Elton John, son of former Royal Air Force trumpeter who started playing piano at the tender age of 4. When he turned 11, due to his refined musical skills he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. In 1961, he associated himself with his first band Bluesology. There he split his time between playing with the group, giving solo concerts at a local hotel and carried out odd jobs for a London publishing house. In 1966, due to Long John Baldry control over the band, Elton started looking for some other group. His blooming career saw hardships and adversities. He even failed two auditions. In the meantime he came in contact with Bernie Taupin. Elton started composing music for Taupin’s lyrics. The duo was employed by Dick James as songwriters for his infant company DJM in 1968. Within two years the couple rose to superstardom. They composed songs for the pop singers like Roger Cook and Lulu.

In 1968, Elton started recording singles under his own name which were more rock and radio oriented. His album “Empty Sky” released in 1969 which received a satisfactory appraisal but unfortunately no sales. In 1970, John appeared in his first American concert at the Troubadour in Los Angeles which was a great success. From then Elton continued to lead the charts of the Top 10 singles which included one of his most passionate song “Your Song”. For the quartet of years from 1972 through 1976, Elton John and Bernie Taupin reached the heights of stardom. Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973), Caribou (1974), Greatest Hits (1974), Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975), Rock of the Westies (1975) all went platinum. In 1974, john co-wrote the lyrics for John Lennon's number one comeback single, "Whatever Gets You Through the Night”. In 1976, it was revealed that he was a homosexual. This decreased his number of admirers considerably. Even his cordial relations with Taupin strained after the release of 1976's double-album Blue Moves. In the first three years of 1980’s, though Elton sustained his career as a popular concert artist, but his singles didn’t make it to Top 10. His biggest 1980s hits included Top Ten single "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues", MTV hit "I'm Still Standing", and a 1987 live recording of "Candle In The Wind", "Nikita", “I Don't Want To Go On With You Like That".

Though Elton’s career was ruling the charts but his personal life had become an utter chaos. He had been addicted to cocaine and alcohol. Even his relations with his wife Renate Blauel strained when it was revealed that he was a homosexual. The couple divorced in 1988. John publicly sold his theatrical wardrobes, pieces of memorabilia and his record collection after five-date stint at Madison Square Garden in 1988. In 1991, John set up AIDS Foundation. He also announced that the royalty he will derive from his single sales, he will donate to this Foundation. In 1992, he performed with Queen, at Wembley Stadium, London. The event was a charitable event held for the cause of AIDS. The same year he reached number eight on the US charts. In 1994, John joined lyricist Tim Rice. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," won Tim Rice, the Academy Award for Best Original Song and Elton John, the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. In 1997, his updated version of the Candle In The Wind” which was also an exclusive tribute to his friend, Princess Diana became the fastest selling single of all time. In 2001, his 1970s hit, "Tiny Dancer" was featured on the Almost Famous soundtrack.

Though Elton John did not lead the record chart every year but he managed to appear with at least one single on the "Top 40" of Billboard magazine's pop record chart.