 Only the Beach Boys were able to sustain a creative career into the mid-late 1960s, producing a string of hit singles and albums, including the highly regarded "Pet Sounds" in 1966, which made them, arguably, the only American rock or pop act that could rival The Beatles.By the end of 1962, what would become the British rock scene had started with beat groups like the Beatles, Gerry & the Pacemakers and the Searchers from Liverpool and Freddie and the Dreamers, Herman's Hermits and the Hollies from Manchester.They drew on a wide range of American influences including 1950s rock and roll, soul, rhythm and blues, and surf music, initially reinterpreting standard American tunes and playing for dancers.