John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Along with fellow Beatle Paul McCartney, he formed one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of the 20th century.
Born and raised in Liverpool, Lennon became involved as a teenager in the skiffle craze; his first band, The Quarrymen, evolved into The Beatles in 1960. As the group disintegrated towards the end of the decade, Lennon embarked on a solo career that produced the critically acclaimed albums John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, and iconic songs such as "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine". Lennon disengaged himself from the music business in 1975 to devote time to his family, but re-emerged in 1980 with a new album, Double Fantasy. He was murdered by Mark Chapman three weeks after its release.
Lennon revealed a rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music, his writing, his drawings, on film, and in interviews, and he became controversial through his political and peace activism. He moved to New York City in 1971, where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon's administration to deport him, while his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement.
As of 2010, Lennon's solo album sales in the United States exceed 14 million units, and as writer, co-writer or performer, he is responsible for 27 number-one singles on the US Hot 100 chart. In 2002, a BBC poll on the 100 Greatest Britons voted him eighth, and in 2008, Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth-greatest singer of all-time. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
Academy Awards
Best Original Score
Known For
A Hard Day's Night
(1964)
John
Help!
(1965)
John
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
Let It Be
(1970)
Self (The Beatles) (uncredited)
Mickey: The Story of a Mouse
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
Yellow Submarine
(1968)
John (uncredited)
Naqoyqatsi
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
My Generation
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
Little Richard: I Am Everything
(2023)
Self (archive voice)
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The King
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
Zappa
(2020)
Self (archive footage)
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
(1978)
Self (archive footage)
Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars
(2018)
Self
Imagine: John Lennon
(1988)
Self (archive footage)
Full Filmography
Acting
The Mersey Sound
(1963)
Self
The Beatles Come to Town
(1963)
Self
The Beatles - Live at The Empire Theatre Liverpool
(1963)
A Hard Day's Night
(1964)
John
The Beatles - Live at the Washington Coliseum, 1964
(1964)
Self
The Beatles Sing for Shell
(1964)
Self
The Beatles in Australia
(1964)
Self
The Beatles: Live in Washington DC
(1964)
Self
The Beatles: Live in The Netherlands
(1964)
Self
Around the Beatles
(1964)
Self
What's Happening! The Beatles in the USA
(1964)
Self - The Beatles Member
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! The Beatles in New York
(1964)
Self (archive footage)
Help!
(1965)
John
The Beatles Unauthorized
(1965)
Self (archive footage)
Pop Gear
(1965)
Self
The Beatles: Live in Paris
(1965)
Self
The Music of Lennon & McCartney
(1965)
Self (archive footage)
Doctor Who: The Chase
(1965)
Self (archive footage)
Reflections on Love
(1966)
Self (archive footage)
Die Beatles
(1966)
Self (as The Beatles)
El Rey en Londres
(1966)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles - Tokyo, Japan 66
(1966)
Himself
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Self / Ticket Salesman / Magician with Coffee / Narrator
How I Won the War
(1967)
Gripweed
All You Need Is Love
(1967)
Self
Monument
(1967)
Self (archive footage)
Our World
(1967)
Self
Film No. 5
(1968)
Himself
Two Virgins
(1968)
Diaries, Notes, and Sketches
(1968)
Self
Yellow Submarine
(1968)
John (uncredited)
The Movie Orgy
(1968)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: REVOLUTION
(1968)
Self
The Beatles: HEY JUDE
(1968)
Self
The Beatles Mod Odyssey
(1968)
Self
Bed Peace
(1969)
Himself
The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent
(1969)
Self (archive footage)
Self-Portrait
(1969)
Himself
The Beatles - The Get Back Chronicles 1969 Volume One
(1969)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles - The Get Back Chronicles 1969 Volume Two
(1969)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles - The Get Back Chronicles 1969 Volume Three
(1969)
Self (archive footage)
Will the Real Mr. Sellers...
(1969)
Self
24 Hours: The World of John and Yoko
(1969)
The Beatles - Abbey Road
(1969)
Self - vocals, guitar
The Beatles: SOMETHING
(1969)
Self
Let It Be
(1970)
Self (The Beatles) (uncredited)
Apotheosis
(1970)
Sweet Toronto
(1971)
Self
Breathing Together: Revolution of the Electric Family
(1971)
Self
Up Your Legs Forever
(1971)
Brazil in Cannes
(1971)
Imagine
(1972)
Self
Eat the Document
(1972)
Self
The One to One Concert
(1972)
as himself
John Lennon - Imagine
(1972)
Yoko Ono: This Is Not Here
(1972)
Self
Braverman's Condensed Cream of the Beatles
(1974)
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
(1974)
Self
A Salute to Sir Lew Grade
(1975)
Chelsea Girls with Andy Warhol
(1976)
The Beatles at Shea Stadium
(1977)
Self
Urgent ou à quoi bon exécuter des projets puisque le projet est en lui-même une jouissance suffisante
(1977)
Self
The Day the Music Died
(1977)
Self
Mighty Good: The Beatles
(1977)
Self
Fire in the Water
(1977)
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
(1978)
Self (archive footage)
Echoes of the Sixties: A Musical Trip
(1979)
Self (archive footage)
This Is Elvis
(1981)
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Killing of America
(1981)
Self (archive footage)
The Compleat Beatles
(1982)
Self (archive footage)
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
(1982)
Self (archive footage)
When the Music's Over
(1983)
Self (archive footage)
Yoko Ono: Then and Now
(1984)
Self
British Rock: The First Wave
(1985)
Self (archive footage)
Buddy Holly
(1985)
Self (archive footage)
Fun with the Fab Four
(1986)
Self (archive footage)
John Lennon: Live In New York City
(1986)
Self (archive footage)
He Stands in a Desert Counting the Seconds of His Life
(1986)
Self
The John Lennon Sketchbook
(1986)
himself
Vain Glory
(1986)
John Lennon
Jimi Plays Monterey
(1987)
Self (archive footage)
Imagine: John Lennon
(1988)
Self (archive footage)
Ken Russell's ABC of British Music
(1988)
Self (archive)
Scenes from the Life of Andy Warhol: Friendships & Intersections
(1990)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit
(1991)
Self (archive footage)
The John Lennon Video Collections - 1992
(1992)
Rolling Stone 25: The MTV Special
(1992)
Himself
Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'
(1992)
Self (archive footage)
Ready Steady Go! The Beatles Live
(1993)
Self
The Beatles In Australia: 30th Anniversary
(1994)
Self (archive footage)
You Can't Do That! The Making of 'A Hard Day's Night'
(1995)
Self
Alf Bicknell's Beatles Diary
(1996)
Self (archive footage)
The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus
(1996)
Self - Lead Vocals
The Beatles Story
(1996)
Self (archive footage)
Happy Birthday to John
(1997)
Himself
The Beatles: A Celebration
(1999)
Self (archive footage)
Goodnight Moon & Other Sleepytime Tales
(1999)
Self (archive footage / uncredited)
Television: The First Fifty Years
(1999)
Self – The Beatles (archive footage)
Gimme Some Truth: The Making of John Lennon's Imagine Album
(2000)
Self
John & Yoko's Year of Peace
(2000)
himself
The Real John Lennon
(2000)
Himself (archive footage)
Beatles: Big Beat Box
(2001)
Self (archive footage)
Wingspan
(2001)
Himself (archive footage)
Paul McCartney: Back in the U.S.
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
Naqoyqatsi
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
Things They Said Today
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
Peter Cook: At a Slight Angle to the Universe
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Around the World
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles: The Journey
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Inside John Lennon - Unauthorized
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Imagine Imagine
(2003)
Self
The Beatles: Watching Rainbows
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
Twenty to Life: The Life & Times of John Sinclair
(2004)
Himself (archive footage)
Beatles Biggest Secrets
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
Brian Epstein: Inside the Fifth Beatle
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Love Me Do - A Documentary
(2005)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Chronology Vol. 1 y 2
(2005)
Self - guitarra rítmica, vocalista
I Killed John Lennon
(2005)
Self (archive footage)
Pink Floyd London '66-'67
(2005)
Self (uncredited)
The World's Greatest Gigs
(2005)
Self (archive footage)
John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Give Peace A Song
(2006)
as Himself
The U.S. vs. John Lennon
(2006)
Self (archive footage)
Doctor Who: Origins
(2006)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Love
(2006)
Self
The Beatles: Help!
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Destination Hamburg
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
I Met the Walrus
(2007)
Himself
The Beatles Explosion
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
Rare and Unseen: The Beatles
(2008)
Self (archive footage)
Classic Albums: John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band
(2008)
Self
Composing the Beatles Songbook: Lennon & McCartney 1966-1970
(2008)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour Memories
(2008)
Self (Archive Footage)
The Beatles on Record
(2009)
Self
The Beatles: Here There and Everywhere
(2009)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Budokan Tokyo 1966
(2009)
Self (lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar)
The Rise & Fall of WCW
(2009)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: The Mini Documentaries
(2009)
Self
The Beatles: Parting Ways
(2009)
Himself
The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?)
(2010)
Himself (archive footage)
The Beatles: A Magical History Tour
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
Paul McCartney Really Is Dead: The Last Testament of George Harrison
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
LennoNYC
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
John Lennon: Love Is All You Need
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
Discovering Lennon
(2010)
The Beatles: Fifty Fabulous Years
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
The Day John Lennon Died
(2010)
Himself (archive footage)
Imagine Lennon
(2010)
archives footages
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles - Unsurpassed Promos
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
I Was There: When the Beatles Played the Cavern
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 3
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 1
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 2
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 4
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles Stories
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
Magical Mystery Tour Revisited
(2012)
Self (archive footage)
The Winged Beetle
(2012)
Self
The Beatles: In Chicago 1964-1966
(2012)
Self
Genius
(2012)
Self (archive footage)
Good Ol' Freda
(2013)
Self (archive footage)
Population Boom
(2013)
Self (archive footage)
Salinger
(2013)
Self - Musician (archive footage)
Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train a Comin'
(2013)
Self - Musician (archive footage)
Beatles på Sverigeturné
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles 1
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles 1+
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
The Last Lennon Interview
(2015)
Himself (archive footage)
Beatles chronology (1962-1970)
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
Deconstructing the Beatles' White Album
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
Stupor Mundi: Livre 2, Les Hommes qui mangèrent la montagne
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
I Don't Know Which Tree It Comes From that Fragrance
(2017)
Self
It Was Fifty Years Ago Today! The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper & Beyond
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
How the Beatles Changed the World
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Sgt Pepper's Musical Revolution
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Free to Rock
(2017)
Self - The Beatles (archive footage)
Dark Glamour: The Blood and Guts of Hammer Productions
(2017)
Self - Musician (archive footage)
Kyoko
(2017)
Himself (archive footage)
John Lennon: Hard to Imagine
(2017)
My Generation
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Looking for Lennon
(2018)
Self
Arthur Janov's Primal Therapy
(2018)
John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison - All Things Pass
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles – Ready Steady Go!
(2018)
Self
The King
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
Take Your Pills
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars
(2018)
Self
Understanding Lennon/McCartney
(2018)
Self (archival footage)
Deconstructing the Beatles' Abbey Road: Side 2
(2019)
Self (archive footage)
Deconstructing the Beatles' Abbey Road: Side 1
(2019)
Self (archive footage)
Paul McCartney: Wings of a Beatle
(2019)
Self (archive footage)
Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind
(2019)
Self (archive footage)
The Last 24 Hours: John Lennon
(2019)
Self
Meeting the Beatles in India
(2020)
Self (archive footage)
Lennon's Last Weekend
(2020)
Self (archive footage)
Jealous Guy: The Assassination of John Lennon
(2020)
Self (archive footage)
John Lennon: His Life, His Legacy, His Last Days
(2020)
Self (archive footage)
Zappa
(2020)
Self (archive footage)
Best of the 60s: The Story of Ready, Steady, Go!
(2021)
Self (archive footage)
Under the Volcano
(2021)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles and India
(2021)
Self (archive footage)
Life In Ten Pictures: John Lennon
(2021)
The Beatles: Let It Be
(2021)
Parkinson at 50
(2021)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Get Back - The Rooftop Concert
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
Paul McCartney at Glastonbury 2022
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
If These Walls Could Sing
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
Mickey: The Story of a Mouse
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC. What is Rock Music?
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: 1964 US Tour Reconstruction
(2022)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
(2022)
Self (Archive Footage)
The Lost Weekend: A Love Story
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Louder Than Rock
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Sounds of Liverpool at the BBC
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Paul Newman: The Restless
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Reinventing Elvis: The 68' Comeback
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Now and Then - The Last Beatles Song
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles and the BBC
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Little Richard: I Am Everything
(2023)
Self (archive voice)
Paul McCartney: Got Back
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Music Genres. Voices of the World
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Sound
A Hard Day's Night
(1964)
Songs
The Beatles: Live in Washington DC
(1964)
Music
Help!
(1965)
Songs
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Songs
Revolution
(1967)
Songs
Film No. 5
(1968)
Music and Sound
Yellow Submarine
(1968)
Songs
Rape
(1969)
Sound and Music
Freedom
(1970)
Sound
Let It Be
(1970)
Songs
The Inner Revolution
(1971)
Music
Almarna i Kungsträdgården
(1971)
Music
Imagine
(1987)
Music
Fiona Apple: Across the Universe
(1998)
Music
Across the Universe
(2007)
Songs
Imagine Peace
(2010)
Music
Yesterday
(2019)
Songs
Production
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Producer
Did Britain Murder Hanratty?
(1970)
Producer
Let It Be
(1970)
Executive Producer
Imagine
(1972)
Producer
John Lennon: Live In New York City
(1986)
Producer
Directing
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Director
Two Virgins
(1968)
Director
Rape
(1969)
Director
Bed Peace
(1969)
Director
Self-Portrait
(1969)
Director
Fly
(1970)
Director
Apotheosis
(1970)
Director
Erection
(1971)
Director
Up Your Legs Forever
(1971)
Director
Imagine
(1972)
Director
John Lennon - Imagine
(1972)
Director
The John Lennon Video Collections - 1992
(1992)
Director
Writing
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Writer
Two Virgins
(1968)
Writer
Self-Portrait
(1969)
Writer
Rape
(1969)
Writer
Bed Peace
(1969)
Writer
Freedom
(1970)
Writer
Fly
(1970)
Writer
Apotheosis
(1970)
Writer
Imagine
(1972)
Writer
Fame
(1976)
Lyricist
Editing
Crew