John’s career achievements to date are unsurpassed in their breadth and longevity. John is one of the top-selling solo artists of all time. In the UK and US charts alone he has one diamond, 32 platinum or multi-platinum, and 21 gold albums as well as more than 70 Top 40 hits. He has sold more than 300 million records worldwide.
He holds the record for the biggest selling single of all time, “Candle in the Wind 1997,” which sold more than 33 million copies. Released in 2017, “Diamonds,” the ultimate greatest hits album, became John’s 40th UK Top 40 album and has spent more than 200 consecutive weeks in the Top 75 of the UK album charts with more than 110 of these in the Top 20. This release celebrated 50 years of his songwriting partnership with Bernie Taupin.
In 2018, John was named the most successful male solo artist in Billboard Hot 100 chart history, having logged 67 entries, including nine No. 1s and 27 Top 10s. “The Lockdown Sessions,” an album of collaborations recorded during the COVID-19 Pandemic, was released in October 2021 and went straight to No. 1 in the UK album charts, becoming John’s eighth UK No. 1 album in the process. Its lead single “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” with Dua Lipa became a global hit, reaching No. 1 in the UK and Australian singles charts. Its success meant John became the first ever solo artist to score a UK Top 10 hit single in six consecutive decades. In America, he holds the record for longest span between Billboard Top 40 hits at 50 years.
John announced the “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour at New York’s Gotham Hall in January 2018. Encompassing five continents, and more than 350 dates, this five-year-long tour started in September 2018 and marks his retirement from touring after more than 50 years on the road. In 2019 it was named Billboard’s Top Rock Tour and Pollstar’s Major Tour Of The Year. To date, John has delivered more than 4,000 performances in more than 80 countries since launching his first tour in 1970.
In 2019, the film “Rocketman,” an epic fantasy musical motion picture of John’s life, was released followed by John’s global bestselling autobiography, “Me.” “Rocketman” has been a commercial and critical hit, making close to $200 million at the box office. It has won an Oscar, two Golden Globe Awards, a Critics’ Choice Award and garnered BAFTA nominations. Its soundtrack was also nominated for a Grammy Award.
Among the many awards and honors bestowed upon him are six Grammys, including a Grammy Legend award, a Tony, two Oscars, a Best British Male Artist BRIT Award, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Kennedy Center Honor, Legend of Live Award, 13 Ivor Novello Awards, and a knighthood from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for “services to music and charitable services.”
In 1992, John established the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which today is one of the leading non-profit HIV/AIDS organizations and has raised more than $515 million to date in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. In June 2019 President Emmanuel Macron presented John the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest award, for his lifetime contribution to the arts and the fight against HIV/AIDS. John was awarded the Companion of Honour in the 2021 New Year Honours list.