British rock icon Elton John is one of the most prolific and enduring musicians in history. Born Reginald Dwight in England in 1947, the piano-playing John burst onto the music scene just as the Beatles were breaking up in 1969. More than 50 years later, he teamed with pop star Dua Lipa for a remake of his song “Cold Heart” that reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Last year, the rock hall-of-famer released his latest album, “Regimental Sgt. Zippo,” more than 52 years after he made his first studio album, “Empty Sky.”
To determine Elton John’s top charting albums over his long career, 24/7 Tempo reviewed performance data on the Billboard 200 album charts. Albums were ranked based on an inverse score wherein a week at No. 1 is worth 200 points, a week at No. 2 worth 199 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 200 worth one point. Only studio albums were considered. Billboard data is current through the week of August 20, 2022. (These are the most dominant reigns in Billboard history.)
Click here to see Elton John’s top charting albums on the Billboard 200
John and his longtime musical partner lyric writer Bernie Taupin are one of the longest-running and most successful songwriting teams of all time; their singles and albums have sold more than 255 million records worldwide. Over his career, John has succeeded in the music genres of soft rock, country, pop rock, and hard rock, evolving from an introspective singer-songwriter into a flamboyant hitmaker who has sold out the biggest venues worldwide.
In the 53 years Elton John has released music, he has reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album list six times and 17 of his LPs have reached the top 10. Besides the fact that his career has had tremendous staying power, his music has spent considerable time on the Billboard 200 chart. Nine of his albums have been on the Billboard 200 for 52 weeks or longer. “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” a double album considered by many fans and rock critics as his greatest effort, was on the Billboard 200 the longest, a total of 111 weeks. It is undeniably one of the 50 greatest pop albums of all time.
34. Regimental Sgt. Zippo (2021)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #197 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 1
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33. Wonderful Crazy Night (2016)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #8 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 4
32. Leather Jackets (1986)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #91 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 9
31. The Captain & the Kid (2006)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #18 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 6
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30. Peachtree Road (2004)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #17 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 10
29. The Diving Board (2013)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #4 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 8
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28. Victim of Love (1979)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #35 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 10
27. Songs from the West Coast (2001)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #15 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 24
26. The Union (with Leon Russell) (2010)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #3 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 17
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25. The Lockdown Sessions (2021)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #10 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 24
24. A Single Man (1978)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #15 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 18
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23. The Fox (1981)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #21 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 19
22. Duets (1993)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #25 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 22
21. Empty Sky (1975)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #6 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 18
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20. The Big Picture (1997)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #9 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 23
19. 21 at 33 (1980)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #13 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 21
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18. Ice On Fire (1985)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #48 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 28
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17. Blue Moves (1976)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #3 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 22
16. Rock of the Westies (1975)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #1 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 26
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15. Reg Strikes Back (1988)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #16 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 29
14. Jump Up! (1982)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #17 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 33
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13. Breaking Hearts (1984)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #20 (for 5 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 34
12. Made in England (1995)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #13 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 46
11. Too Low for Zero (1983)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #25 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 53
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10. Tumbleweed Connection (1971)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #5 (for 4 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 37
9. Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #1 (for 7 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 43
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8. Caribou (1974)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #1 (for 4 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 54
24/7 Wall St.7. Sleeping with the Past (1989)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #23 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 53
6. Madman Across the Water (1971)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #8 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 52
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5. The One (1992)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #8 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 53
4. Elton John (1970)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #4 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 52
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3. Honky Château (1972)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #1 (for 5 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 61
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2. Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player (1973)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #1 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 89
1. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
> Peak position on Billboard 200: #1 (for 8 weeks)
> Total weeks on Billboard 200: 111
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