I do agree that the machine would keep turning, and if it wasn't the Beatles, it'd be someone else that we would be talking about. Facts are, in our lifetime, the machine gave us the Beatles so it is them who I feel have been one of the most infuencial bands ever. Also, Ozzy Osbourne did say, flat out, that he heard the Beatles and they were responsible for him getting into music. He then admits that his music turned out nothing like the Beatles, but he does say that if it hadn't been for the Beatles, then he'd never have gotten into music.
Therefore, I think you can say that if there had never been the Beatles, then there would never have been Ozzy, and so on! Who knows, maybe some other band might have influenced him at a later date, but we will never know. The Stone, Kinks, Who were all about then too, but none of them convinced Ozzy to start. So we have the Beatles to blame for Ozzy Osbourne!