76) Imagine

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After the primal-scream therapy of Plastic Ono Band Lennon softened up on his second solo album. There is still the stinging "Gimme Some Truth" and Lennon's evisceration of Paul McCartney, "How Do You Sleep?" -- both featuring George Harrison on guitar. But there is also the aching soul of "Jealous Guy" and the irresistible "Oh Yoko!" Imagine is self-consciously luminescent, pointedly embraceable. Lennon said of the title track, "Anti-religious, anti-nationalistic, anti-conventional, anti-capitalistic, but because it is sugar-coated it is accepted. . . . Now I understand what you have to do. Put your political message across with a little honey."

Total album sales: 2 million

Peak chart position: 1

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