The End of Beatlemania
December 8th, 1980. The news broke during a Monday Night Football game on ABC. The New England Patriots were playing the Miami Dolphins. Legendary sports announcer Howard Cosell broke from his normal game commentary to report that former Beatle John Lennon had been shot outside his home in New York City. He did not survive.
It is, of course, impossible to overstate the impact of Lennon and the Beatles on popular music. Their 1964 arrival in America from Britain is a cultural milestone, the true beginning of the '60s. Their groundbreaking albums and innovative songwriting and studio techniques still marvel fans and musicians. After the group's breakup in 1970, Lennon and his bandmates Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr moved on to highly successful solo careers, continuing to dominate the pop charts just as they had while together. Still, many fans held out hope for a reunion. Those hopes were forever dashed that day.
MPL has lots of material on John Lennon and the Beatles. There are numerous books, music CDs, and videos you can check out. While the man may be gone, his music and message are here forever.