Power to the People (box set)

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Power to the People
Box set by
John Lennon and Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band with Elephant's Memory and various artists
Released10 October 2025
RecordedOne to One Concert: 30 August 1972 New York City: December 1971 – 20 March 1972
Venue Madison Square Garden, New York City
Genre Rock
Label Mercury
Producer Sean Ono Lennon

Power to the People is a box set by John Lennon and Yoko Ono released on 10 October 2025 through Mercury Records. [1] The box showcases Lennon and Ono's historic 1972 One to One concerts at Madison Square Garden, New York City. [2] [3]

Contents

The project received generally favorable reviews, although it was criticized for the absence of the song "Woman Is the Nigger of the World" contained in the original album Some Time in New York City . Commercially, the box charted in several international charts including a top-ten debut on the German Album Chart.

Description

The box set includes 9 CDs, 3 Blu-rays, a 204-page book, and 31 live tracks from Lennon and Ono's two sets at the One to One Concert backed by the Plastic Ono Band, Elephant's Memory and special guests at Madison Square Garden, New York City, on 30 August 1972. It features 92 bonus tracks. [4] [5]

The album is also available in one and two disc CD editions, containing just the concerts.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 75/100 [6]
Review scores
SourceRating
Loudersound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Pitchfork 6.0/10 [9]
Rockol 9.0/10 [10]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]

The project received generally favorable reviews by critics. On review aggregator Metacritic, Power to the People (box set) received a score of 75 out of 100 based on 5 reviews. [6]

In a positive review Tom Doyle of Mojo reported that "the reworkings of the original studio tracks that are the main draw here, and a great example of what these box sets do best: rescuing cultural artifacts, carefully restoring them and illuminating them from new and fascinating angles". [8] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Pitchfork described the box as a "a vivid document of that brief period when Lennon and Ono reinvented themselves as radicals". [9]

In a mixed review by David Quantick of Loudersound  : "once you strip away the flim and the flam, you are left with some reasonably good live music, some intriguing demos arguably the best material" and Some Time in New York City , "an album that suffers from being terrible and the omission of its one great song "Woman Is the Nigger of the World", whose title means it has been excised from the album." [7]

Track listing

source: [13]

CD1: The One to One Concert・Hybrid 'Best Of' Show

  1. "Power to the People / Intro"
  2. "New York City"
  3. "It's So Hard"
  4. "Move on Fast"
  5. "Well Well Well"
  6. "Born in a Prison"
  7. "Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)"
  8. "Mother"
  9. "We're All Water"
  10. "Come Together"
  11. "Imagine"
  12. "Open Your Box"
  13. "Cold Turkey"
  14. "Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow)"
  15. "Hound Dog"
  16. "Law and Order"
  17. "Give Peace a Chance"

CD2: The One to One Concert・Afternoon Show

  1. "Power to the People / Intro"
  2. "New York City"
  3. "It's So Hard"
  4. "Move on Fast"
  5. "Well Well Well"
  6. "Born in a Prison"
  7. "Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)"
  8. "Mother"
  9. "We're All Water"
  10. "Come Together"
  11. "Imagine"
  12. "Open Your Box"
  13. "Cold Turkey"
  14. "Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for a Hand in the Snow)"
  15. "Hound Dog"

CD3: The One to One Concert・Evening Show

  1. "Power to the People"
  2. "New York City"
  3. "It's So Hard"
  4. "Move on Fast"
  5. "Well Well Well"
  6. "Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)"
  7. "Mother"
  8. "We're All Water"
  9. "Born in a Prison"
  10. "Come Together"
  11. "Imagine"
  12. "Open Your Box"
  13. "Cold Turkey"
  14. "Hound Dog"
  15. "Law and Order"
  16. "Give Peace a Chance"

CD4: New York City (The Ultimate Mixes)

  1. "New York City"
  2. "Sisters, O Sisters"
  3. "Attica State"
  4. "Born in a Prison"
  5. "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
  6. "The Luck of the Irish"
  7. "John Sinclair"
  8. "Angela"
  9. "We're All Water"

CD5: New York City (The Evolution Documentary)

  1. "New York City"
  2. "Sisters, O Sisters"
  3. "Attica State"
  4. "Born in a Prison"
  5. "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
  6. "The Luck of the Irish"
  7. "John Sinclair"
  8. "Angela"
  9. "We're All Water"

CD6: New York City (Studio Jam) 1–16 & (Elements Mixes) 17–20

  1. "Jazz Freakout"
  2. "You Can't Sit Down"
  3. "Roll Over Beethoven"
  4. "Honey, Don't!"
  5. "Ain't That a Shame"
  6. "My Babe"
  7. "Send Me Some Lovin'"
  8. "Fools Like Me"
  9. "Down in the Caribbean"
  10. "Happy Birthday Yoko Ono"
  11. "That's Right"
  12. "Don't Be Cruel / Hound Dog"
  13. "Yoko's Rhythm"
  14. "Whole Lotta Shakin' / It'll Be Me"
  15. "Yakety Yak"
  16. "Road Runner"
  17. "Sisters, O Sisters"
  18. "Born in a Prison"
  19. "The Luck of the Irish"
  20. "Angela"

CD7: Live Jam 1

Peace and Love for Christmas, in aid of UNICEF, Live at the Lyceum Ballroom, The Strand, London, 15 December 1969

  1. "Cold Turkey"
  2. "Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for a Hand in the Snow)"

Fillmore East, New York, 6 June 1971

  1. "Well (Baby Please Don't Go)"
  2. "Jamrag" (aka "Say Please"/"King Kong"/"Aaawk")
  3. "Scumbag"
  4. "Aü" (aka "A Small Eternity with Yoko Ono")

CD8: Live Jam 2

Live at the John Sinclair Freedom Rally, Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 10 December 1971

  1. "Attica State"
  2. "The Luck of the Irish"
  3. "Sisters, O Sisters"
  4. "John Sinclair"

Live at the Benefit for the families of the victims of the riot at Attica State Correctional Facility, Apollo Theater, Harlem, NYC, 17 December 1971

  1. "Attica State"
  2. "Sisters, O Sisters"
  3. "Imagine"

Live on the David Frost TV Show, The Little Theatre, 240 West 44th Street, NYC, 16 December 1971

  1. "Attica State"
  2. "Sisters, O Sisters"
  3. "John Sinclair"

Live at the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, Americana Hotel, NYC, 4 September 1972

  1. "Imagine"
  2. "Now or Never"
  3. "Give Peace a Chance"

CD9: Home Jam

Home Recordings at the St. Regis Hotel, New York, 10 September 1971

  1. "Shazam"
  2. "Honey, Don't!"
  3. "Glad All Over"
  4. "Lend Me Your Comb"
  5. "Wake Up Little Susie"
  6. "New York City"
  7. "Wake Up Little Susie"
  8. "'Hey, que pasa?'"
  9. "(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care"
  10. "Vacation Time"
  11. "Heartbeat"
  12. "Peggy Sue Got Married"
  13. "Peggy Sue"
  14. "'Phone Call from Henry Gotsello'"
  15. "Peggy Sue"
  16. "'Now we'd like to change the mood a little...'"
  17. "Maybe Baby"
  18. "Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues"
  19. "Rave On!"
  20. "Twelve Bar Blues"

Home Recordings at the St. Regis Hotel, New York, 27 October 1971

  1. "I Got You"
  2. "Hi-Heel Sneakers"
  3. "Slippin' and Slidin'"
  4. "Gone from This Place"

Home Recordings at Campus Inn, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 10 December 1971

  1. "Send Me Some Lovin'"
  2. "He Got the Blues"
  3. "When the Teacher"
  4. "Pill"
  5. "It's Real"
  6. "I Ain't Marching Anymore"
  7. "Joe Hill"
  8. "Chords of Fame"
  9. "Ringing of Revolution"

Charts

Chart performance for Power to the People
Chart (2025)Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [14] 16
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [15] 28
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [16] 99
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [17] 27
French Albums (SNEP) [18] 138
French Rock & Metal Albums (SNEP) [19] 8
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [20] 9
German Rock & Metal Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [21] 1
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [22] 28
Japanese Download Albums ( Billboard Japan ) [23] 91
Japanese Rock Albums (Oricon) [24] 5
Japanese Top Albums Sales ( Billboard Japan ) [25] 19
Norwegian Physical Albums (IFPI Norge) [26] 4
Scottish Albums (OCC) [27] 7
Swedish Physical Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [28] 16
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [29] 30
UK Albums (OCC) [30] 72
US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [31] 23

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kozinn, Allan (October 8, 2025). "'Power to the People' Review: John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Productive Partnership". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  2. ↑ Friedlander, Matt (August 14, 2025). "Massive John Lennon & Yoko Ono Box Set, 'Power to the People,' to Focus on the Couple's Early-1970s Work". American Songwriter . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  3. ↑ Womack, Kenneth (October 10, 2025). ""Power to the People" revives John Lennon and Yoko Ono's most defiant era". Salon.com . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  4. ↑ Bonner, Michael (August 14, 2025). "John Lennon's Power To The People box set announced". Uncut . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  5. ↑ Dunworth, Liberty (August 14, 2025). "John Lennon and Yoko Ono's political activism and NYC era explored on new 'Power To The People' box set". NME . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  6. 1 2 "Power to the People (box set) Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  7. 1 2 Quantick, David (October 10, 2025). "Review: John & Yoko's political years compiled". Loudersound . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  8. 1 2 Doyle, Tom (October 9, 2025). "John Lennon Power To The People Box Set Review". Mojo . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  9. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (October 11, 2025). "John Lennon / Yoko Ono / Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band / Elephant's Memory: Power to the People (The Ultimate Collection)". Pitchfork . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  10. ↑ Perasi, Luca (October 14, 2025). "John & Yoko, la musica e la politica: la complessa storia di "Power To The People"". Rockol (in Italian). Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  11. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (October 14, 2025). "'Power to the People' Builds Out a Subpar John Lennon Album Into a Fascinating Box Set". Rolling Stone . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  12. ↑ Watts, Peter (October 10, 2025). "John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band's Power To The People reviewed: New York protest period revisited in opulent – but omissive – boxset". Uncut . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  13. ↑ "The Plastic Ono Band, John Lennon & Yoko- Power to the People - Box Set (9CD + 3 Blu-ray)". Universal Music Online (in Spanish). 2025-10-10. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  14. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band – Power to the People" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "Ultratop.be – John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band – Power to the People" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  16. ↑ "Ultratop.be – John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band – Power to the People" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  17. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band – Power to the People" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  18. ↑ "Top Albums (semaine du 17 octobre 2025)". Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique . Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  19. ↑ "Top Rock & Metal Albums (semaine du 17 octobre 2025)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique . Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  20. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band – Power to the People" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  21. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts Top 20 Rock/Metal-Charts – 17 Oktober 2025" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts . Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  22. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2025-10-20/p/3" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  23. ↑ "Billboard Japan Download Albums – October 15, 2025". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  24. ↑ "Oricon Top 20 Rock Albums: 2025-10-20" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 15 October 2025. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  25. ↑ "Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales – October 15, 2025". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  26. ↑ "Fysisk Albums 2025 uke 42" (in Norwegian Bokmål). IFPI Norge . Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  27. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  28. ↑ "Veckolista Album Fysiskt, vecka 42" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan . Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  29. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band – Power to the People". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  30. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  31. ↑ "John Lennon Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
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