If it wasn't the beatles "changing" the music scene, then it would have been someone else. Talent-wise, there has been better guitarists, drummers, musicians, writers, lyricists, etc...etc...etc... They changed the world, no doubt, they were the first band to blow up on a global scale, both through name recognition, but in scope of influence and media attention. they didn't save a dying art-form, that's ridiculous. They did alter it and put their mark on music, like Mozart did, like Radiohead did, like Pink Floyd did, like Elvis did, like countless others. I will admit, it was the media explosion around the beatles that made them so huge. Our nation was just exiting the 50s, marketing was transforming into what it is today....the whore of western civilization....did anyone watch the superbowel? hehe, bowel.
Cdub is correct, arguably, the beatles are the greatest band in history. Brando and bones are correct as well, there's plenty of room for overrating this band, for reasons listed above. Clapton was twice the musician and singer of anyone in the beatles. It's just hard to erase the harmonies of "I wanna hold your hand" out of our minds... it's just too good.