(Credits: Far Out / YouTube Still)
Sat 3 January 2026 14:42, UK
As well as being a cultural juggernaut, Elton John has constantly shown that despite his lofty status as a pop icon, he also has his finger very much on the pulse.
He might have been born in 1947, but still, year-on-year, he picks out the best emerging talent and does his best to champion them. Even in his heyday, having an ear for artistic brilliance and exciting creative developments was a tool he used alongside his talent to navigate the music industry and rise so meteorically.
As an example of Elton John’s understanding of what’s good, look no further than his account of ‘The Weight’ by The Band, provided when appearing on BBC Radio 2’s Tracks Of My Years in 2019. He said, “John Peel played the Music from Big Pink on his show, and I was a religious follower of John Peel in those days.”
Adding, “He played all the great new music, and Bernie and I freaked out when we heard it. We’d never heard anything like this before. It was Americana done in a very soulful, funky, kind of laid back way.”
Remembering the transformative effect ‘The Weight’ had on him, John continued: “(The) next day we went up to Music Land in London and bought the import, and it changed my life again, like Elvis Presley changed my life originally. This music changed my life because of the way the songs were written, the lyrics, and the musicianship, which was a huge influence on things like Tumbleweed Connection and Madman.”
Elton John at Glastonbury Festival. (Credits: Far Out / Raph Pour-Hashemi)
Before his historic headline set at Glastonbury Festival 2023 – his final-ever show, though he has since played a fair few more ‘final ever shows’ – John again demonstrated his understanding of music and culture.
Speaking to Clara Amfo on BBC Radio 1’s Future Sounds, the ‘Rocketman’ singer discussed the “romanticism” of collecting vinyl records, saying: “The thing now is because of the resurgence, it’s easier to get a record on vinyl than it is on CD, because most people don’t have CDs anymore. It’s such a romantic way of collecting music; it’s never lost its romanticism for me.”
These are the kind of personable and well-informed takes Elton John has provided over the years. In 2020, when speaking to The Guardian, he gave one of his best to date as part of a broader piece reflecting on the life and significance of the late T. Rex leader, Marc Bolan.
Elton John on the brilliance of Marc Bolan
Famously, Bolan was one of the definitive glam-rock heroes of the 1970s, the separate, fuzzy-haired side of the coin to his friend David Bowie, having fans rapt with his songwriting and hypersexuality. With distinct charm, he embodied the fact that a musician could exist beyond their music, becoming a cult personality with a beloved TV show.
Tragically, though, in 1977, he passed away in a car accident aged 29. That might have curtailed his output, but his legacy is arguably felt as loomingly as any today. The notion of musicians being more than just their music is bigger than ever. There are a plethora of stars where millions might struggle to name a song, but know an artist familiarly. While that might now be linked to commercialism, Bolan embodied the best of it.
Reflecting on the power of Bolan, producer Tony Visconti, who worked with the T Rex man during his prime, said: “What I saw in Marc Bolan had nothing to do with strings, or very high standards of artistry; what I saw in him was raw talent. I saw genius. I saw a potential rock star in Marc – right from the minute, the hour I met him.”
As for Elton John, speaking to The Guardian, he described Bolan as “the perfect pop star” before outlining how he influenced him when he was becoming Elton John, saying that his care-free attitude had “a great effect on me”.
“He was the perfect pop star,” John expressed. “His songs were great, his records rocked, he had attitude, he had performing skills, he looked fabulous, he dressed the part. At a time when I was still becoming Elton John, he was a great role model. I thought: ‘This guy doesn’t give a fuck, he’s just being who he is and he’s loving every single minute of it.’ And that had a great effect on me.”
That aptly displays how Elton John sagaciously surveys the pop landscape, but he’s not alone in doing so. Billy Idol hailed him for “breaking down certain walls”, Ringo Starr called him “a poet”, and Joan Jett was all too happy to admit, “There’s an amazing sexuality to Marc, I had a major crush on him.” All in all, the “perfect” pop star.
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