John Lennon Memorial Day

What Is John Lennon Memorial Day?

December 8th is "John Lennon Memorial Day." On this day in 1980, the former Beatles member John Lennon was shot and killed by an obsessed fan outside his apartment building in New York. He was 40. Also called "Lennon's Day," it is marked with tributes around the world each year.

The Decade After the Beatles

With Paul McCartney and the others, John Lennon helped reshape the music of the 1960s as a member of the Beatles.

• Date of death: December 8, 1980, outside his New York home, the Dakota
• Assailant: Mark Chapman, an obsessed fan
• Names: called "John Lennon-ki" in Japan, also "Lennon's Day"
• The Beatles: the defining British band of the 1960s, with Lennon among its central members

His Connection to Japan

Lennon's wife was the Japanese-born artist Yoko Ono, and through her he visited Japan many times. He was known to have studied Japanese, and places associated with him still draw visitors. In New York's Central Park, an area called Strawberry Fields was created in his memory.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Listen to a Beatles-era track and a solo track back to back
• Read through the lyrics properly, translating as you go
• Try to remember when you first heard the Beatles
• Follow a streaming playlist through the 1960s and 70s

A Voice You Want to Hear Again in December

As Christmas music starts playing in the streets, Lennon's songs turn up more often too. December 8th is a day to remember that the music is still here.