On January 4, 2022, fans of John Lennon woke to the news that a special commemorative edition would mark the 50th anniversary of Some Time in New York City. The announcement hinted at final mixtures for 2022, issued through a site officially endorsed by Lennon’s heirs. The message was short, but it sparked expectant chatter on Lennon and Beatle forums everywhere.
The release itself had deep roots. Some Time in New York City arrived on June 12, 1972, as Lennon’s third solo album after the breakup of the Beatles. Its predecessors Plastic Ono Band and Imagine had already seen special reissues by the time their own 50th anniversaries rolled around, complete with remixes, unheard tracks, and interview material. Those patterns suggested a continuing incentive for archival projects. Yet the June 12, 2022 milestone passed without further updates about the announced release. Then the site claimed that Some Time in New York City would come soon, only to vanish from view. As January 2023 rolled in, there was still no trace of the album.
Universal Music Group, through Calderstone Productions, administers Lennon’s catalog. The label has not issued an official statement about canceling any project tied to the album. Yet evidence suggests a reprint with extras was prepared and then shelved at some point. Lennon’s son, Sean Ono Lennon, who guards his father’s artistic legacy, has indirectly confirmed the likelihood of the project by approving various social posts that mention it. But the core question remains: why was the release halted?
political correctness
In the absence of an official version, theories circulated. Some questioned rights around tracks recorded by Lennon, Ono, Frank Zappa, and the Mothers of Invention that appeared on the double LP. Others argued the commercial prospects of the release, or lack thereof, made the project unattractive to pursue. Yet the most provocative explanation centered on political considerations that influenced the decision-making process.
This narrative gained traction through discussions on information-focused podcasts such as the widely cited Nothing Is Real. The official side reportedly resisted treating the album as a prestige project were it to open with a track deemed too controversial. A feminist anthem survived within the album in the track titles or content, prompting clashes with censorship debates. A disagreement between stakeholders ultimately contributed to the halt of the project.
an old polemic
The controversy harked back to a banner single from the unreleased material and to how it would be presented. Lennon later argued that the so-called n‑word, used within a larger context and by someone who is not white, could be a tool to address the daily oppression faced by women and Black communities alike. His intention was to provoke thought about the pain and struggle embedded in history, not to promote hate. The stance did little to quiet criticism from American radio stations, many of which chose not to air the controversial track even as the album shipped with the original title and lyrics intact. To mitigate the imagery, some copies featured a cover image that paralleled a newspaper layout, showing Nixon and Mao Zedong in a nude drawing. In a bid to avoid offense, many editions carried a sticker declaring the release a double album, placed to obscure the controversial visual on the cover.
Ugly duckling
Some Time in New York City endures as a polarizing entry in Lennon’s discography, thirty years later still seen as the unusual, defiant record in contrast to his more widely celebrated works. The double album contains ten studio tracks, including contributions from Yoko Ono, and six live performances. It stands out for its fearless engagement with issues such as sexism, racism, colonialism, and the suppression of dissent. The raw energy marks a sharp departure from the introspective tone of Imagine and the peaceable manifesto spirit of Merry Christmas (War Is Over).
Critics at the time offered harsher reviews, with prominent outlets framing the project as a bold misfire. Public reception mirrored that sentiment, and sales reflected the lukewarm response, performing below expectations on U.S. charts. The episode left Lennon briefly away from the studio, only to return in 1973 with the Mind Games era, released later that year. As the 50th anniversary approaches, observers wonder whether the Ultimate Mixes project will finally see the light, or if the fate of Some Time in New York City will remain a rare, cautionary tale in the annals of rock history.