Elton John
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Elton John: Never Too Late celebrates the extraordinary 50-year career of one of the biggest names in pop and rock music. Streaming exclusively on Disney+, the documentary gives fans a peek at the legendary singer’s life behind his rhinestone-encrusted glasses, as he prepares for his farewell live concert at Dodger Stadium, the same venue of his iconic 1975 performance.
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Directed by R.J. Cutler and John’s husband/manager David Furnish, the film is jam-packed with unseen footage, rare interviews and an array of Elton’s greatest hits as he explores the inspiring full-circle journey of his career. In his own words, he recounts the many struggles he’s faced early on in life, to his rise to fame and career-defining sold-out shows. So get your sequined Dodgers uniform on and enjoy this look into one of music’s biggest acts.
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Check out how to stream the documentary below.
How to Watch the Elton John: Never Too Late Documentary
Elton John: Never Too Late is exclusively streaming on Disney+ starting Dec. 13. If you’re already a member, just log in to your account and simply press play.
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To get hyped for the documentary, check out the trailer for Elton John: Never Too Late below.
Elton John has made Billboard Boxscore history. His Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour is the highest-grossing concert tour of all time.
As Eric Frankenberg reported on Monday: “According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour has grossed $817.9 million across 278 shows so far — more than any tour in Boxscore history. Bypassing Ed Sheeran’s The Divide Tour ($776.4 million), it is the first tour in Billboard’s archives to cross the $800 million benchmark.”
Frankenberg adds that Elton owns another Billboard Boxscore record. “Dating back to reports for John’s Ice on Fire Tour (1986), and including his share of co-headline runs with Eric Clapton, James Taylor, Tina Turner and, many times over, Billy Joel, John has grossed $1.863 billion and sold 19.9 million tickets over 1,573 reported shows. That’s the highest career gross and attendance for a solo artist in Boxscore history, having passed Bruce Springsteen and Madonna while on this tour.”
These are remarkable achievements, but then most Billboard readers know that Elton John has been setting Billboard records for decades. He has amassed seven No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and nine No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 (counting his contribution to Dionne & Friends’ 1986 smash “That’s What Friends Are For”). He has topped or climbed high on many other charts as well. In 1974, his funky “Bennie and the Jets” reached No. 15 on Hot Soul Singles, the forerunner of today’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, a rarity for a white pop artist at that time.
Here are 10 times Elton made Billboard history:
Elton John took to social media to celebrate “Hold Me Closer,” his duet with Britney Spears, being named Billboard readers’ favorite song of 2022.
“An enormous thank you to @billboard, its readers and all the fans of ‘Hold Me Closer’ who voted it their favourite song of 2022!!” he wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post. “And thank you @britneyspears for your talent and collaboration in making this happen and the incredible @thisiswatt [producer Watt] who shares this success! What an incredible way to kick off the year.”
In the official results of the poll, Sir Elton’s disco-flecked collab with Spears dominated by earning nearly 45% of the vote, followed by Wizkid’s “Bad to Me” at 25% and both Anitta’s “Envolver” and BLACKPINK’s “Shut Down” with 8% each.
“Hold Me Closer” earned the superstar his second top 10 hit of 2022 when it debuted at No. 6 on the Hot 100 back in September, and also became the highest-charting single of his career since “Candle in the Wind 1997” after Princess Diana’s death. Earlier last year, John’s “Cold Heart” duet with Dua Lipa also broke through to the top 10.
Sir Elton finished out the calendar year by raking in a whopping $60 million gross on the eight final dates of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour and releasing his hotly anticipated concert film Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium on Disney+. For his very last U.S. concert, the icon was joined onstage by Lipa, as well as Brandi Carlile and Kiki Dee. His final U.K. bow is slated to blast off this June on the last night of Glastonbury 2023.
See Elton’s reaction to coming out on top in Billboard’s songs of 2022 poll below.
Elton John is the latest celebrity to leave Twitter following Elon Musk’s takeover of the platform.
The “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues” singer sent out his last tweet on Friday (Dec. 9), writing, “All my life I’ve tried to use music to bring people together. Yet it saddens me to see how misinformation is now being used to divide our world.”
He continued, “I’ve decided to no longer use Twitter, given their recent change in policy which will allow misinformation to flourish unchecked.”
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Upon seeing John’s tweet, Musk himself responded, “I love your music. Hope you come back. Is there any misinformation in particular that you’re concerned about?” John has yet to reply.
I love your music. Hope you come back. Is there any misinformation in particular that you’re concerned about?— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2022
John’s decision to leave Twitter follows a number of other stars who have done the same, including Nine Inch Nails‘ Trent Reznor, Sara Bareilles, Jack White and more. You can see our full list here.
In October, it was revealed that Tesla CEO Elon Musk took control of Twitter after a lengthy legal battle and months of uncertainty. Since beginning his reign on the popular social media platform, the multi-billionaire has made a number of controversial decisions, including reinstating former president Donald Trump to Twitter after the site’s previous owners had permanently suspended him for violating company rules in the wake of the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
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Let’s open the latest mailbag.
Hi Gary,
Bruce Springsteen debuts at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart this week with Only the Strong Survive, scoring his 22nd top 10 album. He has notched top 10s in each of the last six decades, from 1970s to the 2020s. How rare is that feat, and are there any other notable chart achievements of his that we can celebrate this week?
Thanks,
Raditya Gunardisurya Jakarta, Indonesia
Hi Raditya,
Springsteen is one of only three artists with newly charting top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 in each of the last six decades, having joined James Taylor when the former’s Letter to You launched at its No. 2 best in 2020. Paul McCartney made the elite club a trio (including his work with Wings) in 2021.
The three Rock and Roll Hall of Famers’ Billboard 200 top 10 totals by decade:Paul McCartney: ’70s: 10 / ’80s: two / ’90s: one / ’00s: four / ’10s: three / ’20s: one (21 total)Bruce Springsteen: ’70s: two / ’80s: five / ’90s: three / ’00s: six / ’10s: four / ’20s: two (22 total)James Taylor: ’70s: six / ’80s: one / ’90s: one / ’00s: two / ’10s: two / ’20s: one (13 total)
Per the breakouts above, Springsteen, with the debut of the aptly titled Only the Strong Survive, becomes the only act to have earned multiple top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 in the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, ’00s, ’10s and ’20s.
Notably, Barbra Streisand, if she can notch a pair of top 10s in the ’20s, would surpass Springsteen’s streak (and potentially McCartney and Taylor’s, if they can each add a top 10 this decade) of multiple Billboard 200 top 10s in each of six decades, as she tallied more than one in each decade from the ’60s through the ’10s, having most recently reached the region in 2016. Here are Streisand’s decade-by-decade totals – with the fellow superstar, who boasts the most top 10s among soloists (34, second overall only to the Rolling Stones’ 37) having notched at least four top 10s in each of those decades: ’60s: nine / ’70s: seven / ’80s: six / ’90s: four / ’00s: four / ’10s: four.
Meanwhile, Springsteen’s latest chart feat – with Only the Strong Survive also new at No. 1 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums – accompanies that of another legend: Elton John, who crowns Adult Pop Airplay with “Hold Me Closer,” alongside Britney Spears. Similar to Springsteen’s new Billboard 200 accolade, the song itself traverses decades, as it reimagines the hook of John’s 1972 classic “Tiny Dancer” and the verses of his 1992 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit “The One.” John also upped his career Billboard Boxscore touring total to a near-record level, thanks to his three shows Nov. 17, 19 and 20 at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium.
Springsteen and John have long been linked on Billboard‘s surveys, even if they haven’t combined for any hits, dating to Springsteen’s first charted song. On the Hot 100 dated Sept. 20, 1975, Springsteen made his first appearance at No. 68 with “Born to Run.” One notch lower, John charted with an enduring single of his own: “Someone Saved My Life Tonight.”
Springsteen scored his first Hot 100 top 10, “Hungry Heart,” in December 1980, after John reached the tier that June with “Little Jeannie.” They also each earned top 10s in the same year in 1984-86, 1988 and 1994.
(As for their most-streamed songs in the U.S. to-date, according to Luminate, John’s “Rocket Man,” from 1972, has drawn 738 million official on-demand streams and Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” from 1984, 318.6 million.)
“He’s probably one of the nicest people in rock and roll I’ve ever met in my life,” John said of Springsteen in 1980 on the Australian TV show Countdown, helping introduce a performance of the latter’s “The River.” “One of the sweetest and sincerest people. At the moment in America, he’s the biggest cheese going and good luck to him, because someone that nice deserves it.”
On Monday, Dua Lipa was still reveling over spending her weekend performing with Elton John at his final U.S. tour date at L.A.’s Dodger Stadium.
“To my most magical friend @eltonjohn thank you for keeping the dream alive!!!” she wrote on social media alongside a video of herself and the superstar performing their hit collab “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” for the first time at the Sunday (Nov. 22) show. “It was an honour, a privilege and a joy to share the stage with you last night on your last show at the Dodgers Stadium. Thank you for everything, forever and always. I love you!!! Still taking this all in…”
Sir Elton returned the love in the comments section of the post, writing, “A magical moment! Thank you for everything, Dua. I love you,” followed by a trio of red heart emojis.
The “Levitating” singer also shared a look at the glam black gown she wore on the red carpet ahead of the star-studded show, which was broadcast live on Disney+. “I never could have imagined I would’ve been a part of a night like this when I was first starting out. A real dream #eltonjohnfarewelltour,” she captioned the Instagram carousel.
Hours later, Lipa followed her posts up with a sweet selfie with none other than Joni Mitchell. In the candid snap, she sits on the armrest of a chair sweetly hugging the folk legend, who is dressed in a head-to-toe red ensemble and braids. The younger pop star seemed positively starstruck by the encounter, only managing to write “JONI MITCHELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” in the caption with a red heart punctuated by just as many exclamation points. Mitchell was also part of the Disney+ livestream, sending a sweet message of support to her longtime friend Elton.
In a final batch of photos, Dua Lipa posed with a few more celebrities at the concert, including Donatella Versace and model Stella Maxwell in the crowd and fellow guest performers Brandi Carlile and Kiki Dee backstage.
See Dua’s posts with Elton John and Joni Mitchell below.
“I wish you health and love, prosperity. Be kind to each other, ok, and farewell.” With those words, Elton John concluded the final show of his last U.S. tour Sunday night (Nov. 20) at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium, leaving behind the thousands of fans paying homage by wearing bejeweled eyeglasses, the hundreds wrapped in multi-colored feather boas, the dozens in sequined Dodgers outfits and one JoJo Siwa in John’s famous orange-plumed devil’s suit with horns, as the singer ascended to the top of the stage in an elevator — and disappeared for good.
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To say it’s the end of an era doesn’t begin to do justice to John and what his live shows have meant over the last six decades. Starting with his now-fabled run at Los Angeles Troubadour in 1970 to 52 years later, few solo artists have left as much of a mark on playing live.
Sunday’s show was his seventh at Dodger Stadium, dating back to his now iconic performances in October 1975 when the sparkly Dodger uniform made its first appearance, and his 103rd in the Los Angeles area. He also remarked it was the 271st show of the Farewell Yellow Brick Show outing, which began in 2018.
The sun may have gone down on the last U.S. show, but the tour will continue through July 2023 stopping in Australia, New Zealand and Europe. By October, the show had already grossed more than $660 million from over 250 U.S. shows. By the time the tour ends, it will undoubtedly surpass U2’s 360 Tour to be the second highest grossing tour in Billboard Boxscore history. The only question is if it can capture Ed Sheeran’s The Divide Tour, which earned $776.4 million.
Billboard Boxscore doesn’t span John’s entire touring life, but in the three decades it has been collecting data, John has grossed more than $1.7 billion to make him the highest grossing solo act in the chart’s history.
But the numbers are only part of the story. He has been a consistently magnificent live performer, not ever slowed by drug addiction, health issues, and now, at 75, age. And his final show of his last American tour at Dodger Stadium, showed why we’re unlikely to ever see an artist like him again in our lifetime.
Here are the top highlights from the show:
The extended takes on classics: They’ve been doing it for years, but it’s still striking to hear John and his band stretch out with bold muscularity on such tunes as “Rocket Man,” “Levon” and “Take Me to the Pilot,” lifting them far beyond the radio versions. They’ve been playing together for decades and have retained a razor sharpness, led by John’s pounding piano playing, Nigel Olsson’s precision drumming and Davey Johnstone’s blazing guitar work that is still stunning to hear without ever appearing superfluous. Somehow, the expanded version of “Levon” turned the song from the pristine, delicate studio take into a bop that had the 50-something, sparkly sweater-wearing man in front of me devising a solo dance worthy of “So You Think You Can Dance” and John dramatically collapsing over his piano by the time it was done.
John’s voice: It’s deeper now and not as sweet and clear as it was during the ‘70s, but the crystal tone has been replaced with a richness that shows off John’s love for the blues. That affinity always informed his playing, but not necessarily his vocals in the early years.
His BFF Brandi Carlile: Carlile was one of three special guests for the show that aired live on Disney + and while it was easy to guess that Kiki Dee and Dua Lipa would be singing their hits with John, Carlile’s song was a surprise. She joined him for “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me,” so famously first turned into a duet by George Michael and John at 1985’s Live Aid. Walking out in a glittery suit of her own (with Rocket and 1 emblazoned on the back), Carlile’s lilting-yet-powerhouse vocals perfectly captured the song’s desperation. However, she couldn’t hide her joy in singing with one of her musical heroes, even giving an adorable fist pump when she left the stage. John came out from the piano to deliver a nostalgic rendition of his and Dee’s 1976 classic, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” that finished strong after a timid start, and Lipa and John’s first performance ever together of their 2021 global mashup, “Cold Heart.”
The material: John’s songs have held up beautifully. With a few exceptions (we’re looking at you, 1979’s disco album, Victim of Love), John’s songs have always had a timeless quality to them whether it’s the simple, elegant beauty of “Your Song” or the raucous, barreling “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” or the utter despair of “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word.” They sound as good and relevant today as they did when they first came out decades ago. John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, who came out to a warm ovation, are simply one of the greatest partnerships in musical history. They’ve been creating together since 1967 and though John will no longer tour, he’s given no indication that he plans to stop making music.
John’s gratitude: He’s always made a point of making sure that audience knows how appreciative he is of their support that has enabled him to have such a remarkable career and life. He made sure to thank the fans one more time in a speech that was also a reminder of just how long he has been part of our lives (and through how many formats). “I became successful first in America, and you bought the singles and the albums and the 8 tracks and cassettes, the CDs, and more importantly you bought the tickets to the shows which I love more than anything, which is to play live,” he said. “So, I want to thank you because you made me. Without America, I wouldn’t be here. So, thank you for all the years of love and generosity and loyalty.” The feeling was clearly mutual. To be clichéd and obvious, how wonderful life has been while Elton John has been in the world.
Elton John Nov. 20 set list:
“Bennie and the Jets”
“Philadephia Freedom”
“I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues”
“Border Song”
“Tiny Dancer”
“Have Mercy”
“Rocketman”
“Take Me To The Pilot”
“Someone Saved My Life Tonight”
“Levon”
“Candle In The Wind”
“Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding”
“Burn Down The Mission”
“Sad Songs Say So Much”
“Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word”
“Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”
“The Bitch Is Back”
“I’m Still Standing”
“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”
“Crocodile Rock”
“Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting”
“Cold Heart”
“Your Song”
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”
As his husband, Elton John, prepares for the U.S. finale of his absolutely-positively-unambiguously-final farewell tour Sunday night (Nov. 20) at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, David Furnish wants to clarify one thing: “It’s really important to make a distinction between Elton retiring from touring but Elton not playing his very last public performance for the very last time,” says Furnish, 60, a former advertising executive who has produced numerous films, including John’s 2019 biopic, Rocketman. “Will Elton return as a live performer? I hope so! It’s in his blood.”
In a wide-ranging phone interview from the family’s home, Furnish, also John’s manager, discusses the tour’s COVID-19 challenges, how high gas prices and supply-chain issues have complicated budgets and his entry into the music business. “I love working in this world,” he says. “We have the privilege of working with the very best in the business.”
As of last month, the Farewell Yellow Brick World Tour has grossed $661.3 million and sold 4.5 million tickets, including 30 U.S. stadium shows this year that totaled $133.4 million and 830,000 tickets. When the tour returned in January, Omicron loomed over the concert business, but COVID-19 fears have dissipated. How has your thinking about the tour changed throughout 2022?
From us, nothing has changed. COVID is still out in the world. It is still a risk to the health of our crew and to Elton and the band. We put in place a very strict testing protocol. We went back out on the road last January with a regular cadence of testing, keeping everybody up to date on vaccines and boosters. We’ve kept all of that in place. We have people in the tour in separate bubbles. Elton feels really badly, but he hasn’t been able to mix with his band. His band travels in one bubble. He and his assistants, the people who support him, his hairdresser and people in security — they’re in his bubble. It’s been very challenging for Elton, because he always loves being with his band before he goes on stage. He always sits with them and chats and has a laugh with them. That’s not been possible. While he’s been home, between shows or in hotels, he has to isolate. Everybody that supports him at home is also tested regularly — all staff in the household.
How difficult was it to reschedule the shows in Dallas when Elton himself came down with COVID?
We had to postpone, but it meant we lost two shows in Montreal to allow those Dallas shows to be rescheduled. There’s only so much wiggle-room in a tour schedule. This is a big behemoth of a tour. You suddenly just can’t jump to another side of the country or cross the Atlantic to make up a show.
How did fans’ excitement for the tour evolve as the COVID-19 landscape changed throughout 2022?
Thankfully, COVID hospitalizations have massively decreased and there are more medical treatments than there were at the beginning, so people can make the decision as to what medical risk is appropriate for them and still come to see a show. Lockdown was very hard for most people. It was very isolating, and nothing brings people and the world together like music. It’s emotionally and mentally and spiritually very healthy for people to get back out and see shows again. We just had to go back on the road in the safest way possible, and that’s what we’re trying to do.
How have you adapted to higher gas prices and supply-chain issues? Does Elton eat the extra expenses, or have you cut the budget or production?
We just eat the extra cost, because the tour we started with is the tour we intend on finishing with. We sold tickets in good faith and people bought tickets in good faith and it’s really important that we don’t short-change anybody and we honor our commitments. Elton is really committed to that. It’s the largest traveling-production tour Elton’s ever mounted, and it didn’t even occur to us to try to reconfigure it in any way to make it cheaper.
Please set the record straight: Will Sunday’s concert at Dodger Stadium be the last U.S. show Elton ever plays?
I know for a fact he will not be touring in any capacity. What you’re going to see is the possibility of a special one-off or a small residency in one venue for a limited period of time. I don’t think it will be Las Vegas. Elton feels he’s done the best he can in Las Vegas. He mounted two hugely successful residencies there. When you’re an artist and something’s in your blood, you don’t want to shut the door completely. Having said that, I know Elton, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t do any more live shows, either. He’s really looking forward to spending time with his family. That’s the No. 1 priority in his life. Any type of return to any type of touring is going to be a very well-considered situation, and definitely not a given, at all.
Given your background in other businesses, I wonder what it was like to transition into the music business as Elton’s manager.
I have a business-advertising-marketing background, but I’ve also worked in musical theater, I’ve worked in film production and I’ve been in Elton’s life for 29 years. So it’s not foreign to me at all. When you launch a tour like this, it’s like going on a dangerous mission, and you say to yourself, “I’m hurtling down rapids, and we’re about to go over the falls — who do you want to steady things in the boat and keep things under control?” I’m very fortunate. When I took over, Elton’s tour infrastructure was very, very healthy.
Am I reaching you at the family home in Los Angeles?
Yeah. The whole family’s here in Los Angeles. Obviously, I’m here for work, but I’m here to support my husband and our sons are here. This is a big, big moment in our family’s life.
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Elton John is giving fans a chance to watch his final North American concert live — from anywhere.
The Rocket Man will be joined by Dua Lipa, Kiki Dee and Brandi Carlile for his final North American performance at Dodger Stadium on Sunday (Nov. 20). The concert special, Elton John Live From Dodger Stadium, will stream exclusively on Disney+.
The livestream will begin with Countdown to Elton Live, featuring interviews with John and his husband/manager David Furnish, well-wishes from famous friends, and more.
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Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium is produced by Fulwell 73 Productions and Rocket Entertainment. Keep reading for directions on when and how to stream the star-studded concert.
‘Elton John Live From Dodgers Stadium’: How to Watch
Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium will begin livestreaming on Disney+ on Sunday (Nov. 20) at 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT. The pre-show begins at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.
Disney+ is $7.99 for the monthly subscription, $79.99 for the annual plan, and $13.99/month to bundle with Hulu and ESPN+.
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The platform offers a large selection of Disney+ Originals, which includes Dancing With the Stars, Disenchanted and Andor, alongside concert specials and music documentaries like The Beatles: Get Back and BTS Permission to Dance on Stage LA.
With Disney+, subscribers can stream movies, shows, documentaries and concert specials on up to four different devices simultaneously.
Below, watch the trailer for Elton John: Farewell From Dodger Stadium.
Elton John and Britney Spears are continuing to celebrate the success of their collaboration, “Hold Me Closer,” by unveiling an acoustic version of the track on Friday (Nov. 18).
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Along with the release, the superstar pop duo unveiled a music video for the acoustic cut, in which Olympic Gold Medalist Nathan Chen is seen ice skating to a stunning, emotion-filled routine that he choreographed. Chen has been a longtime fan of John, as he has often incorporated the legend’s songs into his skate routines and even attended one of John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour performances in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“Elton John’s music means something to anybody who’s ever listened to it. ‘Rocket Man’ has always intrigued me — it’s otherworldly, but it’s just as much about our lives on Earth, love and loneliness, dreams and disappointments,” Chen said in a press statement. “In a way, ‘Rocket Man’ captures what my own journey has felt like — and getting to skate to it at the Olympics was one of the most special moments of my life. I couldn’t believe it when I heard Elton thought of me for this video. Elton and Britney created something really beautiful with this version of ‘Hold Me Closer’ — and I’m so honored to be a part of it.”
Combining elements of Sir Elton’s past hits 1971’s “Tiny Dancer” and 1992’s “The One,” “Hold Me Closer” peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Thanks to its top 10 debut, the song marked Spears’ highest-charting single since 2012’s “Scream and Shout” with will.i.am. The track has also given both singers new milestones on Billboard‘s various radio charts, including top 10 on Adult Pop Airplay and the top spot of Dance/Mix Show Airplay.
Watch the acoustic version’s music video below.