Elton John’s post-surgery present? His first UK #1 in 16 years

Interscope Records

It’s the best “get well” present he could’ve received: Elton John has scored his first number-one single on the U.K. charts in 16 years.

The song that did it for the Rocket Man is, of course, “Cold Heart,” his mashup remix with British pop star Dua Lipa. The song, which combines four of Elton’s previously released tracks, took over the top spot on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart after three weeks at #2. It dethroned his pal Ed Sheeran‘s “Shivers,” which has been #1 for four weeks. 

Last week, Sheeran actively encouraged his fans to stop streaming his song and stream Elton’s instead, writing, “It will be his first number one in almost twenty years and I really want it to happen…Who doesn’t wanna be knocked off [the top] by Elton anyway?”

The last time Elton topped the charts in his native country was in 2005, as a featured performer on “Ghetto Gospel,” a posthumous single by slain rapper 2Pac that samples Elton’s 1971 song “Indian Sunset.” The last time Elton had a number-one hit on his own was in 1997, with “Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind ’97.”

Elton, who recently had hip surgery, posted a photo of himself celebrating while wearing a bathrobe.

We did it — UK NUMBER 1!! I cannot begin to tell you how much this means to me,” he wrote, adding, “You’ve made me feel infinitely better after my surgery and I can’t wait for you to hear the whole of The Lockdown Sessions when it comes out next week!”

Elton’s Lockdown Sessions album also includes collaborations with Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, Pearl Jam‘s Eddie Vedder, Miley Cyrus, Lil Nas X, the late Glen Campbell and many more.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)

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