It was Monday night, December 8, 1980, that Howard Cosell announced to a shocked audience during Monday Night Football that John Lennon, former Beatle, had been shot to death in front of his New York apartment building.
To say music changed that day is an understatement and somewhat misleading. Yes, a great musical influence was silenced, but rock music was changing into something at the time of Lennon’s death that I don’t think he was remotely prepared for. Within three years of his death, rock/pop would be ruled by Michael Jackson, boy bands, Styx, Toto, Prince, Marvin Gaye and Culture Club. In hindsight, it is hard to believe that John Lennon could adapt to the music change the way Paul McCartney and his band did. Sadly, we’ll never know.
But in John Lennon’s honor, take a look at a T-Mobile commercial shot in Trafalgar Square. John Lennon would be proud.