Additionally, the album would be the last collaboration between John and lyricist Bernie Taupin for the next few years[a] until a partial resumption of their working partnership with 21 at 33 (1980).

The music on Blue Moves is considered some of John's most experimental, fusing genres such as pop, gospel, disco and jazz while also including orchestral elements and extended song lengths.

Guests on the album include David Crosby, Graham Nash, Bruce Johnston and Toni Tennille contributing backing vocals, alongside performances by both the Martyn Ford Orchestra and London Symphony Orchestra, the former of which performing string arrangements by Paul Buckmaster.

[3] In June 1976, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", a duet with Kiki Dee, was released as a standalone single and also topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

[4] In an October 1976 interview with Rolling Stone, John expressed his desire to focus on other projects for the time being, saying he felt it would be "silly" to keep his band members under a contract for an additional year while not being sure what his plans for future performing would be.

From the 19 September concert at Budapest Sports Arena, Michael performed "Idol" in place of "It Doesn't Really Matter" on the setlist.

As Michael cast his gaze around the audience, John waved from the stalls, where he sat beside his civil partner David Furnish and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter.

A contemporary review for Rolling Stone said the album "contains nowhere near enough good songs to justify the extended length" and that the interludes and instrumentals were done "to the exclusion of sense".

Note: Initial CD versions of the album maintain the same running order, but omit various combinations of the following tracks: "Cage the Songbird", "Shoulder Holster", "The Wide-Eyed and Laughing" and "Where's the Shoorah?".