George Harrison believed The Beatles' 1965 album, was their greatest work, showcasing their growing songwriting abilities and a shift towards a more mature, cohesive sound.
Arguably, just about any The Beatles album could be considered their best work. 1967's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is an art form in itself, redefining what it means to release a cohesive album, while 1969's Abbey Road stands as a polished culmination of their creativity — it's clearly a masterpiece. 1970's Let It Be managed to be a great album despite the complicated circumstances surrounding its recording, and countless other albums in their catalog could also make a strong case. However, for George Harrison, the one he personally considered their best was none other than their 1965 album Rubber Soul.
Released on December 3, 1965, Rubber Soul marked the Beatles’ sixth studio album. Coming on the heels of their earlier successes, the album did not disappoint. In fact, it became another commercially successful release for the band and was met with strong critical acclaim, with many praising it as a more mature work compared to their previous records. Critics also noted how it showcased the group’s growing songwriting ability, with more introspective lyrics and a noticeable shift toward a cohesive, album-oriented sound that would define their later work.
'Rubber Soul' Is the Best Beatles Album, According to George Harrison
Rubber Soul was indeed a defining album for The Beatles. While their previous albums were great in their own respective lanes (including studio albums like Please Please Me, A Hard Day's Night, Beatles for Sale, and Help!), their sixth album showcased them in a different light. With tracks like “Drive My Car,” “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown),” and “Think for Yourself,” it’s clear that the band had grown into a more serious and mature act, expanding their sound through various musical influences. A statement that even Harrison himself could agree to. When listening back to Rubber Soul for The Beatles Anthology, Harrison reflected on the album and said:
“Rubber Soul was my favourite album. Even at that time, I think that it was the best one we made; we certainly knew we were making a good album. We did spend a bit more time on it and tried new things. But the most important thing about it was that we were suddenly hearing sounds that we weren’t able to hear before. Also, we were being more influenced by other people’s music and everything was blossoming at that time; including us, because we were still growing."
Who's Your Perfect Classic Rock Band?
Classic Rock Personality QuizWho's Your PerfectClassic Rock Band?A Personality Quiz · 10 QuestionsFive legendary bands. One perfect match. Answer 10 questions about your personality, attitude, and taste to find out which classic rock icon you truly belong with. Are you raw power, rolling swagger, operatic drama, thunderous riffs, or timeless melody?⚡AC/DC
👅Rolling Stones
🤘Metallica
👑Queen
🎸The Beatles
Begin Quiz →
01
How do you walk into a room?Choose the answer that feels most like you.ALike a freight train — loud, fast, and everyone knows I've arrived.BWith a slow, cool swagger — I take my time and own every step.CHead down, focused — I'm here for a purpose and small talk isn't it.DWith total confidence and a flair for the dramatic — all eyes on me.EWarmly and curiously — genuinely excited to see what and who is here.
Next Question →
02
What does your ideal Friday night look like?ALoud bar, cold beer, cranked jukebox — the louder the better.BA smoky club, good company, and doing whatever feels right in the moment.CIntense concert or staying in with headphones — nothing in between.DSomething theatrical — a show, a dinner party, an experience worth remembering.EHanging with close friends, maybe making music, keeping it relaxed and genuine.
Next Question →
03
What's your philosophy on keeping things simple vs. complex?ASimple is king. A great riff repeated perfectly beats any amount of cleverness.BKeep it loose and bluesy — the groove matters more than technical perfection.CGo deep and dark — I want layers, tension, and something that hits hard.DWhy not both? Elaborate arrangements and hook-driven anthems can coexist.ECraft every detail — a perfect melody is the result of countless small choices.
Next Question →
04
How would your friends describe your personal style?ANo-frills, no-nonsense — jeans, a t-shirt, and ready to go.BEffortlessly cool — slightly dishevelled in a way that somehow always works.CDark and deliberate — black is a lifestyle, not just a colour.DBold and expressive — fashion is a form of performance for me.EClean and classic — timeless over trendy, always put-together.
Next Question →
05
How do you want to be remembered?AAs someone who never let the energy drop — relentless, loud, and alive.BAs someone who lived fully and on my own terms, unapologetically.CAs someone who was brutally honest and made music that meant something real.DAs someone who transcended genres, boundaries, and expectations entirely.EAs someone who changed the world — and left it genuinely better than I found it.
Next Question →
06
What kind of crowd do you want around you?APeople who are there to have a blast — no pretension, just pure fun and noise.BA mix of rebels and free spirits who don't take themselves too seriously.CA loyal, passionate crew who are all in — intensity over numbers every time.DEveryone — I want to unite people who wouldn't normally be in the same room.EPeople who appreciate craft and feel genuinely connected by the music.
Next Question →
07
If you were writing a song, what would it be about?AHaving a good time, turning it up, and not overthinking it.BStreet life, desire, and the rawness of being human.CAnger, grief, war, or the darker side of the world — music as a weapon.DSomething epic and emotional — love, loss, triumph, or pure fantasy.ESomething personal and universal at once — a feeling everyone can recognise.
Next Question →
08
What's your secret to staying relevant over time?ANever change the formula — if it works, it works. Consistency is everything.BStay hungry, stay dangerous, and always keep a bit of that rebellious edge.CEarn respect through dedication — the work and the live show speak for themselves.DReinvent constantly — never let anyone put you in a box or predict your next move.EWrite songs so good they can't be ignored, in any decade, in any context.
Next Question →
09
You're playing to 80,000 people. What does your performance look like?AA wall of sound and sweat — pure, unfiltered energy from first note to last.BLoose, cool, and dangerous — every song feels like it might fall apart but never does.CBrutal precision — tight, powerful, and leaving no one unmoved.DA full spectacle — lights, costumes, vocal acrobatics, and total theatrical command.EWarm, joyful, and tight — the crowd singing every word back at you.
Next Question →
10
Pick the word that best sums up your relationship with rock music.This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.ARaw — stripped back, high-voltage, no frills.BRolling — fluid, dangerous, built on blues and attitude.CHeavy — powerful, honest, uncompromising.DMajestic — theatrical, boundary-defying, unforgettable.ETimeless — melodic, human, built to last forever.
See My Result →
Your ResultYour Perfect Band Is RevealedBased on your personality, energy, and taste, the classic rock band that matches your soul is…
⚡ AC/DCYou are pure, undiluted rock energy. You don't need tricks, trends, or theatrical gimmicks — you have something more powerful: a riff that hits like a thunderbolt and an attitude that never wavers. Like AC/DC, you understand that simplicity executed with absolute conviction is its own form of genius. You're the person in the room who doesn't overthink it, doesn't pretend, and never turns the volume down. The highway to hell is a state of mind — and you've been on it since day one.
👅 The Rolling StonesYou've got swagger that can't be taught. Rooted in the blues and soaked in street-level attitude, you move through life with a loose, dangerous elegance that draws people in without ever trying too hard. Like the Stones, you've seen it all, done most of it, and somehow look better for it. You're not chasing perfection — you're chasing truth, groove, and that electric moment when everything clicks. Can't always get what you want? You tend to get it anyway.
🤘 MetallicaYou go hard or you go home — and you almost always go hard. Intense, dedicated, and fiercely loyal to what you believe in, you don't do anything halfway. Like Metallica, your passion runs deeper than most people's will ever go, and when you care about something, it shows in every detail. You're drawn to darkness not because you're cynical, but because you're honest — and honest people know the world isn't always pretty. Enter Sandman. Nothing else matters. That's your philosophy.
👑 QueenYou are magnificent, and you know it — not from arrogance, but from an unshakeable sense of self that has never needed anyone's permission. Like Queen, you defy every category people try to place you in. You blend the epic with the intimate, the operatic with the anthemic, the serious with the playful. You live boldly, love fiercely, and perform every aspect of your life as though the whole world is watching. Because sometimes it is. We are the champions — and so are you.
🎸 The BeatlesYou have the rarest of gifts: the ability to make something that feels both deeply personal and universally human. Like The Beatles, you're a natural connector — someone whose warmth, curiosity, and creative instincts draw people together across every divide. You believe in melody, in craftsmanship, and in the quiet power of a song that says exactly what someone needed to hear. You've changed the people around you just by being who you are. All you need is love — and you give it generously.
↩ Retake Quiz
But Rubber Soul came with immense pressure for Harrison, especially since his fellow Beatles — Paul McCartney and John Lennon — had been writing songs from a much younger age. “Songwriting for me, at the time of Rubber Soul, was a bit frightening because John and Paul had been writing since they were three years old,” Harrison recalled. “It was hard to come in suddenly and write songs. They’d had a lot of practice… I had to come from nowhere and start writing, and have something with at least enough quality to put on the record alongside all the wondrous hits. It was very hard.”
It is also easy to understand why Harrison considered Rubber Soul to be their best work. For one, the album marked a shift toward more personal and complex songwriting, moving beyond the band’s earlier, more formulaic lyricism into something more introspective. Sonically, it also marked a significant artistic step forward for the band, further expanding their sound beyond pop and incorporating elements of folk-rock, along with touches of other genres. On the sudden shift in their sound and lyricism for Rubber Soul, McCartney explained: “You can’t be singing 15-year-old songs at 20 because you don’t think 15-year-old thoughts at 20."
In addition, while Harrison had been writing for the band since their early years, Rubber Soul highlighted his development as a songwriter, with tracks like “If I Needed Someone” and “Think for Yourself” showcasing his growing confidence and musical identity. To be fair, choosing a favorite Beatles album is almost impossible, as they continued to release more great albums after Rubber Soul (especially Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band). But it's also understandable why Harrison holds Rubber Soul in such high regard. Decades later, since its release, Rubber Soul is still celebrated not only as a defining album for the Beatles, but also as an album that had a lasting impact on pop culture.
SerpApi.Org
