Today would have been John Lennon's 80th birthday

Born in Liverpool on the 9th October 1940 he was shot dead by Mark Chapman in New York on the 8th December 1980. He was just 40 years old.

Very few musicians, deceased or not, have had a bigger impact on the music industry as John Lennon, one of the founding members of The Beatles.

His life was cut short on the 8th December 1980 when he was shot dead by self proclaimed fame hunter Mark Chapman. Today would have been his 80th birthday. The event is being marked a number of ways across the world.

In Liverpool they have launched a song competition to find a new uplifting anthem to get people through Covid-19.

Universal Music Group is launching a dedicated Lennon channel called LENNON80 on Sky, Virgin and Freeview from today until October 15.

Even Liverpool FC boss Jurgen Klopp got in on the occasion

Meanwhile Lennon's sister Julia Baird says if he was still alive he would be out campaigning for diversity.

Speaking to "This Morning" on ITV she said the family still find it hard to listen to his music as they miss him so much.

Watch the full interview below:

Tributes have been paid to the legend across the day.

His widow Yoko Ono, who was with him when he was shot, posted a beautiful family portrait on twitter.