John Lennon: A celebration of the Beatles legend
He gave so much to the world of music
John Lennon is a British legend. Alongside his band mates Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, over a 10-year period with The Beatles, John Lennon changed the landscape of music forever.
Following Beatlemania, John saw huge success as a solo artist, with songs like 'Imagine' and 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)', and worked with his wife Yoko Ono on the Plastic Ono Band before his life was tragically cut short at the age of 40.
Read on for more info on John's life and achievements.
Where was John Lennon from?
Liverpool! John was born at the Liverpool Maternity Hospital, and lived on Newcastle Road with his mum Julia as his dad Alf was away at sea a lot. Julia's sister Mimi had custody of John from him being a very young child, and they lived together in Woolton at 251 Menlove Avenue.
The house has now become a Grade II listed building, preserved by the National Trust, and was even used on the album cover of Oasis' 1994 single 'Live Forever', as Noel and Liam Gallagher are famously lifelong admirers of John - with Liam even naming his eldest son Lennon as a tribute.
When is John Lennon's birthday?
John was born on 9th October 1940 — meaning he would have been 84 years old now. In celebration of what would have been John's 83rd birthday in 2023, a new version of his 'Imagine (The Ultimate Collection)' album was announced. The new version is a deluxe and expanded edition and has been curated by his wife Yoko Ono.
9th October is also John's son Sean's birthday. He was born in 1975 when John was 35-years-old. In 2022, his brother Julian Lennon wished him a happy birthday on Twitter.
To celebrate what would have been John's 80th birthday on 9th October 2020, a dedicated pop-up TV channel LENNON80 was available for one week and boasted an array of footage from the John Lennon archives.
Back in 2007 on John Lennon's birthday his wife Yoko Ono gifted the iconic Imagine Peace Tower to Reykjavík. The tower is lit every year between 9th October and 8th December, the dates of John's birth and death. In September 2024 it was announced the monument would be repaired to make the light brighter and more energy efficient.
When did John Lennon join The Beatles?
John was a founding member of The Beatles. Having formed a skiffle group named The Quarrymen (originally the Blackjacks) when he was 16 in 1957, a 15-year-old Paul McCartney joined the group as rhythm guitarist in July that year.
In February 1958, Paul invited his pal George Harrison to watch the band, and he became keen to join it. Although John initially thought he was too young at 15, he impressed the others and was hired as lead guitarist.
In January 1959, the former Quarrymen had left the group, leaving John, Paul and George, and the three of them played under the name Johnny and the Moondogs whenever a drummer was available.
Stuart Sutcliffe joined as bass guitarist in 1960, suggesting the band name Beatals, which then become the Silver Beetles, changing to simply Silver Beatles before they finally settled on The Beatles. The final Beatles line-up was formed in 1962 when Ringo Starr joined as drummer.
Which songs did John Lennon write for The Beatles?
John and Paul's songwriting career began as teenagers, and they decided very early on that their songwriting credits would always be for both of them. Although they often separately came up with musical ideas, they would always turn to the other and work together to finish the song.
John told Playboy in 1980: "He provided a lightness, an optimism, while I would always go for the sadness, the discords, the bluesy notes. There was a period when I thought I didn’t write melodies, that Paul wrote those and I just wrote straight, shouting rock ‘n’ roll. But, of course, when I think of some of my own songs — 'In My Life', or some of the early stuff, 'This Boy' — I was writing melody with the best of them."
However, die-hard fans of The Beatles are sometimes able to decipher a difference in songs, and some think that tracks like 'I Am the Walrus', 'Come Together' and 'Strawberry Fields Forever' are more Lennon than McCartney.
WATCH: The Beatles - 'Strawberry Fields Forever'
In November 2023, The Beatles released their final song called 'Now And Then'. The song was originally written and recorded by John Lennon onto a tape. After his death, the recording was given to the remaining members by his wife Yoko Ono Lennon.
In 2022, Paul and Ringo used AI to separate John Lennon's vocals, and finished off the recording of the song.
John Lennon's 12-string guitar
John Lennon's Framus 12-string guitar sold at auction in May 2024, breaking a record for the most expensive Beatles instrument. The guitar was believed to be lost for 50 years, being found in an attic, before it was sold by Julien's Auctions, who specialise in music and movie memorabilia.
The guitar then sold for $2.9 million, much more than the $600,000 - $800,000 estimate, and the $1.5 million opening bid.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney's friendship
As well as having an incredible musical bond, making them one of the most legendary songwriting duos in history, John and Paul were also best friends. They may have started off as a musical partnership, but this deepened to a brotherhood which was strengthened over the shared loss of their mums.
Of course, with brotherly love comes rivalry, and this was ever-present in their songwriting partnership as they constantly tried to one-up each other - however, this would actually benefit them, pushing them to keep writing their best tracks.
Paul McCartney revealed in 2018 that John had only ever complimented his songwriting skills to his face one time: "Once. Once John gave me a compliment. It was only once the whole time. It was ‘Here, There and Everywhere,’ one of my songs on 'Revolver'. John says just as it finishes, ‘That’s a really good song, lad. I love that song.’ And I’m like, ‘Yes! He likes it!’"
However, the pair really did love each other underneath it all. In his last interview, John spoke of his friendship with Paul, saying: "He's like a brother. I love him. Families - we certainly have our ups and downs and our quarrels. But at the end of the day, when it's all said and done, I would do anything for him, and I think he would do anything for me."
In another interview, Paul spoke out about the reason behind the band's split, claiming that it was due to John's departure. He said: "I didn't instigate the split. That was our Johnny", continuing: "I am not the person who instigated the split."
Paul then revealed: "John walked into a room one day and said 'I am leaving the Beatles'. And he said, 'It's quite thrilling, it's rather like a divorce.' And then we were left to pick up the pieces."
The Beatles' 60th anniversary with The Cavern Club
9\th February 2021 officially marked 60 years since The Beatles took to the stage for the first time at The Cavern Club. On the same date in 1961, the band made their first ever appearance at the now legendary Liverpool venue, and went on to play there almost 300 times.
The Beatles 'final' song
Paul McCartney announced in June 2023 that he has recorded the 'final' Beatles song using AI to recreate John Lennon's vocals. The song was released on 2nd November 2023, preceded by a short documentary released on YouTube, explaining how the song was made.
John Lennon's solo career
After The Beatles disbanded in 1970, John released his solo album 'John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band', going on to release four more solo albums throughout the rest of his life: 'Imagine' in 1971, 'Mind Games' in 1973, 'Walls and Bridges' in 1974 and 'Rock 'n' Roll', which was a covers album.
He also worked on six albums with his wife, Yoko Ono: 'Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins' in 1968, 'Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions' in 1969, 'Wedding Album' in 1969, 'Some Time in New York City' in 1972, 'Double Fantasy' in 1980 - which was released three weeks before he died - and 'Milk and Honey', released four years after his death in 1984.
John took a break from music in 1975 to raise his son, Sean, and was a stay-at-home dad for five years before returning to music in 1980 with the release of 'Double Fantasy' with Yoko.
'Mind Games - The Ultimate Collection'
In May 2024 it was announced that 'Mind Games - The Ultimate Collection' would be released in July. The new version of the album features new mixes, outtakes and audio documentaries.
Speaking about the release, Yoko said: "John was trying to convey the message that we all play mind games. But if we can play mind games, why not make a positive future with it – to be a positive mind game?
"'Mind Games' is such an incredibly strong song. At the time, people didn't quite get the message because this was before its time. Now, people would understand it. I don't think in those days people knew they were playing mind games anyway."
To celebrate the release of 'Mind Games' a special treasure hunt took place in Liverpool on 6th July. Fans had to visit locations across the city for a chance to win a special edition version of the album, along with other prizes.
Two of Us
Two of Us is a play about what could have happened during the last meeting of Paul McCartney and John Lennon. The play will get its world premiere in September with a run at Watford Palace Theatre and Home in Manchester.
When did John Lennon die?
John sadly died on 8th December 1980. He was shot by Mark David Chapman, a Beatles fan who claimed he'd been inspired by the character of Holden Caulfield from J. D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye, outside his home at The Dakota apartments in New York.
John's wife Yoko scattered his ashes in New York's Central Park, near their home, which was later made into the Strawberry Fields memorial. Mark David Chapman remains in prison to this day, and was denied parole for the 11th time in August 2020.
The Beatles' tributes to John Lennon
Paul McCartney
Paul wrote 'Here Today' as a tribute to John after his tragic passing. The song appeared on the album 'Tug of War', released in 1982, and Paul still plays the song whilst performing.
Ringo Starr
Paul and Ringo teamed up to sing a version of John's song 'Grow Old with Me', originally released in 1980, for Ringo’s album, 'What’s My Name', released in December 2019.
George Harrison
George said in an interview in 1990, "It’s knowing he’s on a telephone if you do want to call, that’s the difference. Now, you need the big cosmic telephone to speak to him. I believe that life goes on. So, to me, I can’t get sad. I’m sad I can’t go and play guitars with John, but then I did that anyway. We’ll meet again, somewhere down the line." George himself passed away in 2001 at the age of 58.
John Lennon's friendship with Elton John
John and Elton became firm friends in the 70s, with the pair even writing songs for each others' career. Elton has spoken out about their friendship in an interview with John's son Sean in October 2020 to celebrate what would have been John's 80th birthday.
"That was the kind of wonderful two or three year whirlwind romance we had," he explained. "It was such such an important thing in my life, Sean, and it just really helped me. It gave me so much confidence. Your dad was as kind and as generous and sweet and we just hit it off immediately."
Who was John Lennon married to?
Cynthia Lennon
John's first wife was Cynthia Powell, who he married in 1962 at the Mount Pleasant Register Office in Liverpool with Beatles manager Brian Epstein as best man. They welcomed son Julian in 1963, but the marriage broke down and the pair divorced in 1968. John changed his name to include Yoko’s, and thus became John Winston Ono Lennon in 1969.
Yoko Ono
John and Yoko met in 1966 at one of Yoko's art exhibitions in London. They kept in regular contact for the next two years, and were caught by Cynthia together in 1968. They got married in March 1969, and although they separated briefly in 1973 for 18 months - during which time John had a relationship with May Pang with Yoko's encouragement - they reunited and welcomed son Sean in 1975.
What films was John Lennon in?
John acted with his fellow Beatles band members in three fictionalised films about them: A Hard Day's Night in 1964, Help! in 1965 and Magical Mystery Tour in 1967. He also made a cameo in Yellow Submarine in 1968.
However, John has also been portrayed by other actors in film and TV many times - not a huge surprise, considering he's part of one of the biggest bands of all time! Here are some of the more notable films he's been in.
Chapter 27
This film focused more on John's killer, Mark David Chapman. The 2007 film starred Jared Leto as Chapman, for which he famously gained 67 pounds, and British actor Mark Lindsay Chapman as John. The actor nearly played John in a biopic 22 years previously, but John's widow Yoko had been spooked by his name and taken him off the project.
Nowhere Boy
Nowhere Boy was based on a biography written by John's half-sister Julia Baird, entitled Imagine This: Growing Up With My Brother John Lennon. The film, released in 2009, was about John's early life, and his relationships with his mum and Aunt Mimi. John was played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, with Thomas Sangster as Paul McCartney.
Lennon Naked
Lennon Naked starred Christopher Eccleston as the titular Beatle in this 2010 biographical film made for TV. It followed his life between 1967 and 1971, mainly focusing on the relationship with his father, Alf, who was called Freddie in the film.
Yesterday
The most recent iteration of John Lennon appeared in the film Yesterday, which followed a young man named Jack who is the only person to remember The Beatles and their music after an accident.
At the end of the 2019 film, Jack meets John as a 78-year-old man, having never become famous and therefore never been shot. Many people were left wondering who played John Lennon in Yesterday, as the role was uncredited; John was played by Robert Carlyle in the film.
The Beatles: Get Back documentary
Put together by Oscar winning director Peter Jackson, The Beatles: Get Back documentary features six hours of unseen restored footage and is available to stream on Disney+. The documentary has been split into three parts, and each two-hour episode was released separately on the 25th, 26th and 27th of November.
It offers fans the chance to experience unseen footage captured by Michael Lindsay-Hogg as well as unheard audio. The Beatles account tweeted the trailer for the documentary on 13th October 2021 which got fans excited for the documentary's release.
Read through the Beatles' impressive career timeline:
1957 - Paul McCartney meets John Lennon
It all started back in 1957, with a blossoming friendship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. On 6th July, 17-year-old John was playing with his skiffle group, the Quarrymen, at a church fete come garden party, when 15-year-old Paul McCartney came along to watch. The rest, of course, is history.
The Quarrymen often played at The Cavern Club, a popular nightclub and music venue on Mathew Street, in Liverpool.
1960 - Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe
After taking on Paul's friend George Harrison as their lead guitarist, Stuart Sutcliffe as their bassist and Pete Best as their drummer, the five-piece band became the Beatles.
Stuart played with the Beatles for one year, while Pete Best played with the group from 1960-1962.
1961 - The Beatles perform at The Cavern Club
In 1961, the Beatles took to the stage at the world-renowned Cavern Club, in Liverpool. It was here that the band were first seen by Brian Epstein, who became their manager and was also later known as the 'fifth Beatle'.
The Cavern Wall of Fame was unveiled in 1997, highlighting the names of bands who appeared at the club between 1957-1973. Situated across the road from the venue, there is a brick for the Beatles as a group, as well as each individual member. The club also unveiled a statue of John Lennon that same year.
1962 - Ringo Starr joins the Beatles
From 1960-1962, the Beatles regularly performed at clubs in Hamburg, Germany. This period of time saw a great acceleration in their performance skills, and widened their reputation. Both Paul and Stuart, however, left the group during this time.
Thankfully, in 1962, the legendary Ringo Starr joined the band, replacing their drummer Pete. Prior to joining the group, Ringo was a member of another Liverpool group, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, who achieved moderate success.
Stuart decided to leave the band in 1961 to pursue his career in fine-art, however he sadly passed away the following year after suffering from a brain haemorrhage.
1962 - 'Love Me Do'
Released in early October, 'Love Me Do' was the Beatles' official single. After peaking at the Number 17 spot on the UK Charts, the debut track was closely followed by 'P.S. I Love You'.
When the track was later released in the US two years later, it became a Number 1 hit.
1963 - ‘Please Please Me’ debut album
After recording 10 songs during a single studio session for their debut album, the Beatles released 'Please Please Me' in March, 1963. The album hit the Number 1 spot on the UK Charts, topping the Record Retailer's LP Chart for 30 weeks - an extraordinary achievement for a pop album during this time.
1964 - ‘A Hard Day’s Night’
After enjoying success in the charts, it wasn't long before United Artists Records' film division signed the Beatles to a three-motion-picture deal. The debut film, 'A Hard Day's Night', showed the band, over the course of six weeks, play themselves in a musical comedy.
The band's accompanying record, of the same name, contained songs from the film on side one, with other new recordings on side two. The record served as the band's third studio album, and flew to the Number 1 spot in the UK Charts.
As part of the three-motion-picture deal, United Artists also released the films 'Help!' and 'The Yellow Submarine'.
1965 - The Beatles perform at Shea Stadium
Described as 'perhaps the most famous of all Beatles' concerts', the band took to the stage at the world-renowned Shea Stadium, in New York, on 15th August 1965. The show, which marked the beginning of their third US tour, took place before crowd of 55,600 - a world-record breaking number, at the time.
1965 - ‘Rubber Soul’
The band's sixth studio album, 'Rubber Soul', was released in December, 1965. Many of the tracks on the two-sided album were the result of collaborative writing from John and Paul, with the track-list including huge hits such as 'Drive My Car', 'Norwegian Wood (This Bird has Flown)', 'Nowhere Man' and 'Think for Yourself'.
Selling more than 1.2 million copies in the first day, and topping sales charts in the UK and the US for several weeks, the album has been considered one of the greatest records of all time.
1965 - The Beatles are appointed MBEs
Such huge achievements didn't go unnoticed by the Royal family - in October 1965, all four members of the Beatles received Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire medals from Queen Elizabeth II.
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison were appointed their medals at Buckingham Palace.
1966 - ‘Revolver’
The Beatles' seventh studio album, 'Revolver', has been described as an 'artistic step forward' for the band. Released in August 1966, the album includes historic tracks such as 'Yellow Submarine', 'Good Day Sunshine' and 'Here, There and Everywhere'.
Due to many of the tracks incorporating sounds that were only achievable through technology, the album has been described as yet another monumental, and musical, step forward for the group.
'Revolver' was the Beatles' final album release before their retirement as live performers, being released a week before their final tour.
1966 - The Beatles’ last ever concert
On August 29, 1966, the Beatles played their last ever concert together as a band, with the performance taking place at San Francisco's Candlestick Park. The show marked the end of almost nonstop touring for four years, including over around 1,400 concert appearances, internationally. The group would now continue as a studio band.
1967- 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'
'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' was the Beatles' first release since ceasing to tour. Freed from the burden of live performances, the band was thought to further embrace the creative process - and it sure paid off, leaving us with huge tracks such as 'When I'm Sixty-Four', 'With A Little Help From My Friends' and 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' upon its release in June 1967.
The album was thought to be inspired by Brian Wilson's 'Pet Sounds', which was thought to be initially inspired by the Beatles' own 'Rubber Soul'. The record hit the Number 1 spot in charts all around the world, including the UK, US, and Australia, to name a few. It's no surprise, therefore, that the album has been described as the band's most recognised work.
1968 - The Beatles travel to India
In early 1968, the Beatles travelled to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's spiritual retreat in India. Spending time studying and meditating, the band wrote numerous songs whilst on the trip. Despite the course being set to run over three months, Ringo left after just 10 days, struggling to stomach the food, with Paul following him just one month later after growing bored. When things began to turn sour between John and George and the course leader, Maharishi, the pair, along with the band's entourage left after being there for a total of two months.
The band's next, and ninth, album release, 'The Beatles', also now commonly known as 'The White Album', included many songs written on the retreat - one of which was a scathing song named 'Maharishi', which was renamed 'Sexy Sadie'.
1969 - 'Abbey Road'
Despite all of the Beatles' achievements thus far being pretty monumental, it's safe to say that 'Abbey Road' served as one of the most historic moments for the group. The album, along with its iconic cover, was their 11th studio album and was released in September 1969.
Including huge numbers such as 'Come Together' and 'Here Comes the Sun', the album would serve as the last time the band would record together, with them having already largely recorded their 12th album prior to the release of 'Abbey Road'.
1970 - Paul McCartney goes solo
It was on 10th April 1970 that Paul McCartney announced through a press release that he would be leaving the Beatles. The statement, which revealed the news that devastated millions of Beatles fans, was sent to journalists alongside a copy of his debut solo album 'McCartney'.
'McCartney' included huge songs such as 'Maybe I'm Amazed', 'Junk' and 'Maybe I'm Amazed'. The album itself help the Number 1 position for three weeks on the US Billboard Top LPs, hitting the Number 2 spot on the UK Albums Chart.
Despite being vilified for ending the Beatles, Paul's solo career was a monumental success, with the singer-songwriter going on to dominate the charts. His popularity, as a solo artist, has been matched by only a handful of artists - with his total of Number 1 songs being surpassed by just Elvis Presley and Stevie Wonder.
1970 - 'Let It Be' and the end of the Beatles
The Beatles' 12th and final album 'Let It Be' was released in May 1970, one month after to Paul's solo debut 'McCartney'. The album topped record charts in the UK and US, as well as many other countries. To add to its success, the motion picture of the same name, released in tandem, won a Grammy Award for for the Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special.
Including legendary tracks such as 'The Long and Winding Road', 'I've Got a Feeling', 'Dig a Pony' and, of course, 'Let It Be'.
Due to Paul announcing his departure from the band just one month before, this album marked the last for the Beatles, with the band officially breaking up in April 1970.
1971: Paul McCartney and Wings
A year later, in 1971, Paul McCartney and Wings were born. The band, shortened to Wings, began with Paul and his wife Linda, with their first album, 'Ram', being released that same year and hitting the Number 1 spot on the UK Charts. Following the album's release, the Wings line-up saw various changes, including the addition of names such as Denny Seiwell, Denny Laine, Hugh McCracken, Jimmy McCulloch and Geoff Britton.
Wings' first official album as a group was 'Wild Life' in 1971, with the band releasing a total of seven albums.
1980 - 'McCarney II'
10 years after leaving the band, Paul released his second studio album, 'McCartney II' - this was soon followed by the dissolution of his band Wings. Paul recorded the album in his home studio in Sussex. Similar to his first album, the tracks consisted of him performing all of the instrumental parts, whilst his wife Linda co-wrote as well as contributing additional vocals.
The album hit the Number 1 spot on the UK Albums Chart, including huge tracks such as 'Coming Up', 'Waterfalls' and 'Temporary Secretary'.
1980 - The death of John Lennon
On the evening of 8th December 1980, John Lennon was tragically killed outside of his residence, The Dakota, in New York City. John was shot, and fatally wounded, in the archway outside of his home.
Following the tragic event, George Harrison released a statement saying: "After all we went through together, I had and still have great love and respect for him. I am shocked and stunned. To rob a life is the ultimate robbery in life. The perpetual encroachment on other people's space is taken to the limit with the use of a gun. It is an outrage that people can take other people's lives when they obviously haven't got their own lives in order."
Almost a week later, on 14th December, millions of people around the world held a 10-minute silence to remember John, who was just 40-years-old at the time of his death. 30,000 gathered in Lennon's hometown of Liverpool, while over 225,000 gathered in Central Park, close to the scene of the shooting.
1988 - The Beatles are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
In 1988, eight years after the shocking death of John Lennon, the Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Inducted by Mick Jagger at the ceremony, former bandmates George Harrison and Ringo Starr were joined by the late John Lennon's wife, Yoko Ono, to accept the honour.
1997 - Paul McCartney is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II
Over 30 years after receiving a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire medal, as a member of the Beatles, Paul was knighted by Queen Elizabeth for his services to music. Paul was appointed an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace, on 11th March 1997.
1998 - The Beatles get a Hollywood Star
In December 1998, the Beatles were honoured with their very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
All four of the Beatles members now also have their own stars on Hollywood Boulevard. John Lennon received his star in 1988, eight years after his death. George then received his in 2009, with Ringo receiving his in 2010 and Paul in 2012.
1999 - Paul McCartney is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist
Over 10 years after the Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Paul McCartney was inducted as a solo artist. Inducted by Neil Young, the ceremony included performances from stars such as Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen.
Paul had inducted his late friend John Lennon into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, with George Harrison also being inducted in 2004. Paul later inducted his other former bandmate Ringo Starr later in 2015.
2001 - The death of George Harrison
Sadly, on 29th November 2001, George Harrison passed away in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, aged 58. The star died of cancer, after first announcing that he was battling with the disease in 1998. Speaking on his friend's tragic passing, Paul said: "I am devastated and very very sad. We knew he'd been ill for a long time. He was a lovely guy and a very brave man and had a wonderful sense of humour. He is really just my baby brother."
George had enjoyed a successful solo career following the disbanding of the Beatles, releasing a total of 12 studio albums. His 12th album, 'Brainwashed', was released in 2002 - a year after his death.
2015: The Beatles statue in Liverpool
Donated by the famous Cavern Club, December 2015 saw the arrival of the Beatles statue on Liverpool's Waterfront. The statue's erection marked 50 years since the band's last concert in Liverpool, with the four figures appearing larger than life size and weighing 1.2 tonnes in total.
Since the placement of Paul, George, Ringo and John's figures, some interesting hidden features have been noticed on the statue - including the number '8' printed on the sole of Ringo's shoe, crediting his hometown of Liverpool's postcode 'L8', as well as two acorns in John's hand, cast from ones picked up outside the Dakota building in New York.
2016 - The Beatles: Eight Days a Week
2016 saw the release of their very own documentary, The Beatles: Eight Days a Week, which was about their touring years in the 1960s. The premier took place on 15th September, and welcomed appearances from Paul and Ringo.
Produced in cooperation with Paul and Ringo, along with John and George's widows Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison, the 97-minute long film follows the boys' careers while touring from 1962 to 1966.
2018 - Ringo Starr is knighted by Prince William
Ringo Starr officially became Sir Ringo in 2018, when he was appointed an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace. The musician was knighted by Prince William at the Palace on 20th March.
2020 - Ringo Starr's birthday livestream
In June 2020 Ringo Starr announced that he would be broadcasting 'Ringo's Big Birthday Show' on his YouTube channel, on 7th July of that year. The livestream was to benefit four charities - Black Lives Matter Global Network, the David Lynch Foundation, Musicares and WaterAid - and included unique home performances as well as appearances from huge names such as ex bandmate Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Sheryl Crow, Sheila E and Ben Harper.
Sadly, Ringo wasn't able to throw his usual birthday bash gathering due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Announcing his 2020 broadcast, the star said: 'As everyone knows I love gathering with fans for peace and love on my birthday. But this year, I want everyone to be safe at home - so I called up a few friends and we put this Big Birthday Show together so we could still celebrate my birthday with you all, with some great music for some great charities. I hope you will all join me! Peace and Love, Ringo.'
2020 - 'McCartney III'
December 2020 saw the release of Paul's 18th solo studio album 'McCartney III'. Similar to 'McCartney' and 'McCartney II', Paul plays all instrumental parts on the album - it's no surprise, therefore, that the album hit the Number 1 spot on the UK Albums Chart.
2021 - The Beatles: Get Back
The documentary film The Beatles: Get Back, directed by Peter Jackson includes never before seen footage of the band. The project was announced back in January 2019, however production was sadly delayed due to the global pandemic.
Over 55 hours of footage and 140 hours of audio stemming were provided from the Beatles' original 'Get Back' project, and were filtered down and featured in the film, along with a 42-minute rooftop concert.
Despite being delayed due to the global pandemic, all three parts of the film arrived on Disney+ on 27th November 2021. It later got a cinematic release and was released on DVD in July 2022.
2021 - 'My Sweet Lord' music video
On 15th December, a music video for George Harrison's 'My Sweet Lord' was created by a celebrity cast including bandmate Ringo Starr. The video was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the song.
2022 - 'Get Back (Rooftop Performance)' album
In January 2022, The Beatles released the audio from their legendary rooftop concert in 1969 on streaming platforms as a live album called 'Get Back (Rooftop Performance)'.
2022 - Ringo Starr releases Lifted book
In February 2022, Ringo Starr released a book titled Lifted, which includes photos and memories from his incredible life and career.
Proceeds from the book go to Ringo's charity the Lotus Foundation.
Ringo also collaborated with Pearl Jam musician Eddie Vedder to create the song 'Mrs Mills' for his 'Earthling' album which came out in February 2022.
2022 - Paul McCartney at Glastonbury
Paul McCartney was announced as a headline act for Glastonbury 2022, where he took to the Pyramid Stage on Saturday 25th June. Paul was meant to perform at the 2020 festival, but it was cancelled due to Covid-19.
The last time Paul performed at Glastonbury was in 2004, where he played songs from The Beatles, Wings and his solo music.
2022 - Paul McCartney lauches The Forthlin Sessions.
Paul McCartney and his brother Mike launched The Forthlin Sessions initiative in 2022 to give undiscovered musicians a place to write and perform in their famous childhood home.
Mike said of the project: "I think it's a brilliant idea, inviting young people to this house and giving them the opportunity of doing the same as us, coming from nothing and seeing where it takes them."
2022 - Olivia Harrison writes Came The Lightening poetry book
Olivia Harrison has written a book of poems dedicated to her late husband George Harrison, which is due to be published in June 2022.
With an introduction written by Martin Scorsese, the book is a poetic autobiography of George and Olivia's life together and includes never-before-seen photos of the couple.
2022 - Paul McCartney duets with John Lennon
Paul McCartney returned to Glastonbury in 2022 to headline the festival with an incredible three-hour set. To fans' delight, his performance included a special rendition of 'I've Got A Feeling' which included a digitally created duet with former bandmate John Lennon.
2022 - John Lennon's family home to be sold at auction
John Lennon's family home is to be sold at auction and expected to get around £250,000. It is Blomfield Road in Liverpool, belonged to the singer's mum, Julia Lennon and her husband John 'Bobby' Dykins.
2022 - The Beatles share music video for 'I'm Only Sleeping'
In November, an animated video was shared for the remastered version of The Beatles' track 'I'm Only Sleeping'. The video was created by artist Em Cooper using 1,300 oil paintings of the band members and other scenes.
2023 - Abbey Road documentary 'If These Walls Could Sing'
In January 2023, the documentary If These Walls Could Sing about Abbey Road Studios directed by Paul's daughter Mary McCartney was released on Disney+. The doc featured many musicians who've recorded music at the studios over the years - including Sir Paul, of course. To celebrate the release, a behind-the-scenes video snippet was shared by Abbey Road Studios showing Paul recreating the famous crossing walk from the Beatles' 'Abbey Road' album artwork - only to be nearly hit by a car driver who clearly did not appreciate the historic moment!
2023 - Paul McCartney announces The Beatles 'final' song
Paul McCartney announces The Beatles 'final' song. The song has been recorded using AI to recreate John Lennon's vocals and is due for release later this year.
2023 - John Lennon docuseries - John Lennon: Murder Without A Trial
A docuseries called John Lennon: Murder Without A Trial has been announced for Apple TV+. The series follows the tragic murder of The Beatles and solo singer, narrated by Kiefer Sutherland.
2023 - The Beatles release 'Now And Then'
The Beatles released their final song called 'Now And Then'. The song was originally written and recorded by John Lennon, with the help of advances in technology, and the help of Peter Jackson's team, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr separated out John Lennon's vocals and created the new track. It was released on 2nd November and became the band's 18th UK Number 1 and first for 54 years.
2024 - Four Beatles films confirmed
In February 2024, it was confirmed that four films would be made, with director Sam Mendes directing all four. Each of the films would follow the individual members of the band, with interconnecting plotlines.
2024 - Let It Be released on Disney+
Documentary feature film, originally released in 1970 was restored and re-released on Disney+ on 8th May 2024.
2024 - The Beatles celebrating 60 years of global Beatlemania
The first time The Beatles had set foot on American soil was in 1964, when John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, touched down at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Just a couple of nights later, the band made their American TV debut, as they performed on CBS in front of 73 million viewers in the US, and millions more north of the border in Canada. To celebrate 60 years since Beatlemania a new boxset has been released.
2024 - Beatles '64 documentary film
Beatles '64 is a brand new documentary produced by Martin Scorsese, which follows the band as they made their first appearance in America, back in 1964. The new film will be released on Disney+ on 29th November.
2024 - Ringo Starr announces a new country album called 'Look Up'
In October 2024 the legendary Beatles drummer announced he will be releasing a country music album on 10th January 2025. The new album will feature 11 songs, nine of which have been written or co-written by American record producer and guitarist T Bone Burnett.
The album is the result of a chance meeting between Ringo and T Bone after they were at an event in Los Angeles back in 2022, after having originally met back in the 1970s.
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