There are many reasons why Paul McCartney is universally adored. Beyond being one of the few songwriters who reshaped cultural history, his warm and approachable personality has made him a beloved figure, unlike his fellow Beatles bandmates, whose lives were marked by more controversy.
That’s not to say McCartney didn’t have his wild side. Like the rest of the Fab Four, he had his share of rebellious antics and drug-fueled adventures. However, McCartney stands out as the one who managed to keep it all from spilling into his personal life.
Yes, he was arrested in Japan while leading Wings for marijuana possession, but unlike the other Beatles, McCartney didn’t let the perils of fame drag him down. When the band was on the verge of collapse in the late 1960s, McCartney found solace in his domestic life with his wife, Linda.
He embraced family life while also creating his early solo work, which captured a pastoral, peaceful mood. His ability to avoid the dark path many of his peers took showcases his influence beyond music.
McCartney has also spent his career using music to promote positive change. In the late 1980s, he released an album exclusively in the USSR, allowing people behind the Iron Curtain to enjoy his music. Moments like this highlight how McCartney’s music transcends cultural and political barriers, further cementing his global appeal.
Though known as one of the most good-natured figures in rock, McCartney is not someone to take lightly. After The Beatles split, he didn’t hesitate to take jabs at John Lennon in his music, showing a sharpness that contrasts his usually friendly persona. When pushed, McCartney has always shown he’s capable of hitting back.
A perfect example of this came with Oasis. The band, notorious for their boldness, refused to play by the industry’s rules and embraced a brash, swaggering attitude that won them fans but also rubbed some the wrong way.
In 1996, at the height of Oasis’ fame, guitarist Noel Gallagher confidently declared to MTV that their first two albums made them better than The Beatles. The following year, McCartney hit back, dismissing Oasis as “nothing” to him.
Speaking to New Statesman in 1997, McCartney said, “They’re derivative, and they think too much of themselves. I hope for their sakes they’re right. But they really mean nothing to me.”
For McCartney, Oasis wasn’t a concern. He acknowledged their songs might be fine when they came on the radio, but he sensed the band was beginning to buy into their own hype.
With a hint of caution, McCartney wished them luck in avoiding the traps that come with fame, while diplomatically adding, “There’s room for us all.”
