One half of the most legendary songwriting duo of all-time and an accomplished solo performer, few people have had as monumental an impact on the face of modern rock and pop music as John Lennon. Born in Liverpool, England in 1940, he became an original member of The Beatles when he befriended Paul McCartney as a teenager. Together, the two would pen a long list of some of the most recognizable tracks in music history, influencing pop culture throughout the 1960s in the process. After The Beatles disbanded, Lennon maintained a successful solo career and a tumultuous relationship with his controversial girlfriend, collaborator and muse, Yoko Ono. Endorsing a lifestyle of peace, love and protest, Lennon wrote several important and anthemic tracks, such as "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" and the timeless piano ballad, "Imagine." His life was cut tragically short, as he was assassinated outside of his hotel room in 1980 at the age of just 40, but his remaining legacy on music and popular culture cannot be overstated.
