An article for Far Out Magazine revisits how influence shifted in music as The Beatles broke up in 1970, arguing that Paul McCartney and John Lennon remained central figures even as David Bowie emerged as the era's defining new voice. Rather than deliberately passing on a "torch," the two former Beatles pursued solo careers while Bowie forged ahead independently, pushing music into bolder, more experimental territory that captured the spirit of the 1970s. The piece frames this as a moment of mutual admiration rather than rivalry, highlighting how the decade's musical direction was shaped by both continuity from the ‘60s and new innovation.

The article draws on quotes showing reciprocal respect between the artists: Lennon praised Bowie's "vast repertoire of talent," while Bowie described feeling creative kinship with Lennon for taking avant-garde ideas mainstream. McCartney separately hailed Bowie as "a great star" with a "huge influence… on people all around the world," crediting him with shaping British musical history. The piece notes Bowie's breakthrough as Ziggy Stardust in 1972 as a key marker of this transition, concluding that while no formal handover occurred, Bowie effectively carried music forward into new territory that both former Beatles came to admire.