The song reached the top five in the British and American charts, competing with the Beatles' "Let It Be" in the US, where it became the first solo single by a member of the band to sell a million copies.

employs Spector's signature Wall of Sound technique and features contributions from George Harrison, Klaus Voormann, Alan White, and Billy Preston.

Recently shorn of the long hair synonymous with their 1969 campaign for world peace, Lennon and Ono promoted the single with an appearance on Britain's Top of the Pops five days after its release.

[3] The visit coincided with the start of what Lennon termed "Year 1 AP (After Peace)",[4] following his and Ono's heavily publicised Bed-Ins and other peace-campaign activities throughout 1969.

[5][6] To mark the new era,[7] on 20 January 1970, the couple shaved off their shoulder-length hair – an act that Britain's Daily Mirror described as "the most sensational scalpings since the Red Indians went out of business.

[13][14] Author Philip Norman writes of the concept's appeal: "The idea was quintessential Lennon – the age-old Buddhist law of cause and effect turned into something as modern and synthetic as instant coffee and, simultaneously, into a bogey under the stairs that can get you if you don't watch out.

/ Surely not to live in pain and fear" as a further example of Lennon "asking what purpose his life on earth was to serve," after his 1966 composition "Strawberry Fields Forever".

"[29] As with "Give Peace a Chance" and "Power to the People"[30] – Lennon singles from 1969 and 1971 – the chorus has an anthem-like quality, as he sings: "We all shine on, like the moon and the stars and the sun.

[16] Lennon's fellow musicians at the session were Harrison, Klaus Voormann, Alan White,[37] and Billy Preston[38] – all of whom had performed at the December 1969 Peace for Christmas Concert,[39][40] as part of the Plastic Ono Supergroup.

[51][nb 4] In addition, Beatles aide Mal Evans overdubbed chimes (or tubular bells)[53] and White added a second, muffled drum part.

[27] Lennon felt that the chorus was missing something, and so Preston and Evans[16] were sent to a nearby nightclub to bring in a group of people to provide backing vocals.

[51][52] Having only recently returned to producing, after the commercial failure of Ike & Tina Turner's 1966 single "River Deep – Mountain High" in America,[57] Spector had "passed the audition", according to Beatles Forever author Nicholas Schaffner.

"[69][70] As with "Cold Turkey", the single's standard Apple Records A-side face label carried the words "PLAY LOUD", in both the UK[66][71] and America.

[72] Following a year of highly publicised peace campaigning by the Lennons in 1969, Apple press officer Derek Taylor was concerned that they had exhausted the media's interest in their causes.

[12] While the other musicians mimed their contributions, Lennon sang a live vocal over a mix of the song's instrumental track,[12] prepared by EMI engineer Geoff Emerick.

[78][79] The clips differ from one another in terms of Lennon's attire and the nature of Ono's role as, in author Robert Rodriguez's description, "an onstage focal point around which all activity was staged.

[82][nb 9] Lennon and Ono also promoted the single with an appearance on Emperor Rosko's BBC Radio 1 show Midday Spin, shortly after the "cue card" clip aired.

[92] The release took place two months before Paul McCartney announced the break-up of the Beatles,[66] whose penultimate single, the George Martin-produced "Let It Be", Lennon's record competed with on the US chart.

went on to become the first single by a solo Beatle to achieve US sales of 1 million,[15] earning gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America on 14 December 1970.

[93][96] Despite the stated intentions for Lennon's and Ono's Year 1 AP, the proceeds from the auctioning of their hair benefited Michael X's Black House commune[74] rather than the peace movement;[7][97] according to Beatles Diary author Barry Miles, the pledge to donate their royalties was also "discreetly forgotten.

"[98] In March 1970, Lennon publicly split with the organisers of the planned Toronto Peace Festival,[99] as he and Ono began treatment under Arthur Janov's Primal Therapy.

With a beautiful rock 'n' roll echo chamber on his mean but meaningful vocals and some superb drumming, it makes up the Plastics' best piece of boogie yet.

"[107] Record World listed the song first on its three "Single Picks of the Week" predictions, saying: "John Ono Lennon is now produced by Phil Spector.

"[108] Cash Box predicted the same success, saying: "'Instant Karma' has made it to New York, full reverb blaring and Lennon's guts pouring out in a most exciting and involving manner.

Shaar Murray added, with reference to "Cold Turkey" also: "I can't remember anybody else who put out two such utter killers in a row over the same period of time.

", author Robert Rodriguez concludes of Lennon's activities on 27 January 1970: "Not many days in the history of rock and roll proved as everlastingly fruitful.

[115] Philip Norman describes the song as "similar to 'Cold Turkey' in tempo but far more relaxed and humorous", adding that Spector's production gave Lennon's voice "a taut expressiveness it had not had since 'Norwegian Wood'.

"[15] While noting the significance of the session for George Harrison's career, author Simon Leng praises the recording as being "full of urgency and sheer excitement.

[71] Urish and Bielen observe that the "advertising hyperbole" inherent in the song's title, through the inclusion of an exclamation mark, is given extra emphasis on this album cover.

[137][138] In 2022, the American group Bleachers, formed by the singer and producer Jack Antonoff, covered the song for the soundtrack of the animated movie Minions: The Rise of Gru.