Sean Ono Lennon, the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, recently shared why he feels a deep responsibility to protect and continue the legacy of his parents and The Beatles. For Sean, this is not about fame or attention. It is about love, gratitude, and making sure that important messages are not forgotten by future generations.
John Lennon was one of the most influential musicians of all time. As a member of The Beatles, he helped change popular music forever in the 1960s. Alongside Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, John became a global icon. After The Beatles broke up, he continued making music and art with Yoko Ono, focusing strongly on peace, love, and activism. Sadly, John Lennon was killed in 1980 at just 40 years old. Sean was only a child when he lost his father.
Now 50 years old, Sean says he has begun to worry that younger generations might slowly forget who John Lennon was and what The Beatles stood for. This fear surprised even him. For many years, he believed their music and message were too big to ever fade. But as time passes and new generations grow up with different influences, Sean realizes that nothing lasts forever unless people actively protect and share it.
With Yoko Ono now in her 90s, Sean has “technically” taken over much of the responsibility for managing his father’s legacy. He feels pressure because his mother set very high standards. Yoko carefully protected John’s music, message, and image for decades. Sean admits that stepping into this role is not easy, but he feels it is something he owes to both of his parents.
Sean often says that his parents gave him everything: love, guidance, creativity, and purpose. Because of that, he feels it is the least he can do to support their legacy during his lifetime. To him, this responsibility is deeply personal. It is not just about history books or old records. It is about honoring the people who raised him.
He describes his parents’ legacy as “peace and love,” but also more than that. John and Yoko believed in activism that was honest, creative, and filled with humor and compassion. They used art and music to speak about war, injustice, and human connection. Sean believes the world still needs those ideas today.
One way Sean has helped keep that message alive is through creative projects. He worked on an animated short film inspired by the famous song “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” The goal was to make people hear the song in a new way, not just as background holiday music, but as a powerful reminder of its original message against war. The film reached new audiences and helped introduce younger viewers to John and Yoko’s ideas.
Sean has also been involved in documentaries that tell his parents’ story, including films that show rare footage from their early life in New York. For him, watching unseen videos of his father is emotional. He says it feels like getting extra moments with his dad that he never had growing up.
Looking ahead, The Beatles’ story will continue to be told through upcoming films and projects. Sean sees these efforts as important opportunities to remind the world why this music and message still matter.
In the end, Sean Ono Lennon is not trying to live in the past. He is trying to connect the past to the present. By protecting his parents’ legacy, he hopes to inspire future generations to remember The Beatles, understand John and Yoko’s message, and keep peace and love alive in a changing world.