Elton John

The Lockdown Sessions

    
 
 1. Merry Christmas
 2. Cold Heart
 3. Always Love You
 4. Learn to Fly
 5. After All
 6. Chosen Family
 7. The Pink Phantom
 8. It's a Sing
 9. Nothing Else Matters
 10.Orbit
 11.Simple Things
 12.Beauty in the Bones
 13.One of Me
 14.E-Ticket
 15.Finish Line
 16.Stolen Car
 17.I'm Not Gonna Mis You
 

This might be Elton John’s most confounding release to date. Not for its musical daring, or lyrical experimentation, but simply for the sheer question it raises: why?

For those familiar with Elton’s wide-ranging tastes and voracious musical curiosity, this project won’t come as a surprise. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Elton has long embraced emerging talent—often from genres that would send other classic rockers into a quiet panic. He even hosts a well-known Apple Music show where he cheerleads and interviews these rising stars. All of this is admirable, of course. It shows an artist still engaged with the now. But when it comes to The Lockdown Sessions, “engaged” might be the most charitable descriptor.

The album was recorded, as the title suggests, during the pandemic, with Elton collaborating remotely with a slew of artists—some from his generation, many from generations that probably consider him a historical curiosity. The result is less a cohesive record and more a patchwork of brief, sometimes jarring cameos. Elton, rather than commanding the proceedings, is often relegated to the role of polite guest star—adding a verse here, a piano flourish there, and vanishing just as quickly.

For listeners hoping for a modern-day Duets or something in the vein of Songs from the West Coast, disappointment is virtually guaranteed. The collaborations with the likes of Stevie Nicks and Eddie Vedder should, in theory, be highlights—if only because they suggest some kind of sonic common ground. Unfortunately, they come off as clunky exercises in musical diplomacy. Even Finish Line with Stevie Wonder, the one track that manages to rise above the clutter, feels like a faint echo of former glories.

Musically, the album leans heavily into styles far afield from Elton’s typical palette—auto-tuned synth pop, profanity-laced trap, club-thumping electro. And that’s fine, in theory. It’s just not particularly good. One gets the impression Elton is guest-starring on his own album—offering a dash of veteran credibility to younger artists who don’t really need or want it. To be clear: Elton John has earned the right to make whatever record he wants. He’s a legend. And if The Lockdown Sessions brought him joy in a difficult year, then who are we to judge? But that doesn’t make it any easier to listen to.

This isn’t just a departure from the Elton we know—it’s a different orbit. And for those of us raised on the cinematic sweep of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road or the intimate melancholy of Blue Moves, this isn’t merely disappointing. It’s almost unrecognizable.