Bob Dylan regarded The Beatles’ 1963 song ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ as a breakthrough that other artists could not match, according to remarks attributed to him in the article. It matters because Dylan’s admiration highlights how quickly the band’s songwriting altered popular music and helped establish their global influence.

The article says Dylan believed The Beatles’ songs would “create an empire”, recognising their appeal before Beatlemania reached its height. Released in late 1963, ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ became the group’s first major US hit and is presented as an example of the direct, memorable songwriting that distinguished them from contemporaries.