The 30 Best Elton John Songs, Ranked

As insane as it sounds, the 1990 track “Sacrifice” was one of John's only few No. 1 hits in the U.K. (his first as a solo artist—no, that’s not a typo). The song is a major departure from John’s early work, leaning much harder in the soft rock style that was popular in the early '90s. "Sacrifice" is somewhat of an anti-love song, chronicling the sad end of a relationship.

“Ego” is a strange deep cut that shows off a bit of Elton John’s glam rock side. It wasn’t particularly well received, but the curious train whistle effect and dizzying piano is proof that John wasn’t ever fearful of playing with his style. This did preempt a strange disco age, but even some of John’s biggest swings are still more commendable than other artists' safe moves.

“Madman Across the Water” wasn’t released as a single, but it highlights how powerful Elton John’s vocals can be when stripped down from the excitement of rock guitars and playful pianos. While John is mostly known for his soft rock and rock pop hits, "Madman Across the Water" gives a little more of a glimpse into his purely rock artistry.

"Honky Cat” is its own beast. The funky, horn-laden hit of the early '70s is sandwiched between two other mega hits, but it’s hard to compare the odd mix of electric piano and wheezing saxophone to any other single in Elton's songbook. It's easily one of the tracks he has the most fun with, but it's not as much of a standout as the song that followed it, "Crocodile Rock."

An early '80s hit, “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues,” shows off a slower side of Elton John. After a strange late '70s turn to disco, the pseudo-ballad pushed John back into the spotlight. The song reached No. 4 and remains one of his greatest hits. Of all his early '80s ballads, this is one that manages to push Elton in a new direction while carrying a big dose of the past along with him.

The duet with Kiki Dee came at a time when John was careening toward bonafide superstar status. This was John’s sixth No. 1 hit in the States, and the first No. 1 for both him and Dee. He later re-released the song as a duet with RuPaul (even dancier and more fabulous), but the original remains canon. The 1976 hit was Elton John and Bernie Taupin at their best: catchy music and ear worm lyrics that stand the test of time.

No, Elton John's version doesn’t start with that signature yell, but his performance of The Lion King’s opening track is iconic in its own way. It’s also worth noting that neither version of the song would have existed without John, who composed the music for the mega hit. Nominated for an Academy Award, it ultimately lost when another of John’s entry beat it. Thanks a lot, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”

A hat tip to one of the greats, Elton John’s “Empty Garden” is a perfect tribute to his late friend, John Lennon. Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics to the single that calls back to the relationship between John and Lennon, with reference to the mountain of flowers that mourners left for John in the wake of his death.

It’s a perfect response to the changing times. After a tumultuous '70s, a disco album misstep, and a tonal shift in the musical landscape, “I’m Still Standing” was John’s response to the threat of becoming irrelevant. Still working with Bernie Taupin, the lyrics and rhythm were early proof that John had what it took to last the long haul. Five decades into his career, and John is standing taller than ever before.

“Grey Seal” kicks off with the exciting piano that John is so well known for. While this is an excellent example of what John and Taupin can do together, it’s so easy to overlook on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road—an album so weighted down with iconic hits that a good song appears mediocre in comparison.

The 10-minute opening track of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road really sets the tone for the 1973 album. Composed by John as what music he might like at his funeral (?!), the swelling rock and classical instrumental stretched how innovative the rocker was. The back half of the song moves into a piano-heavy vibe that sounds a bit more like the bombastic rock hits that John released later in the '70s. Even better, it was never released as a single, yet stands out as an essential John hit (on an album full of bangers, no less).

In the canon of Elton songs, you can’t overlook his contributions to the Disney songbook. “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” is the kind of ballad that could have gotten swallowed up in the Disney machine as an accompanying song to a blockbuster, but John isn’t one to be overshadowed. “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” is proof that the larger than life singer was as iconic as The Lion King itself.

“Take Me to the Pilot” is just a damn good song. The heavy piano and strings that kick off the single are a perfect marriage of the energy of the late '60s and the emerging rock culture coming in the '70s. It also served as one of John’s first major hits both in the U.K. and the United States. With that being said, the lyrics make absolutely no sense. That’s not particularly a bad thing because ultimately “Take Me to the Pilot” keeps your foot tapping until its final seconds. It also initially outperformed its A-side counterpart—more on that below...

The mid-'80s hit from John is a bit of a strange one. He captures the '80s in all its glory, with a catchy tune and a bit of keyboard, but in some ways, it seems the least like the rocker. His signature glasses are missing from the music video, as well as the album cover. The single feels like a turning point in John’s career, departing from the in your face liveliness of past hits. Either way, the single is a banger in its own right.

This mid-'70s hit was another of John’s long list of No. 1 hits. Fun fact: Elton John wrote the song as a favor to tennis legend Billie Jean King, who played for the Philadelphia Freedoms. Yeah, Elton is a major tennis fan. Who knew?

A gut punch of a ballad, the original 1974 hit tells the story of Elton John finding rejection from someone he once cared about. It’s a power play that didn’t just see success with its original release, but again in the '90s when John re-released the song as a duet with George Michael. Drum heavy and full of big notes, it’s a must have on any Elton playlist.

Coming off of “Honky Cat,” Elton John’s follow up single took some of those funky vibes of the early '70s and produced one of the biggest hits of his career. The organ-heavy single is early rock and roll magic, but unlike some of John’s other greatest singles, it didn’t take years for audiences to put that together. “Crocodile Rock” snagged John his first American No. 1. And outside of Queen, it’s hard to think of a more identifiable falsetto in the game.

“Sorry Seems to Be The Hardest Word” opens up with 20 seconds of pared down piano before Elton John sadly croons, “What do I gotta do to make you love me?” If that doesn’t cut to your core, why are you here? The beauty of Elton John is that 70 percent of the time, he brings the party. But on the off chance that you’re looking for a single to hit deep, he knows how to take you there. In this case, it’s in the most devastating way.

Written as a late-game memorial for Marilyn Monroe (and later repurposed for the death of Diana, Princess of Wales), “Candle in the Wind” is among John’s best-known hits. It tells the true story of Monroe, who was plagued by paparazzi and the onslaught of media attention. Taupin’s lyrics directly address the starlet and her untimely passing, saying, “Even when you died, the press still hounded you. All the papers say is that Marilyn was found in the nude.”

This early-'70s soft rock track was written by Taupin after seeing a story about a man who returned home to Texas from the Vietnam War. "Daniel" highlights the storytelling capability that Taupin brings to so much of John’s music.