Glastonbury 2023: Elton John flies up charts following festival

Lewis Capaldi and Elton John, two of the popular solo acts to grace the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival last weekend, have enjoyed renewed chart surges over the past few days following their memorable performances. For the former, his on-stage struggle with tourettes tugged at the heartstrings, while the latter bowed out triumphantly with potentially his last ever live UK performance. 

During his firework-laden retirement party on Sunday night, Elton John pleased the punters with a set chock full of his greatest hits in a set advertised as his final UK concert. Whether the performance will actually turn out to be his last is anyone’s guess, but the successful bash certainly injected some fuel into the charts. 

Over the past week, Elton’s Greatest Hits compilation Diamonds has enjoyed a 188 per cent rise, based on Official Charts Company combined sales and streaming data. The Glastonbury appearance has pushed the album up 11 places to number two on the UK Albums Chart. 

During Lewis Capaldi’s set on Saturday, festivalgoers touchingly supported the singer by singing his lines for him while he struggled with an attack of tourettes. The Scottish pop sensation has sadly experienced a worsening battle with the condition over the past couple of years. 

The emotional set made the headlines this week as Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, Capaldi’s second album, soared by 68 per cent on last week’s figures. The album, which previously struck number one on the UK Albums Chart following its release in May, has returned to a respectable third position. 

Following their headline slot on Friday, Arctic Monkeys also surged in the Albums Chart, with the most albums in the Top 40 by any Glastonbury artist this week. The 2013 album AM takes the lead at number seven, the 2006 debut Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not moved nine places to number 20, and 2006’s Favourite Worst Nightmare just dipped into the top 40, landing at 38.  

Watch Elton John perform ‘Rocket Man’ during his Glastonbury set below.