A poll conducted by Q magazine has revealed that John Lennon is the greatest rock 'n' roll icon of all time, beating close competition from Elvis Presley.

In a tribute for her former husband, Yoko Ono told the magazine "He was a driven man: it was as if he knew that he was to stay on Earth for a relatively short time.

"He changed people's awareness in an incredible way, both with words and music. He was not afraid to tell the truth and thus give us a clearer picture of what was really going on."

The second Beatle in the list, Paul McCartney, features at twelfth place.