Again, to play devil's advocate, there's very little one can say the Beatles "started."
They didn't start Rock and Roll. Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, etc., did that.
They didn't start the use of poetry in rock music. That was Dylan.
They didn't start the use of strings or other classical instruments in rock. Buddy Holly (an admitted major influence on McCartney) did that.
Tight harmonies originated in doo wop music (the Belmonts, the Platters) and later in the music of the Beach Boys. So you can't credit them with that either.
They didn't start "hard rock" either. The Stones were rocking hard back in 1964, while the Beatles were still playing popish songs like "Hold Your Hand" The Beatles played "catch up" with "Revolver" in 1966, but by then you also had the Who and the Velvet Underground, both of whom were pretty much the precursors to punk.
The Beatles were a good group, wildly popular, and, obviously, influential on bands to come. However, it was less because they did things first, or even that they always did things better, as much as it was that more people heard their music and, therefore, were influenced by them.
