John Lennon

John Lennon was not the most successful of The Beatles in terms of solo work. That honor goes to Paul McCartney. Regardless, his legacy is great due to his being one of the two frontmen. As a solo artist he was successful nonetheless. He had numerous certified albums. He had numerous hit singles, some gold. Like the other Beatles he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He won a Grammy. He was inducted his first year of eligibility. In a March 1966 interview, he argued that the public was more infatuated with the band than with Jesus, and that Christian faith was declining to the extent that it might be outlasted by rock music. His opinions drew no controversy when originally published in the London newspaper The Evening Standard, but drew angry reactions from Christian communities when republished in the United States that July. His comments incited protests and threats, particularly throughout the US Bible Belt. Some radio stations stopped playing Beatles songs, records were publicly burned, press conferences were cancelled, and the KKK picketed concerts. The controversy coincided with the band's 1966 US tour and overshadowed press coverage of their newest album Revolver. Lennon apologized at a series of press conferences and explained that he was not comparing himself to Christ. The controversy exacerbated the band's unhappiness with touring, which they never undertook again. Lennon also refrained from touring in his solo career. In 1980, he was murdered by Mark David Chapman, a born-again Christian who was motivated partly by Lennon's remarks on religion and "more popular than Jesus" quote.