The singles discography of British singer, songwriter and pianist Elton John consists of 148 official singles as main artist, 22 as a featured artist, as well as 133 other guest appearances, 4 charity singles, and 3 other charted songs.
In 1970, a year after starting his solo career, John released his first hit single, "Your Song", which became his first top ten in both the UK and the US. His critical success was at its peak in the 1970s, when he released a streak of chart-topping singles in the US and UK, including "Rocket Man" (1972), "Honky Cat" (1972), "Crocodile Rock" (1972), "Daniel" (1973), "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" (1973), "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973), "Step into Christmas" (1973), "Bennie and the Jets" (1974), "The Bitch Is Back" (1974), "Philadelphia Freedom" (1975), "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" (1975), and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (1976).
John continued his success in the 1980s and 1990s, having several hit singles including "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" (1983), "I'm Still Standing" (1983), "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (1984), "Nikita" (1985), "Sacrifice" (1989), "The One" (1992), and "Believe" (1995). In 1997, John released the double A-side single "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"/"Candle in the Wind 1997" in dedication to the memory of Princess Diana. The single subsequently hit number one in every country that it charted in and became the biggest-selling single of all time since the UK and US charts began in the 1950s, with worldwide sales of 33 million. See also: Guinness Book of Records, 2009 Edition, pages 14, 15 & 169 John has continued to record new music since then, including the singles "I Want Love" (2001), "Electricity" (2005), "Looking Up" (2015), "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" (2019), "Cold Heart (Pnau remix)" (2021), and "Hold Me Closer" (2022).
Throughout his career, John has sold 100 million singles worldwide, making him one of the biggest selling music artists of all time. He has had 57 top 40 hits in the United States, with 27 of these hitting the top ten and 9 reaching number one. In his native United Kingdom, John has accumulated 70 top 40 singles, including 35 top tens and 10 number ones, making him joint ninth on the list of artists with most number-one singles on the UK singles chart (with Eminem). In 2021, John became the first solo artist with UK Top 10 singles across six decades.
Singles
1960s Year Title Album 1968 "I've Been Loving You"b/w "Here's to the Next Time" rowspan="3" 1969 "Lady Samantha"b/w "All Across the Havens" "It's Me That You Need"b/w "Just Like Strange Rain"
1970s Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album UK AUS BEL CAN GER IRE Peaks from 2000: NLD NZ SWI US 1970 "Border Song"b/w "Bad Side of the Moon" — — — 34 — — 25 — — 92 Elton John "Rock n' Roll Madonna"b/w "Grey Seal" — — — — — — — — — — "From Denver to L.A."b/w "Warm Summer Rain" by The Barbara Moore Singers — — — — — — — — — — The Games soundtrack "Country Comfort"b/w "Love Song" — — — — — — — 15 — — Tumbleweed Connection "Your Song"b/w "Into the Old Man's Shoes" (UK)"Take Me to the Pilot" (US) 7 11 16 3 — 13 10 18 — 8 BPI: 4× Platinum BVMI: Gold RIAA: 3× Platinum RIAJ: Gold RMNZ: 5× Platinum Elton John 1971 "Friends"b/w "Honey Roll" — 96 — 13 — — — 19 — 34 Friends soundtrack "Levon"b/w "Goodbye" — 94 — 6 — — — — — 24 RIAA: Platinum Madman Across the Water 1972 "Tiny Dancer"b/w "Razor Face" 70 13 — 19 — — — — — 41 BPI: 3× Platinum ARIA: 7× Platinum RIAA: 5× Platinum RMNZ: 7× Platinum "Rocket Man"b/w "Susie (Dramas)""Holiday Inn" (UK)"Goodbye" (UK) 2 — 8 18 6 — 11 — 6 BPI: 4× Platinum BVMI: Gold RIAA: 5× Platinum RMNZ: 9× Platinum Honky Château "Honky Cat"b/w "Slave""Lady Samantha" (UK)"It's Me That You Need" (UK) 31 78 — 10 41 — — 4 — 8 "Crocodile Rock"b/w "Elderberry Wine" 5 2 3 1 3 10 11 1 1 1 BPI: Platinum RIAA: Platinum RMNZ: 2× Platinum Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player 1973 "Daniel"b/w "Skyline Pigeon" (re-recording) 4 7 11 1 27 4 15 2 5 2 BPI: Silver RIAA: Platinum RMNZ: Platinum "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"b/w "Jack Rabbit""Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again)" 7 31 — 12 44 13 — 20 — 12 BPI: Platinum RIAA: Platinum RMNZ: Platinum Goodbye Yellow Brick Road "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"b/w "Screw You (Young Man's Blues)" 6 4 — 1 49 4 23 1 — 2 BPI: Platinum RIAA: 2× Platinum RMNZ: 3× Platinum "Step into Christmas"b/w "Ho Ho Ho (Who'd Be a Turkey at Christmas)" 7 31 — — 52 20 54 25 29 — BPI: 4× Platinum ARIA: Platinum RIAA: Platinum RMNZ: Platinum 1974 "Bennie and the Jets"b/w "Harmony" 37 5 — 1 — 18 — 13 — 1 BPI: Platinum RIAA: 4× Platinum RMNZ: 4× Platinum Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"Candle in the Wind"b/w "Bennie and the Jets" 11 — — — 8 — 5 — — BPI: Gold RMNZ: Platinum "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"b/w "Sick City" 16 13 — 1 — 17 30 5 — 2 BPI: Silver RIAA: Gold Caribou "The Bitch Is Back"b/w "Cold Highway" 15 53 — 1 — — — 9 — 4 RIAA: Gold RMNZ: Gold "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"(with John Lennon)b/w "One Day at a Time" 10 3 — 1 31 — — 2 — 1 RIAA: GoldNon-album single 1975 "Philadelphia Freedom"b/w "I Saw Her Standing There" (with John Lennon) 12 4 — 1 50 — — 2 — 1 RIAA: Platinum RMNZ: Gold "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"b/w "House of Cards" 22 54 — 2 — — — 13 — 4 RIAA: Gold Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy "Island Girl"b/w "Sugar on the Floor" 14 12 — 4 42 — — 4 — 1 MC: Gold RIAA: Platinum Rock of the Westies 1976 "Grow Some Funk of Your Own""I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)" 56 — — 8 — — — 39 — 14 "Pinball Wizard"b/w "Harmony" 7 88 — — — 13 — — — — Tommy soundtrack "Love Song" (with Lesley Duncan)b/w "Love Song" — — — 85 — — — — — — Here and There "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (with Kiki Dee)b/w "Snow Queen" 1 1 3 1 5 1 3 1 4 1 BPI: 2× Platinum ARIA: Gold MC: Platinum RIAA: 2× Platinum RMNZ: 5× Platinum Non-album single "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"b/w "Shoulder Holster" 11 19 — 3 — 3 14 7 — 6 BPI: Silver MC: Gold RIAA: GoldBlue Moves 1977 "Crazy Water"b/w "Chameleon" 27 — — — — — — — — — "Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)"b/w "Chicago" (UK)"Chameleon" (US) 28 72 — 51 — — — — — 28 "The Goaldiggers Song"b/w "Jimmy, Brian, Elton and Eric" — — — — — — — — — — rowspan="2" 1978 "Ego"b/w "" 34 40 — 21 — — — — — 34 "Part-Time Love"b/w "I Cry at Night" 15 12 — 13 — 11 — 14 — 22 BPI: Silver A Single Man "Song for Guy"b/w "Lovesick" 4 14 9 — 22 7 11 7 — 110 BPI: Silver 1979 "Return to Paradise"b/w "Song for Guy" — — — — — — 49 — — — "Are You Ready for Love"b/w "Three Way Love Affair" 42 63 — — 75 17 — — — — RMNZ: Gold The Complete Thom Bell Sessions "Mama Can't Buy You Love"b/w "Strangers" (UK)"Three Way Love Affair" (US) — 82 — 10 — — — 20 — 9 RIAA: Gold "Victim of Love"b/w "Strangers" — 38 — 46 — — — — — 31 Victim of Love "Johnny B. Goode""Thunder in the Night" (UK)"Georgia" (US) — — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.
1980s Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album UK AUS BEL CAN GER IRE NLD NZ SWI US 1980 "Little Jeannie"b/w "Conquer the Sun" 33 9 20 1 23 16 — 5 4 3 MC: Gold RIAA: Gold 21 at 33 "Sartorial Eloquence (Don't Ya Wanna Play This Game No More?)"b/w "Cartier""White Man Danger" 44 91 — 57 — — — — — 39 "Dear God"b/w "Tactics" — 82 — — — — — — — — 1981 "Les Aveux"b/w "Donner Pour Donner" (with France Gall) — — 37 — — — 46 — — — rowspan="2" "I Saw Her Standing There" (live) b/w "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" (live)"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (live)(with John Lennon) 40 81 — — — 13 — — — — "Nobody Wins"b/w "Fools in Fashion" 42 46 — 23 43 — 36 19 — 21 The Fox "Just Like Belgium"b/w "Can't Get Over Getting Over Losing You" — — — — — — — — — — "Chloe"b/w "Tortured" — — — 34 — — — — — 34 "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" (with Kiki Dee) — — — — — — — — — — Perfect Timing 1982 "Blue Eyes"b/w "Hey Papa Legba" 8 4 8 5 51 8 19 11 9 12 Jump Up! "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)"b/w "Take Me Down to the Ocean" 51 63 — 8 — 29 — 14 — 13 RMNZ: Gold "Princess"b/w "The Retreat" — — — — — — — — — — "Ball and Chain"b/w "Where Have All the Good Times Gone" — — — — — — — — — — "All Quiet on the Western Front"b/w "Where Have All the Good Times Gone" — — — — — — — — — — 1983 "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"b/w "Choc Ice Goes Mental" (UK)"The Retreat" (US) 5 4 14 9 22 5 48 12 12 4 BPI: Platinum RIAA: Platinum RMNZ: 2× Platinum Too Low for Zero "I'm Still Standing"b/w "Earn While You Learn" (UK)"Love So Cold" (US) 4 3 11 1 10 2 16 30 1 12 BPI: 4× Platinum ARIA: 2× Platinum BVMI: Platinum RIAA: 2× Platinum RMNZ: 4× Platinum "Kiss the Bride"b/w "Dreamboat" (UK)"Choc Ice Goes Mental" (US) 20 25 — 37 58 17 — 32 — 25 "Cold as Christmas (In the Middle of the Year)""Crystal" 33 12 — — — 16 — — — — 1984 "Too Low for Zero"b/w "Lonely Boy" — 52 — — — — — — — — "Sad Songs (Say So Much)"b/w "A Simple Man" 7 4 26 4 18 2 — 8 3 5 RMNZ: Gold Breaking Hearts "Passengers"b/w "Lonely Boy" 5 9 — — — 9 — 38 27 — BPI: Silver "Who Wears These Shoes?"b/w "Tortured" (UK)"Lonely Boy" (US) 50 76 — 36 — 11 — 39 — 16 "In Neon"b/w "Tactics" — — — 92 — — — 12 — 38 1985 "Breaking Hearts (Ain't What It Used to Be)"b/w "In Neon" 59 — — — — — — — — — "Act of War"(with Millie Jackson)b/w "Act of War Part 2" 32 50 — 94 39 11 — — — — "That's What Friends Are For" (with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder)b/w "Two Ships Passing in the Night" 16 1 10 1 36 7 13 3 11 1 MC: Platinum RIAA: Gold RMNZ: Gold Friends "Nikita"b/w "The Man Who Never Died" (UK)"Restless" (US) 3 3 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 7 BPI: Silver BEA: Gold IFPI AUT: Gold IFPI SWI: Gold NVPI: 2× Platinum RMNZ: Platinum SNEP: Silver Ice on Fire "Wrap Her Up"(with George Michael)b/w "Restless" (UK)"The Man Who Never Died" (US) 12 22 — 26 54 12 — 33 — 20 1986 "Cry to Heaven"b/w "Candy by the Pound" 47 86 13 — — 22 13 — — — "Heartache All Over the World"b/w "Highlander" 45 7 26 58 — 24 — 22 — 55 Leather Jackets "Slow Rivers"(with Cliff Richard)b/w "Billy and the Kids" & "Lord of the Flies" 44 82 24 — — 25 — — — — 1987 "Flames of Paradise" (with Jennifer Rush) 59 31 — 17 8 — — — — 36 Heart over Mind "Your Song" (live)b/w "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (live)(with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) — 100 — — — — — — — — Live in Australia "Candle in the Wind" (live)b/w "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (live)(with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) 5 92 — 5 55 4 — — — 6 1988 "Take Me to the Pilot" (live)b/w "Tonight" (live)(with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) — — — — — — — — — — "I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That"b/w "Rope Around a Fool" 30 24 — 1 22 25 — 21 10 2 Reg Strikes Back "Town of Plenty"b/w "Whipping Boy" 74 — — — — — — — — — "A Word in Spanish"b/w "Heavy Traffic" 91 — — 10 43 — — — 27 19 "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two)"b/w "A Word in Spanish" — — — — — — — — — — 1989 "Through the Storm" (with Aretha Franklin) 41 63 — 16 56 — — — — 16 Through the Storm "Healing Hands"b/w "Dancing in the End Zone" 45 14 2 8 39 — 60 — 13 13 Sleeping with the Past "Sacrifice"b/w "Love Is a Cannibal" 55 7 2 19 36 2 3 19 23 18 ARIA: Gold RIAA: Gold RMNZ: Platinum "—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.
1990s Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album UK AUS BEL CAN GER IRE NLD NZ SWI US 1990 "Sacrifice""Healing Hands" 1 — — — — — — — — — BPI: Platinum Sleeping with the Past "Club at the End of the Street"b/w "Whispers" (UK)"Sacrifice" (US) 47 19 24 12 45 27 28 16 — 28 "You Gotta Love Someone"b/w "Medicine Man" 33 32 29 1 43 16 26 27 — 43 The Very Best of Elton John "Easier to Walk Away"b/w "I Swear I Heard the Night Talking""Made for Me" 63 57 — 59 51 — 71 — — — "Blue Avenue"b/w "Stones Throw from Hurtin'" — — — — — — 50 — — — Sleeping with the Past 1991 "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (live)(with George Michael)b/w "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" 1 3 1 1 4 2 1 4 1 1 BPI: Gold ARIA: Gold NVPI: Platinum RIAA: Gold