Ufed Ultimate

John Lennon’s birthday today, October 9, is marked by the release of a new deluxe and expanded version of Imagine (The Ultimate Collection). The set is now available to stream and download, and features the entire full-length collection of tracks, some of which have previously only been available on Blu-Ray, in Hi-Res Stereo and Spatial Audio/Dolby Atmos. Yoko Ono Lennon and Sean Ono Lennon have sent a note to Lennon’s legions of fans worldwide to explain that each set of mixes from the compilation – Ultimate, Elements, Evolution, Raw Studio and Out-Takes – has been released as a separate album. This allows his songs to be enjoyed in the way that was originally intended, curated by Yoko Ono Lennon, rather than release all 78 tracks from the themed retrospective in one vast playlist.

When Imagine was released in September 1971, John Lennon finally gave Beatles fans the album they wanted. His first three solo records were recorded and released while the group was still around, but they were experimental noise collages constructed with Yoko Ono that had nothing to do with the Beatles' music (unless you consider "Revolution 9" representative of their work). And 1970's post-breakup John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, as great as it is, was a little too abrasive for folks who still had "Let It Be" and "The Long and Winding Road" ringing in their ears.