The 1967 song Prince predicted would still be adored “in 2,000 years”

Prince believed John Lennon’s 1967 song “Imagine” would remain adored for 2,000 years, seeing its lasting appeal as rooted in honesty and universality. He argued that artists create enduring work when they draw on their lives and the times they inhabit, rather than chasing fame or fleeting trends.

Prince admired Lennon’s later, more reflective songwriting, which he felt grew from Lennon’s personal experiences and relationship with Yoko Ono. He said Lennon would not have written “Imagine” without that period in his life, and hoped people would one day describe his own music as “domesticated” in the same sense: more settled and emotionally open.