Elton John

Elton John\'s eponymous second record isn\'t just packed with the kinds of songs that would define the singer—they\'d also help define the burgeoning singer/songwriter era of pop music. John and his co-writer Bernie Taupin touch the uplifting “Border Song” with gospel, imbue the haunting ballad “First Episode at Hienton” with an eerie theremin (which adds to the song’s foreboding narrative before lush string arrangements pour in), and make one of the decade\'s most memorable tunes with the pensive, piano-based opener “Your Song.” It’s a winner from start to finish.

For the first time since 1992,Rolling Stone'sdefinitive classic returns to the scene, completely updated and revised to include the past decade's artists and sounds. When it comes to sorting the truly great from the merely mediocre, the enduring from the fleeting,The New Rolling Stone Album Guideprovides music buffs and amateurs alike with authoritative guidance from the best voices in the field. Filled with insightful commentary, it not only reviews the most influential albums of all time, but also features biographical overviews of key artists' careers, giving readers a look at the personalities behind the music.This fourth edition contains an impressive -- 70 percent -- amount of new material. Readers will find fresh updates to entries on established artists, hundreds of brand-new entries on the people and recordings that epitomize the '90s and the sounds of the 21st century -- from Beck to OutKast to the White Stripes and beyond -- along with a new introduction detailing changes in the music industry.Celebrating the diversity of popular music and its constant metamorphoses, with thousands of entries and reviews on every sound from blues to techno,The New Rolling Stone Album Guideis the only resource music lovers need to read.

Empty Sky was followed by Elton John, a more focused and realized record that deservedly became his first hit.