English Literature & Beatles Scholar

Associate Professor in English Literature and Popular Culture at St Mary's University, London. Author of acclaimed works on The Beatles, fandom, and British cultural studies.

View Books Join Beatles Club View Media

About Dr. Mills

Dr. Richard Mills

Academic Profile

Dr Richard Mills is an Associate Professor in English Literature and Popular Culture at St Mary's University, London. He has been programme director for the Film and Popular Culture, Cultural Studies and Irish Studies degrees.

He has published extensively on popular music, Irish literature and culture, film, fashion and British television. Mills is the author of The Beatles and Fandom: Sex, Death and Progressive Nostalgia (Bloomsbury 2019).

He is co-editor of Mad Dogs and Englishness (Bloomsbury 2017) and The Beatles and Humour: Mockers, Funny Papers, and Other Play (Bloomsbury 2023). He is author of the forthcoming The Beatles and Black Music: Post-colonial Theory, Musicology and Remix Culture (Bloomsbury 2025).

Richard is a regular contributor to BBC4's Last Word, Sky News, RTE, Portobello Radio and BBC Live. He is also on the editorial board of The Journal of Beatles Studies.

Books & Publications

The Beatles and Fandom

The Beatles and Fandom

2019

Sex, death and nostalgia are among the impulses driving Beatles fandom. This book combines academic theory on fandom with compelling original research material to tell an alternative history of the Beatles phenomenon.

"Mills takes a deep dive into the Beatles' history... Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty."
- CHOICE
Buy Now
The Beatles and Humour

The Beatles and Humour: Mockers, Funny Papers, and Other Play

2023

Edited by Katie Kapurch, Richard Mills & Matthias Heyman. From the beginning, the Beatles' music was full of wordplay and winks. This book offers innovative takes on the serious art of Beatle fun, an instrument of social, political, and economic critique.

"A fascinating study of the Fabs' madcap comic innovations."
- Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone
Buy Now
Mad Dogs and Englishness

Mad Dogs and Englishness

2017

Connects English popular music with questions about English national identities, featuring essays that range across Bowie and Burial, PJ Harvey, Bishi and Tricky.

"Timely and thought-provoking—a must-read in post-Brexit Britain."
- Punk & Post-Punk
Buy Now

Media Appearances

BBC4's Last Word

June 15, 2023

Discussion on the cultural impact of The Beatles 60 years after their formation.

Sky News Interview

March 22, 2023

Analyzing the humor in popular music and its social significance.

RTE Radio

January 10, 2023

Exploring the connections between Irish literature and popular culture.

Join The Beatles Club!

Become a Beatles SUPERFAN and get exclusive access to signed books, private meetings with Dr. Mills, and much more!

Signed Copy

Get a signed copy of The Beatles and Fandom

Monthly Meetings

With Richard and other Beatles Superfans

Newsletter

Monthly newsletter written by Richard

Special Events

Advanced notice of upcoming events

Monthly

£25 per month
Sign Up

Yearly

£200 per year

Save £100 compared to monthly

Sign Up

Contact

Get In Touch

richard.mills@stmarys.ac.uk
St Mary's University Profile
+44 20 8240 4000

Follow Dr. Mills