John's commercial success was at its peak in the 1970s, when he released a streak of chart-topping albums in the US and UK, including Honky Château (1972), Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973), Caribou (1974), Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975), and Rock of the Westies (1975).

John continued his success in the 1980s and 1990s, having several hit albums including 21 at 33 (1980), Too Low for Zero (1983), Sleeping with the Past (1989), The One (1992), Made in England (1995), and The Big Picture (1997).

[1][2] John has continued to record new music since then, including the albums Songs from the West Coast (2001), The Diving Board (2013), Wonderful Crazy Night (2016), and The Lockdown Sessions (2021).

[5] Throughout his career, John has sold over 300 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

[8][9][10] According to RIAA, he has sold 80 million albums in the United States, making him the 6th-best-selling male solo artist in history.