Imagine (song)

"Imagine" is a track by English musician John Lennon, released on his 1971 album of the same name. Its lyrics ask listeners to picture a peaceful world, one without religious doctrines, economic greed, or national boundaries. Not long before he died, Lennon revealed that his wife, Yoko Ono, was the source for much of the song’s lyrics and concept; in 2017, she was officially credited as a co-writer.

Recording and commercial reception

Lennon and Ono produced the song together with Phil Spector. Recording started in May 1971 at Lennon’s home studio in Tittenhurst Park, England, and final overdubs were added in July at the Record Plant in New York City.

In October of that year, “Imagine” came out as a single in the United States, where it reached number one on the Record World Top 100, number two on the Cashbox Top 100, and number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was first released as a single in Britain in 1975 to promote the compilation Shaved Fish, peaking at number six on the UK Singles Chart. It later hit number one there after Lennon’s murder in 1980.

Reception and criticism

Since its release, “Imagine” has received widespread praise but also sparked controversy because of its lyrics. BMI named it one of the 100 most performed songs of the 20th century. In 1999, it ranked number 30 on the RIAA’s list of the 365 “Songs of the Century,” earned a Grammy Hall of Fame Award, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.” Rolling Stone placed it at number 3 on its 2004 list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time,” later moving it to number 19 in the 2021 update.

A 2002 UK survey by the Guinness World Records British Hit Singles Book named it the second-best single ever. Since 2005, the song has been played or performed in the final minutes before the New Year’s Times Square Ball Drop in New York City. In 2023, the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry, citing its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance.

“Imagine” is the best-selling single of Lennon’s solo career, with over 1.7 million copies sold in the UK. More than 200 artists have performed or covered it, including Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Joan Baez, Lady Gaga, David Bowie, Elton John, and Diana Ross.