In honor of the great’s would-have-been 74th birthday today, we’d like to share with you a quick collection of John Lennon’s dynamic music.

Lennon made his claim to fame back in the 1960s when he co-founded The Beatles with Paul McCartney in Liverpool, England. As a talented musician, he quickly became well known all over the world, revolutionizing music along the way.

After The Beatles era had ended, Lennon continued on in his solo career with his wife, Yoko Ono. The two became prominent faces in the anti-Vietnam War campaign that swept the United States in the 1970s. The power couple participated in numerous protests such as bed-ins and produced peace-centric albums during these years.

Lennon was assassinated in front of his New York City home early in December of 1980. Luckily, his timeless music lives on, influencing prominent artists today; spreading the message of peace, love and equality for all.