Elton John made his Billboard Hot 100 debut in August 1970 with “Border Song,” and now, he’s back on the chart this week with a 68th (!) hit, the new Dua Lipa duet “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” — but just how does he do it?
The song debuts at No. 81, marking John’s first Hot 100 appearance in 21 years, since “Someday Out of the Blue” ranked at No. 99 on the July 29, 2000-dated chart after earlier peaking at No. 49.
So how does an artist possibly keep breaking through on Billboard’s flagship singles chart for 50-plus years? Well, Elton John is not just any artist. He has nine Hot 100 No. 1s and 27 top 10s (tied for the ninth-best total in the chart’s history) and a whopping 57 top 40 hits. He also has the distinction of having a top 40 hit in a record 30 consecutive years, from 1979 through 1999.
On the latest Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, we talk about all the reasons the Rocket Man stays relevant, from his Apple Music radio show to his insatiable appetite for new music to his endearing habit of shouting out his favorite young artists. Listen here:
Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on Billie Eilish holding atop the Billboard 200 albums chart for a third straight week — leading a top three filled with solo women for the first time in over 10 years — plus new projects from Dan & Shay, Suicideboys and The Killers all debuting in the top 10. And over on the Hot 100, while The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” stands still at No. 1 for a third week, Lizzo and Cardi B’s “Rumors” makes a splash, debuting straight into the top 10. Also, we’ve got news about the ill-fated Welcome Back NYC: Homecoming Concert in Central Park over the weekend, and Taylor Swift announcing the vinyl release of Red (Taylor’s Version) with her very first TikTok video.
The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard’s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard’s deputy editor, digital, Katie Atkinson and senior director of Billboard charts Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)
