Elton John has announced two all-star covers albums of his and co-writer Bernie Taupin’s greatest hits. Released on 6 April through Virgin EMI, Revamp features contributions from many of pop’s biggest artists, including John’s protege Ed Sheeran covering Candle in the Wind and Lady Gaga taking on Your Song.
The tracklisting encompasses many sides of John’s career: on the rock front, Pink and rapper Logic join John for Bennie and the Jets, while the Killers cover Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters and Queens of the Stone Age tackle Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Sam Smith and Florence Welch will handle the softer side of John’s oeuvre, performing Daniel and Tiny Dancer respectively, while Coldplay cover We All Fall in Love Sometimes.
Revamp also boasts respectable diva power: Mary J Blige on Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word, Miley Cyrus on Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me and the young Canadian artist Alessia Cara – recently named best new artist at the 2018 Grammy awards – on I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues. Q-Tip and Demi Lovato handle Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.
A second covers album, Restoration, released the same day through Universal Music Group Nashville, will see country’s leading lights reinterpret John’s material. Miley Cyrus also appears here; other names released so far include Roseanne Cash, Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson.
The pair of albums are the latest instalments in an ongoing celebration of John’s career. In January 2018, he announced that he would be retiring from touring with a 300-date world tour, spanning five continents over three years. Last November, he released Diamonds, a greatest hits collection marking his 70th birthday and the 50th anniversary of his songwriting partnership with Taupin.
His songs also feature on the soundtrack of the forthcoming children’s animated film Sherlock Gnomes. John recently stormed off stage during a concert as part of his Las Vegas residency when a fan repeatedly attempted to touch him.
