After three experimental albums with Yoko Ono, using tape loops, interviews, musique concrète, and other avant-garde performance techniques, Lennon's solo career properly began with the 1969 single "Give Peace a Chance".

His 1972 political themed album Some Time in New York City received scathing reviews and performed poorly commercially.

In 1975, Lennon released his covers album Rock 'n' Roll before retiring from music to focus on raising his newborn son Sean.

In 2020, to celebrate what would have been Lennon's 80th birthday, Ono and her son Sean released the box set Gimme Some Truth.

[2] In 2018, 2021 and 2024, super deluxe box-sets of Imagine, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Mind Games were released.