Elton John
A legendary icon whose piano keys met the 808s of Chicago's own visionary.
Elton John is a British singer, songwriter and pianist who has recorded a total of 464 songs, most written by him and Bernie Taupin. He formed the blues band Bluesology in 1962, left in 1967 to go solo, and met Taupin after they both answered an advert for songwriters. His debut album Empty Sky was released in 1969. In 1970, he formed the Elton John Band with Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson, and released his first hit single, "Your Song". His band has had several lineup changes, but Olsson, Davey Johnstone, and Ray Cooper have been members, albeit not continuously, since 1970, 1971 and 1973 respectively.
Lore & Background
John's critical and commercial success peaked in the 1970s with a streak of chart-topping albums in the US and UK beginning with Honky Château (1972) and culminating with Blue Moves (1976), including his best-selling album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) and concept album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975). In the 1980s, he released hit singles including "I'm Still Standing" and "Sacrifice". Following Princess Diana's death in 1997, he 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 performed it at Diana's funeral. He has continued recording new music in the 21st century.
Reader's Guide
John's collaboration with Kanye West is specifically on the song "All of the Lights". John's role is that of a collaborator on that track. His broader career shows a pattern of working across genres and generations, from 1970s duets to 2020s pop and hip-hop features. His status as an active legend through continued recording in the 21st century and his 2021 collaborative album.
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