Rocket Man is Britain’s favourite Elton John song of all time, as the legendary singer turns 75
As Sir Elton John turns 75, we take a look at his most popular songs
As music icon Sir Elton John turns 75, new polling by Ipsos shows Rocket Man is the legend’s most popular song among Britons. One in 5 (22%) of those who have a favourite Elton John song chose the classic, increasing to 30% of younger Britons aged 16-34, suggesting it has stood the test of time and continues to resonate across multiple generations.
In the poll, respondents could choose up to three of their favourite Elton John songs from a list of 20 or indicate that a different Elton John song was their favourite. They could also say they didn’t have one or ‘don’t know’. Overall 879 respondents to our poll offered an opinion on their favourite Elton song (84%).
The top 11 amongst those with an opinion were:
- Rocket Man (22%)
- I’m Still Standing (18%)
- Candle in the Wind (17%)
- Your Song (15%)
- Tiny Dancer (12%)
- Circle of Life (12%)
- Daniel (12%)
- Don’t go Breaking my Heart (11%)
- Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (11%)
- Sacrifice (11%)
- Can you Feel the Love Tonight (11%)
With a career spanning over 6 decades, it’s an astonishing achievement to have fans of all ages. Even among the youngest group of respondents (16-34), 82% were able to identify their favourite Elton John song(s).
The most popular Elton song among 16-34s with an opinion are Rocket Man (30%), I’m Still Standing (19%), Tiny Dancer (16%), Circle of Life (16%) and Your Song (15%).
The most popular Elton song with 55-75s among those with an opinion were Candle in the Wind (26%), Daniel (20%), I’m Still Standing (14%), Don’t Go Breaking my Heart (14%) and Rocket Man (13%).
Keiran Pedley, Research Director at Ipsos, said:
The results of this survey show different connections to Sir Elton’s music. While older generations might associate him for his connection to Princess Diana through 'Candle in the Wind', younger generations might know him more for 'The Circle of Life' as a result of its use in 'The Lion King', or more recently 'Rocket Man' from the film of the same name. No matter which song you love for whatever reason, it’s clear that Sir Elton John continues to be a fan favourite among Britons – and rightly so!
Technical note:
- Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,038 British adults aged 16-75. Interviews were conducted on the Ipsos digital omnibus online between 18th-19th March 2022. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.
