PLAYLISTICLE: John Lennon – Ultimate Playlists [2020-2021]

Brief playlists or extended plays of already existing songs, recontextualized before they reappear in the inevitable anniversary remasters, remixes, or even drastic reconfigurations like Dolby Atmos, can be an enjoyable experience for fans, old and new. It all comes down to personal preference. For 2020's Gimme Some Truth, fresh mixes were created from newly digitized masters and dubbed Ultimate Mixes. Lennon's label, with Sean and Yoko's blessing, celebrated and promoted the polarizing release by incorporating these Ultimate Mixes into a series of ten playlists exclusive to streaming services.

The first playlist featuring the Ultimate Mixes was Cold Turkey. It appeared on the usual streaming services the week of November 20, 2020. There were six tracks, including three of the new Ultimate Mixes.

• 01 Come Together (Live / Ultimate Mix)
• 02 Bless You (Ultimate Mix)
• 03 Cold Turkey (Ultimate Mix)
• 04 Meat City (Remastered 2010)
• 05 Beef Jerky (Remastered 2010)
• 06 Cleanup Time (Remastered 2010)

The second playlist was TRUTH. It was released on November 27, 2020, and featured six tracks. This time around, four of the songs were Ultimate Mixes.

• 01 Gimme Some Truth (Ultimate Mix)
• 02 Working Class Hero (Ultimate Mix)
• 03 God (Ultimate Mix)
• 04 How Do You Sleep? (Ultimate Mix)
• 05 I Found Out (Remastered 2010)
• 06 Scared (Remastered 2010)

ROCK'N'ROLL. was the third playlist, released on December 4, 2020. Six tracks, including two already featured on Cold Turkey. Four Ultimate Mixes.

• 01 Come Together (Live / Ultimate Mix)
• 02 Cold Turkey (Ultimate Mix)
• 03 Ain't That A Shame (Remastered 2010)
• 04 Do You Want To Dance (Remastered 2010)
• 05 (Just Like) Starting Over (Ultimate Mix)
• 06 Angel Baby (Ultimate Mix)

DEEP CUTS 1. features six songs from the 2018 release, Imagine – The Ultimate Collection. The playlist was released on December 11, 2020, and has just one Ultimate Mix.

• 01 Imagine (Elements Mix)
• 02 Oh My Love (Take 6)
• 03 How Do You Sleep? (Takes 5 & 6 / Raw Studio Mix)
• 04 Well (Baby Please Don't Go) (Ultimate Mix)
• 05 Jealous Guy (Elements Mix)
• 06 Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Alternate Mix)

The fifth Lennon playlist was PEACE. Released on December 18, 2020, five of the six tracks are Ultimate Mixes. Once again, a track ("Come Together (Live)") featured on two earlier playlists makes an encore appearance.

• 01 Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Ultimate Mix)
• 02 Power To The People (Ultimate Mix)
• 03 Come Together (Live / Ultimate Mix)
• 04 Only People (Remastered 2010)
• 05 Imagine (Ultimate Mix)
• 06 Give Peace A Chance (Ultimate Mix)

The sixth playlist was released on Christmas Day 2020. LOVE. features six Ultimate Mixes with one ("Angel Baby") having already appeared on a previous playlist (ROCK'N'ROLL.)

• 01 Love (Ultimate Mix)
• 02 Jealous Guy (Ultimate Mix)
• 03 Oh My Love (Ultimate Mix)
• 04 Angel Baby (Ultimate Mix)
• 05 Woman (Ultimate Mix)
• 06 Grow Old With Me (Ultimate Mix)

IMAGINE. was the seventh playlist, released on New Year's Day 2021. Like LOVE. it features six Ultimate Mixes with one track making an encore appearance.

• 01 Imagine (Ultimate Mix)
• 02 Mind Games (Ultimate Mix)
• 03 #9 Dream (Ultimate Mix)
• 04 Watching The Wheels (Ultimate Mix)
• 05 Nobody Told Me (Ultimate Mix)
• 06 Every Man Has A Woman Who Loves Him (Ultimate Mix)

The eighth playlist to feature Ultimate Mixes was titled KARMA. Released on January 8, 2021, it featured four of the new mixes, including a couple that had previously appeared on other playlists in the series.

• 01 Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) (Ultimate Mix)
• 02 Cold Turkey (Ultimate Mix)
• 03 What You Got (Remastered 2010)
• 04 How Do You Sleep? (Ultimate Mix)
• 05 Attica State (Remastered 2010)
• 06 Steel And Glass (Ultimate Mix)

Released on January 15, 2021, ACOUSTIC. was the ninth playlist. It featured six tracks, like all the others, but only three Ultimate Mixes.

• 01 Working Class Hero (Ultimate Mix)
• 02 Look At Me (Remastered 2010)
• 03 Oh My Love (Ultimate Mix)
• 04 India, India (Home Recording)
• 05 Out The Blue (Ultimate Mix)
• 06 Oh Yoko! (Evolution Documentary)

HERO. was the tenth and final John Lennon Ultimate Mix playlist. Released on January 22, 2021, the six-song playlist features four Ultimate Mixes, some of which have been on preceding playlists.

• 01 Working Class Hero (Ultimate Mix)
• 02 Power To The People (Ultimate Mix)
• 03 Gimme Some Truth (Ultimate Mix)
• 04 Stand By Me (Ultimate Mix)
• 05 Remember (Remastered 2010)
• 06 I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama (Remastered 2010)