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Robert Plant Salutes Elton John’s Glastonbury Set

Robert Plant shared some kind words for Elton John and his final U.K. farewell tour performance at Glastonbury on Sunday (June 25.) The former Led Zeppelin frontman shared on Twitter,…

Robert Plant posing for a photo; Elton John performing at Glastonbury
Jamie McCarthy, Leon Neal/Getty Images

Robert Plant shared some kind words for Elton John and his final U.K. farewell tour performance at Glastonbury on Sunday (June 25.)

The former Led Zeppelin frontman shared on Twitter, "' ... Unique timeless and wonderful...' Thank you, Elton."

Sir Elton's Glastonbury set has received rave reviews and was quite the hit on British television. Per Deadline, over seven million people in the U.K. tuned into the BBC to watch John perform at the famed British festival. It received about a 50% audience share for that night. The set is now one of the most-watched events in the U.K. so far in 2023.

Glastonbury is simulcast on the BBC during the festival. Sir Elton's set blew away the viewer count of any other set this year. The next-highest viewer count from Glastonbury came via the Arctic Monkeys' set, which drew 1.5 million viewers, followed by Guns N' Roses, which drew one million viewers.

John resumes his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour tonight (June 27) in Paris. A full list of remaining shows can be found at EltonJohn.com.

Elton John: His 40 Greatest Songs

Elton John has some absolutely iconic hit singles, but one of the great pleasures of being a big Elton John fan is finding the lesser-known gems.

We’re partial to his hit-free album Tumbleweed Connection from 1970 (as you’ll see), as well as his criminally underrated Songs From The West Coast from 2001, and a few of the diamonds in the rough from albums that you may have overlooked.

For this list, we’re going with the best version of each song, which sometimes means a live version. And in one case, an alternate studio version that you may not have heard before. Enjoy!

Elton John and His Latest Accolades

In 2024, Sir Elton has earned two major honors. In January, he became an EGOT winner.

John achieved the entertainment milestone thanks to winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger’s StadiumThe special streamed live on November 20, 2022 on Disney+. It was John's final show in North America. It was also the first time Disney+ presented a live global event.

Before his Emmy win, John won five Grammy Awards in his career. In 2000, he won a Tony Award for Best Original Score for Aida. Additionally, John has won two Oscars. The first came in 1994 for Best Original Song for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King. The second Oscar came in 2020 for "I'm Gonna Love Me Again" from Rocketman.

In March, just before his 77th birthday, John and his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin were honored with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

Per the Library of Congress's website, "The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song celebrates the work of an artist whose career reflects the influence, impact and achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding."

Past Gershwin Prize recipients include Joni Mitchell (2023), Lionel Richie (2022), Garth Brooks (2020), Gloria and Emilio Estefan (2019), Tony Bennett (2017), Smokey Robinson (2016) and many more iconic musicians.

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said in a statement, "Elton John and Bernie Taupin have written some of the most memorable songs of our lives. Their careers stand out for the quality and broad appeal of their music and their influence on their fellow artists."

40. “Hey Ahab” from ‘The Union’ (with Leon Russell) (2010)

40_hey-ahab_the-union-1.jpgDecca

39. “Have Mercy On The Criminal” from 'Live In Australia' (1987)

39_have-mercy-on-the-criminal_live-in-australia.jpgMCA

38. “The One” from 'The One' (1992)

38_the-one.jpgIsland Records

37. “Believe” from ‘Made In England’ (1995)

37_believe.jpgIsland Def Jam

36. “The King Must Die” from ‘Live In Australia’ (1987)

36_the-king-must-die.jpgMCA

35. “Elderberry Wine” from ‘Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only The Piano Player’ (1973)

35_elderberry-wine.jpgMCA

34. “Holiday Inn” from ‘Madman Across The Water’ (1971)

34_holiday-inn.jpgMCA

33. “Home Again” from ‘The Diving Board’ (2013)

33_home-again.jpgCapitol Records

32. “Tonight” from ‘Live In Australia’ (1987)

32_tonight.jpgMCA

31. “Daniel” from ‘Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only The Piano Player’ (1973)

31_daniel.jpgMCA

30. “The Last Song” from ‘The One’ (1992)

30_the-last-song.jpgIsland Records

29. “Sacrifice” from ‘Sleeping With The Past’ (1989)

29_sacrifice.jpgMCA

28. “I Need You To Turn To” from ‘Live In Australia’ (1987)

28_i-need-you-to-turn-to.jpgMCA

27. “Whenever You’re Ready (We’ll Go Steady Again)” B-side of “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” (1973)

27_whenever-youre-ready-1.jpgMCA

26. “Sad Songs (Say So Much)” from ‘Breaking Hearts’ (1984)

26_sad-songs.jpgGeffen

25. “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time)” from ‘Honky Chateau’ (1972)

25_rocket-man.jpgUni/MCA

24. “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word” from ‘Blue Moves’ (1976)

24_sorry-seems-to-be-the-hardest-word.jpgMCA

23. “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” from ‘Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy’ (1975)

23_someone-saved-my-life-tonight.jpgMCA

22. “The Bitch Is Back” from ‘Caribou’ (1974)

22_the-bitch-is-back.jpgMCA

21. “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues” from ‘Too Low For Zero’ (1983)

21_i-guess-thats-why-they-call-it-the-blues.jpgGeffen

20. “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” from ‘Caribou’ (1974)

20_dont-let-the-sun-go-down-on-me.jpgMCA

19. “Sixty Years On” from ‘17-11-70’ (1970)

19_sixty-years-on.jpgMCA

18. “I Want Love” from ‘Songs From The West Coast’ (2001)

18_i-want-love.jpgRepublic

17. “Take Me To The Pilot” from ‘17-11-70’ (1970)

17_take-me-to-the-pilot.jpgMCA

16. “Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)” from ‘Jump Up!’ (1982)

16_empty-garden.jpgGeffen

15. “Bad Side Of The Moon” from ‘17-11-70’ (1970)

15_bad-side-of-the-moon.jpgMCA

14. “Madman Across The Water (featuring Mick Ronson)” outtake from ‘Tumbleweed Connection’ (1970)

14_madman-across-the-water.jpgMCA

13. “Burn Down The MIssion” from 'Tumbleweed Connection' (1970)

13_burn-down-the-mission.jpgMCA

12. “This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore” from ‘Songs From The West Coast’ (2001)

12_this-train-dont-stop.jpgRepublic

11. “Bennie And The Jets” from ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ (1973)

11_bennie.jpgMCA

10. “Amoreena” from ‘Tumbleweed Connection’ (1970)

10_amoreena.jpgMCA

9. “Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” from ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ (1973)

9_funeral.jpgMCA

8. “Come Down In Time” from ‘Tumbleweed Connection’ (1970)

8_come-down-in-time.jpgMCA

7. “Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters” from ‘Honky Chateau’ (1972)

7_mona-lisas.jpgUni/MCA

6. “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)” from ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ (1973)

6_saturday-nights-alright.jpgMCA

5. “Border Song” from ‘Elton John’ (1970)

5_border-song.jpgMercury

4. “Your Song” from ‘Elton John’ (1970)

4_your-song.jpgMercury

3. “Candle In The Wind” from ‘Live In Australia’ (1987)

3_candle-in-the-wind.jpgMCA

2. “Tiny Dancer” from ‘Madman Across The Water’ (1971)

2_tiny-dance.jpgMCA

1. “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)

1_goodbye-yellow-brick.jpgMCA
Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights