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najing_ftw t1_j68fl44 wrote

Was there any precedent for Beatlemania type behavior pre-20th century?

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AngryBlitzcrankMain t1_j68g3u8 wrote

Fans of composer Franz Liszt showed similar behaviour of hysteria and fan fanaticism in 1840s. Only partially related, but there is also Stendhal syndrom of fainting or hallucinating when experiencing peices of art work (writer Stendhal experienced it when visiting Florence basilica).

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SteampunkDesperado t1_j692vw7 wrote

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Igor Stravinsky's 1913 ballet "The Rite of Spring" sparked a riot by angry theater goers.

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GSilky t1_j6erkup wrote

Communication wasn't advanced enough to create that level of mass hysteria. That's why the Beatles, and Elvis, are so monumental, they were the first to really be promoted and marketed the way they were. Other groups at the time could have been the Beatles, they just happened to be in the right place and time, but any number of pop acts were also getting the push.

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