John Lennon, (9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was a celebrated and influential musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles. Together with Paul McCartney, Lennon formed one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of the 20th century.

Born and raised in Liverpool, England, Lennon's early life reflected the turbulence of his arrival in the world. 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 would produce the critically acclaimed albums John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, and iconic songs such as "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine". Lennon left the music world in 1975 to devote time to his family, but reemerged in 1980 with a new album, Double Fantasy. He was tragically murdered three weeks after its release.