later replaced with a cover recording due to rights issues, and that Aretha Franklin’s version came out before the Beatles’ own — though these points come from individual posters’ memories and knowledge, and the article excerpt itself doesn’t specify which songs took 1st, 2nd, and 5th place. Readers should enjoy this piece for the fact that “Help!” (No. 4) and “Hey Jude” (No. 3) had a close contest, and for the phenomenon of generational taste splitting itself.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “The “Greatest Beatles Songs” Ranking Chosen by Fans Aged 40-70: “Help!” at No. 4 and “Hey Jude” at No. 3 — Two Songs Everyone Knows in a Close Battle, and the Winner Is…“
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