John Lennon and Ed Sheeran
Picture a world where nobody has ever heard of the Beatles except one struggling singer. He plays “Yesterday” for his friends, and they think he wrote it. Soon Ed Sheeran knocks on his door. That’s the plot of Yesterday, the 2019 film by Danny Boyle and Richard Curtis, and it’s the clearest link between John Lennon and Ed Sheeran.
The two never met. Lennon died in 1980, more than ten years before Sheeran was born. Yet they share a lot: both are English singer-songwriters, both started out playing small local gigs, and both wrote songs that became part of daily life around the world.
This article covers their connection, their backgrounds, career highlights, and where their music stands in 2026.
Quick Facts
| John Lennon | Ed Sheeran | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon) | Edward Christopher Sheeran |
| Born | October 9, 1940 | February 17, 1991 |
| Birthplace | Liverpool, England | Halifax, West Yorkshire, England |
| Died | December 8, 1980, age 40 | |
| Education | Quarry Bank High School; Liverpool College of Art | Thomas Mills High School, Suffolk |
| Known for | The Beatles, “Imagine” | “Shape of You,” “Perfect,” “Thinking Out Loud” |
| Major honors | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice) | Four Grammys, MBE |
The Connection Between John Lennon and Ed Sheeran
Yesterday (2019)
In Yesterday, Himesh Patel plays Jack Malik, a singer who wakes up after an accident to find the world has forgotten the Beatles. Ed Sheeran plays himself. He hears Jack sing and invites him to open his tour. Later, Sheeran challenges Jack to a songwriting contest, and Jack wins by playing “The Long and Winding Road.” Sheeran admits defeat in one of the film’s funniest scenes.
The film features dozens of Lennon and McCartney songs. Surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with the estates of Lennon and George Harrison, gave permission for the music to be used.
Shared Musical Roots
Sheeran grew up in a house full of music, and the Beatles were part of the classic songbook he learned from. Like Lennon, he taught himself guitar and wrote songs as a teenager, long before anyone paid him to.
John Lennon: Early Life and Education
John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, during a German air raid. His parents separated when he was young, and he was raised mostly by his Aunt Mimi in the suburb of Woolton.
He attended Quarry Bank High School, where he started a skiffle band called the Quarrymen in 1956. He then studied at the Liverpool College of Art. On July 6, 1957, he met Paul McCartney at a church fete, and the two soon began writing songs together.
John Lennon: Career Timeline
- 1960: The band took the name the Beatles and played long sets in Hamburg, Germany.
- 1962: Released “Love Me Do,” their first UK single.
- 1964: Appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, starting Beatlemania in the US.
- 1967: Released Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
- 1969: Married Yoko Ono and released “Give Peace a Chance.”
- 1970: The Beatles broke up.
- 1971: Released Imagine and moved to New York City.
- 1975: Stepped away from music to raise his son Sean.
- 1980: Released Double Fantasy with Yoko Ono. He was shot and killed outside his New York home on December 8.
- 1982: Double Fantasy won the Grammy for Album of the Year.
- 1994: Entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist, after going in with the Beatles in 1988.
Ed Sheeran: Early Life and Education
Ed Sheeran was born on February 17, 1991, in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and grew up in Framlingham, Suffolk. His father was an art curator and his mother was a jewelry designer. He sang in a church choir, picked up guitar as a child, and started writing songs at age 11.
He attended Thomas Mills High School. At 16, he moved to London to play open mic nights, sometimes performing several shows a night. He briefly took a course at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford.
Ed Sheeran: Career Timeline
- 2011: Released “The A Team” and his debut album, +, after building a fan base through YouTube and small gigs.
- 2014: Released x, featuring “Sing” and “Thinking Out Loud.”
- 2016: Won the Grammy for Song of the Year for “Thinking Out Loud.”
- 2017: Released Divide, featuring “Shape of You” and “Perfect.” He was also made an MBE.
- 2017 to 2019: The Divide Tour became the highest-grossing tour of all time up to that point.
- 2019: Played himself in Yesterday.
- 2021: Released Equals.
- 2023: Released Subtract and Autumn Variations, and won a major copyright case over “Thinking Out Loud.”
- 2025: Released Play.
How Their Careers Compare
| Category | John Lennon | Ed Sheeran |
|---|---|---|
| Hometown scene | Liverpool clubs like the Cavern | London open mic nights |
| Breakthrough | “Love Me Do” (1962) | “The A Team” (2011) |
| Writing partner | Paul McCartney | Many co-writers, including Johnny McDaid and Amy Wadge |
| Biggest song | “Imagine” | “Shape of You” |
| Style | Rock, pop, protest songs | Pop, folk, acoustic loops |
| Activism | Peace campaigns | Music education and charity |
What John Lennon and Ed Sheeran Have in Common
- English roots: Both grew up in England and started out in local clubs and pubs.
- Self-taught guitarists: Both learned by ear and wrote songs as teens.
- Global hits: Both wrote songs that topped charts around the world.
- Love songs: Lennon wrote “In My Life” and “Woman.” Sheeran wrote “Perfect” and “Thinking Out Loud.”
- Hard work in small rooms: Lennon played long nights in Hamburg. Sheeran played hundreds of gigs a year in his late teens.
Where Their Music Stands in 2026
John Lennon’s voice can still be heard on new releases. In 2023, the Beatles released “Now and Then,” built from a demo Lennon recorded in the 1970s. It won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance in 2025.
Ed Sheeran continues to tour and release new music after Play, and his older hits remain among the most streamed songs in the world.
Where to Start
For John Lennon, listen to Rubber Soul and Abbey Road with the Beatles, then Imagine and Double Fantasy. For Ed Sheeran, start with +, then x and Divide. Then watch Yesterday to see the link between John Lennon and Ed Sheeran on screen.
Two Songwriters Who Wrote About Their Lives
Lennon often wrote about his own life. “In My Life” looks back on his childhood. “Julia” is about his mother. “Beautiful Boy” is about his son Sean.
Sheeran does the same. “Castle on the Hill” is about growing up in Suffolk. “Supermarket Flowers” was written for his grandmother. Fans of John Lennon and Ed Sheeran often point to this honesty as the reason their songs feel personal.
In Short
Lennon helped invent modern pop and rock with the Beatles, then used his solo work to sing about peace. Sheeran built a career with a guitar, a loop pedal, and simple, heartfelt songs. A single film brought their worlds together.
Fun Facts
- Lennon’s middle name, Winston, came from Winston Churchill.
- Sheeran supports Ipswich Town football club and is a shareholder in the club.
- In Yesterday, Sheeran suggests renaming “Hey Jude” to “Hey Dude.”
Final Thoughts
John Lennon and Ed Sheeran belong to different eras, but both prove the power of a well-written song. Lennon changed music with the Beatles and gave the world “Imagine.” Sheeran turned open mic nights into stadium tours. Yesterday gave fans a fun way to see John Lennon and Ed Sheeran in the same story, and their songs keep finding new listeners.
Key Takeaways
- John Lennon was born October 9, 1940, in Liverpool and died December 8, 1980. Ed Sheeran was born February 17, 1991, in Halifax, England.
- John Lennon and Ed Sheeran never met, but the 2019 film Yesterday, which features Beatles songs, has Sheeran playing himself.
- Lennon co-founded the Beatles with Paul McCartney, released Imagine in 1971, and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
- Sheeran broke through with “The A Team” in 2011 and later released hits like “Shape of You,” “Perfect,” and “Thinking Out Loud.”
- The Beatles’ “Now and Then,” built from a Lennon demo, won a Grammy in 2025.
- Both are self-taught English songwriters who started in small clubs and wrote personal songs.
