John Lennon was an English musician, best known as the co-founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. After three experimental albums with Yoko Ono, using tape loops, interviews, musique concrète, and other avant-garde performance techniques, Lennon's solo career properly began with the 1969 single "Give Peace a Chance". Lennon then released two more singles, "Cold Turkey" (1969) and "Instant Karma!" (1970), and a live album, Live Peace in Toronto (1969),Live Peace in Toronto, 1969; "Give Peace a Chance", 1969; "Cold Turkey", 1969; "Instant Karma!", 1970. before the official break-up of the Beatles.
Lennon's first solo album after the Beatles' break-up was John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, released simultaneously with Ono's album of the same name. He released the album Imagine the following year, which became his most critical and commercial success. His 1972 political themed album Some Time in New York City received scathing reviews and performed poorly commercially. Lennon's next two albums, Mind Games (1973) and Walls and Bridges (1974) were better received and had more commercial success. In 1975, Lennon released his covers album Rock 'n' Roll before retiring from music to focus on raising his newborn son Sean. He returned to the music industry in 1980 with the album Double Fantasy, but was murdered three weeks after its release. Following his death, the 1984 album Milk and Honey was posthumously released.
In 2020, to celebrate what would have been Lennon's 80th birthday, Ono and her son Sean released the box set Gimme Some Truth. The Ultimate Mixes, which contained newly remixed versions of 36 of Lennon's songs. In 2018, 2021 and 2024, super deluxe box-sets of Imagine, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Mind Games were released. In 2025, a modified version of "Some Time in New York City" super deluxe box set called "Power to the People" was released.
Lennon had 25 number-one singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart as a writer, co-writer or performer.
Albums Studio albums Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications UK AUSPeak chart positions for albums and singles in Australia: All releases between 1970 and 1989: Releases from 1989 onwards: Releases pre-1969: Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon: Gimme Some Truth. The Ultimate Mixes: CANPeak positions for albums in Canada. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band: Imagine: Mind Games: Walls and Bridges: Rock 'n' Roll: Double Fantasy: Milk and Honey: Live in New York City: Menlove Ave.: Lennon Legend: Gimme Some Truth: All releases from 2000 onwards FRA GER ITA Select "Album" in the "Tipo" field, type "John Lennon" in the "Titolo" field and press "cerca". JPNPeak chart positions for albums in Japan: All releases except as noted below: Imagine: John Lennon, Lennon, Lennon Legend, John Lennon Anthology, Wonsaponatime, Acoustic, Working Class Hero, Gimme Some Truth, Power to the People, Signature Box: NLD NOR US 1968 Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins (with Yoko Ono) Label: Apple Released: 29 November 1968 — — — — — — — — — 124 1969 Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions (with Yoko Ono) Label: Zapple Released: 9 May 1969 — — — — — — — — — 174 Wedding Album (with Yoko Ono) Label: Apple Released: 7 November 1969 — — — — — — — — — 178 1970 John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band Label: Apple Released: 11 December 1970 8 3 2 — 7 8 5 1 4NOTE: Reference mistakenly indicates "Some Time in New York City" was placed at number-four on the chart, but it was not recorded as of 1971 6 RIAA: Gold BPI: Silver 1971 Imagine Label: Apple Released: 9 September 1971 (US)8 October 1971 (UK) 1 1 2 5 10 1 1 1 1 1 RIAA: 2× Platinum BPI: Gold 1972 Some Time in New York City (with Yoko Ono) Label: Apple Released: 12 June 1972 (US)15 September 1972 (UK) 11 10 77 — — 6 15 — 2 48 1973 Mind Games Label: Apple Released: 29 October 1973 (US)16 November 1973 (UK) 13 8 28 — 6 14 6 7 1 9 RIAA: Gold BPI: Gold 1974 Walls and Bridges Label: Apple Released: 29 September 1974 (US)4 October 1974 (UK) 6 4 1 — 41 11 14 16 3 1 RIAA: Gold BPI: Silver 1975 Rock 'n' Roll Label: Apple Released: 17 February 1975(US)21 February 1975 (UK) 6 5 5 3 37 12 15 — 9 6 RIAA: Gold BPI: Gold 1980 Double Fantasy (with Yoko Ono) Label: Geffen Released: 17 November 1980 1 1 1 2 2 6 2 4 1 1 ARIA: Platinum RIAA: 3× Platinum BPI: Platinum SNEP: Platinum BVMI: Gold 1984 Milk and Honey (posthumous; with Yoko Ono) Label: Polydor Released: 27 January 1984 3 4 15 10 20 16 3 4 7 11 RIAA: Gold BPI: Gold MC: Gold
Live albums Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications UK AUS CAN FRA JPN NOR SWE US 1969 Live Peace in Toronto 1969(with The Plastic Ono Band) Label: Apple Released: 12 December 1969 — 7 — — 29 19 — 10 RIAA: Gold 1986 Live in New York City Label: Parlophone, Capitol Released: 10 February 1986 55 66 33 33 13 — 12 41 RIAA: Gold "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Compilation albums Year Album Peak chart positions Certification UK AUS AUT CAN GER JPN NLD NOR SWE US 1975 Shaved Fish Label: Apple Released: 24 October 1975 8 8 5 70 37 22 5 9 28 12 RIAA: Platinum BPI: Gold 1982 The John Lennon Collection Label: Parlophone, Released: , 1 1 — 29 62 8 32 1 4 33 RIAA: 3× Platinum ARIA: 4× Platinum BPI: 3× Platinum IFPI AUT: Gold Note: User needs to enter "John Lennon" in the "Interpret" field and click the "Suchen" button. MC: Platinum SNEP: Platinum IFPI NOR: Gold 1986 Menlove Ave. Label: Parlophone Released: 3 November 1986 — — — 92 — 32 — — — 127 1988 Imagine: John Lennon Label: Parlophone Released: 10 October 1988 64 14 — — — 14 — — — 31 RIAA: Gold BPI: Gold MC: Platinum IFPI SWI: Gold 1997 Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon Label: Parlophone Released: , 4 37 5 86 11 46 85 39 28 65 RIAA: Platinum BPI: 3× Platinum ARIA: 4× Platinum IFPI AUT: Gold MC: Platinum BVMI: Gold RIAJ: Gold IFPI SWI: Gold 1998 Wonsaponatime Label: Capitol/EMI Released: 2 November 1998 76 83 — — — 57 — — — — 2001 Instant Karma: All-Time Greatest Hits Label: Timeless/Traditions Alive Music Released: 1 February 2002 — — — — — — — — — — 2004 Acoustic Label: Capitol/EMI Released: 1 November 2004 133 — — — — 23 — — — 31 2005 Peace, Love & Truth Label: EMI Released: 4 August 2005 — — — — — — — — — — Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon Label: Parlophone/Capitol/EMI Released: 3 October 2005 11 53 22 — 44 39 52 13 17 135 BPI: Gold MC: Gold 2006 The U.S. vs. John Lennon Label: Parlophone/EMI/Capitol Released: 25 September 2006 — — — — — — — — — — Remember (Starbucks-released compilation) Label: EMI/Starbucks Released: 2006 — — — — — — — — — 44 2010 Power to the People: The Hits Label: EMI/Capitol Released: 5 October 2010 15 10 16 7 33 25 64 — 33 24 BPI: Silver FIMI: Gold 2014 Icon Label: EMI/Capitol Released: 9 September 2014 — — — — — — — — — — MC: Gold 2020 Gimme Some Truth. The Ultimate Mixes Label: Capitol Released: 9 October 2020 3 61 4 50 6 — 22 — — 40 BPI: Gold "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Box sets Year Album Peak chart positions Certification UK AUS CAN GER ITA JPN NLD NOR SWE US 1990 Lennon Label: Parlophone Released: 30 October 1990 — 39 — — — 53 — — — — RIAJ: Platinum 1998 John Lennon Anthology Label: Capitol/EMI Released: 2 November 1998 62 — 86 — 42 30 — — — 99 RIAA: Gold 2010 Gimme Some Truth Label: EMI/Capitol Released: 5 October 2010 — — 65 — — 71 — — — — John Lennon Signature Box Label: EMI/Capitol Released: 5 October 2010 — — — 19 — 21 16 23 40 148 2025 Power to the People(John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band with Elephant's Memory and Special Guests) Label: UMC Released: 10 October 2025 72 — — — — — — — — 196 "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Singles Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album UK AUS AUT CANPeak positions for singles in Canada: "Give Peace a Chance": "Cold Turkey": "Instant Karma!": "Mother": "Power to the People": "Imagine": "Happy Xmas": "Woman Is the Nigger of the World": "Mind Games": "Whatever Gets You thru the Night": "No 9. Dream": "Stand by Me": "(Just Like) Starting Over": "Woman": "Watching the Wheels": "Nobody Told Me": GER JPN NLD NOR SWI US 1969 "Give Peace a Chance"b/w "Remember Love"(Plastic Ono Band) 2 6 2 8 4 81 1 11 4 14 non-album singles "Cold Turkey"b/w "Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow)"(Plastic Ono Band) 14 25 — 30 — 91 39 9 — 30 1970 "Instant Karma!""Who Has Seen the Wind?"(Lennon/Ono with the Plastic Ono Band) 5 6 4 2 7 58 7 6 31 3 RIAA: Gold "Mother"b/w "Why" (Yoko Ono) — 57 9 12 26 30 10 — 3 43 John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band 1971 "Power to the People" b/w "Open Your Box" (UK) (Yoko Ono) "Touch Me" (US) (Yoko Ono)(John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band) 7 21 11 4 7 66 4 3 5 11 non-album single "Imagine" "It's So Hard" (US) "Working Class Hero" (UK) 1 1 4 1 7 14 5 3 6 3 BPI: Platinum1975 release BPI: 2× Platinum2007 release RIAA: 3× Platinum FIMI: Platinum Pro-Música Brasil: Platinum Imagine "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"(John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir)b/w "Listen, the Snow Is Falling" (Yoko/Plastic Ono Band) 2 6 6 24 6 30 2 2 10 38 BPI: 3× Platinum ARIA: 2× Platinum RIAJ: Gold FIMI: 2× Platinum non-album single 1972 "Woman Is the Nigger of the World"(John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band with Elephant's Memory and Invisible Strings)b/w "Sisters, O Sisters" (Yoko Ono) — — — 73 — 38 21 — — 57 Some Time in New York City 1973 "Mind Games"b/w "Meat City" 26 16 — 11 37 46 16 2 — 18 Mind Games 1974 "Whatever Gets You thru the Night"(John Lennon with the Plastic Ono Nuclear Band & Elton John)b/w "Beef Jerky" 36 34 — 2 42 72 21 — — 1 Walls and Bridges "#9 Dream"b/w "What You Got" 23 — — 35 — 97 33 — — 9 1975 "Stand by Me"b/w "Move Over Ms. L" 30 61 19 13 22 74 — — — 20 Rock 'n' Roll "Ya Ya"b/w "Be-Bop-A-Lula" — — — — 47 — — — — — 1980 "(Just Like) Starting Over"b/w "Kiss Kiss Kiss" (Yoko Ono) 1 1 1 1 4 37 14 2 1 1 BPI: Gold RIAA: Gold RIAJ: Gold Double Fantasy 1981 "Woman"b/w "Beautiful Boys" (Yoko Ono) 1 4 3 1 4 — 11 5 2 2 BPI: Silver RIAA: Gold "Watching the Wheels"b/w "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" (US Reissue) "Yes, I'm Your Angel" (Yoko Ono) (UK/US) 30 45 12 3 46 — — — 6 10 "I Saw Her Standing There" b/w "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" (live) "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (live)(Elton John with John Lennon and the Muscle Shoals Horns) 40 81 — — — — — 8 — — 28 November 1974 1982 "Love"b/w "Gimme Some Truth" 41 94 — — — 58 — — — — RIAJ: Gold The John Lennon Collection 1984 "Nobody Told Me"b/w "O' Sanity" (Yoko Ono)"I'm Stepping Out" (1990) 6 6 — 4 55 — 13 7 — 5 Milk and Honey "Borrowed Time"b/w "Your Hands" (Yoko Ono) 32 — — — — — — — — 108 "I'm Stepping Out"b/w "Sleepless Night" (Yoko Ono) 88 — — — — — — — — 55 "Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him"b/w "It's Alright" (Sean Lennon) — — — — — — — — — — Every Man Has a Woman 1985 "Jealous Guy"b/w "Going Down on Love" (UK)"Give Peace a Chance" (US) 65 — — — — — — — — 80 BPI: Silver Imagine "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Videography Home videos YearTitleNotes1971 Sweet Toronto Released: 22 December 1971 (Theatrical) 1988 (Europe Laserdisc/VHS) 1989 (US Laserdisc) 1990 (Europe VHS) 20 May 1998 (US DVD) 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007 (DVD) 23 June 2009 (US DVD) Concert film of the Toronto Rock'N'Roll Revival Festival 1969.1972 John Lennon and Yoko Ono Present the One-to-One Concert (TV special title, 40 minutes) Released: 15 December 1972 (Broadcast) Live in New York City (video title, 55 minutes) 1985 (US Laserdisc/VHS) 24 February 1986 (UK VHS) 21 December 1989 (US VHS) 1989 (Europe Laserdisc/VHS) 1992 (Europe Laserdisc) Power To the People (film title, 81 minutes) 29 April 2026 (Theatrical) Television special benefit concert for the Willowbrook Institution for Retarded Children in New York. Filmed 30 August 1972 at Madison Square Garden by Jake Films.1972 Imagine: The Film Released: 23 December 1972 (TV)