British singer-songwriter, pianist and composer Elton John has recorded a total of 464 songs, most of which are written by him and Bernie Taupin.
John formed the blues band Bluesology in 1962. After leaving Bluesology in 1967 to embark on a solo career, John met Taupin after they both answered an advert for songwriters, and he released his debut album Empty Sky in 1969.[1] In 1970, John formed the Elton John Band with Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson, and released his first hit single, "Your Song". His band has gone through several lineup changes, but Olsson, Davey Johnstone, and Ray Cooper have been members, albeit not continuously, since 1970, 1971 and 1973 respectively.
John's critical and commercial success was at its peak in the 1970s, when John released a streak of chart-topping albums in the US and UK which began with Honky Château (1972) and culminated with Blue Moves (1976), and also included his best-selling album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) and concept album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975).[2][3][4] John's live performances during the 1970s were also successful, with his 1975 performance at Dodger Stadium marking the pinnacle of his fame.[5]
While not achieving the same level of success as his 1970s body of work, John's music in the 1980s was also successful, with a release of hit singles including "I'm Still Standing" and "Sacrifice".[6][7] Following the death of Princess Diana in 1997, John released the double A-side charity single "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight", which sold over 33 million copies worldwide, and also performed the tribute single at Diana's funeral.[8][9] John has continued to record new music in the 21st century.[10][11]
Throughout his career, John has collaborated with a wide range of musical artists. His first major collaboration was "Don't Go Breaking My Heart', his 1976 duet with Kiki Dee. He went on to collaborate with George Michael on a live recording of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" in 1991, having previously worked with him on the 1985 song "Wrap Her Up". He composed music with Tim Rice for The Lion King in 1993 and Aida in 2000. Other individuals with whom John has collaborated include Ed Sheeran ("Merry Christmas"), Dua Lipa ("Cold Heart"), Britney Spears ("Hold Me Closer"), Leon Russell (on their collaborative album The Union), Eminem (a live recording of "Stan"), Tupac Shakur (the posthumous single "Ghetto Gospel"), Kanye West ("All of the Lights"), Lady Gaga ("Sine from Above") and Ozzy Osbourne ("Ordinary Man"). In 2021, John released the collaborative album The Lockdown Sessions, featuring collaborations with artists including Years & Years, Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, Brandi Carlile, Charlie Puth, Stevie Wonder, Nicki Minaj, Young Thug, Stevie Nicks, and Glen Campbell.
