John Lennon is arguably one of the most influential and recognized artists in music. From being a key member of the Beatles to people knowing him for wearing his iconic glasses, the John Lennon lenses. There is no doubt that John Lennon was an icon and crucial to the development of modern-day music and culture. Interestingly enough, there are many connections between Black American tradition and John Lennon’s music. One of the Black American traditions is expressing themselves through music, whether it was songs during slavery to present-day Hip-Hop speaking about society’s issues. John Lennon used that tradition in his music as he saw music as something more than entertainment. 

As the article “John Lennon’s Music: A Range of Genius” by Stephen Holden states, “John Lennon personalized the political and politicized the personal, often making the two stances interchangeable but sometimes ripping out the seams altogether…John Lennon believed passionately that popular music could and should do more than merely entertain, and by acting out this conviction, he changed the face of rock & roll forever”. He spoke about topics like the Vietnam War, where Richard Nixon tried to have him deported because Lennon was anti-war and set up a campaign for young people to vote. Lennon’s song “Give Peace a Chance” was a prominent anti-war anthem during the late 1960s and led a massive revolution against the war. He wanted his beliefs to be known and understood. The song “Imagine” really shows Lennon’s ideas of a society, where Holden states, “he [Lennon] asked us to share his vision of an idyllic world, with no religious, material or political boundaries”. Lennon had a peaceful vision of the world, where everyone was free and able to express themselves with no limitations. Lennon was in the hippie era where peace and free expression were the topics of discussion. Lennon really used music as a tool to push this movement of peace and freedom forward and his listeners followed him. 

There are many connections between Lennon’s music and present-day genres such as K-Pop. K-Pop has many fans around the world and it is growing exponentially. With such a heavy influence on music, culture, and society, K-Pop is merely a newer form of Lennon’s music. Lennon was loved for his music, style, and ability to express himself freely. He had followers, and haters, but he made his impact that still has an effect today. He did not let the haters, even President Nixon, stop him from expressing himself through music. It is incredible how many different cultures have connections through music. Lennon was just a staple in history where someone expresses themselves through music, leaving the path opened for new artists to continue this style of music. Artists today that remind me of Lennon are Kendrick Lamar, J.Cole, and Lil Baby, each talking about societal problems, personal problems, and their beliefs. For as long as music exists, artists will continue to use music as a tool of expression, leaving their impact on their listeners and the world.