Britney fans lose their minds over leaked audio of "Hold Me Closer"

Last night on Twitter fans of Britney Spears lost the collective minds over the alleged leak of the "Hold Me Closer" duet be her and Elton John. Most fans were upset over the leak claiming Britney deserves to release the song on her own timetable since it's her first new music since 2016.  It was all quite comical.

Here's a couple samples of the tweets that were posted...

y’all can leak britney’s PREVIOUS music from like 12 years ago that got scrapped and that’s fine by me but y’all can’t be leaking her new music that she’s taking long for to perfect it for us. she’s so excited and it’s rude

— phonography 🌹🚀 (@bolshevistbrit) August 18, 2022

don’t spread the #holdmecloser leaks, just report and move along, britney deserves a proper, successful rollout with her first piece of work post-conservatorship

— BIBLEGIRL (@BIBLEGIRL222) August 18, 2022

EJ.com announces the Hold Me Closer release date: August 26

EltonJohn.com has announced via Twitter the release date for the Britney/Elton collaboration is August 26.  Cover art below and click here for more info...

 

 

Britney holding up release of "Hold Me Closer" ???

Why Britney Spears Is ‘Taking Her Time’ With Releasing Elton John Duet: It’s ‘One Of’ Her ‘Best’

Britney Spears and Elton John's new collaboration is just waiting on Britney's 'final approval', a source tells HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY. 

Click here for the article...

 

"Hold Me Closer" due out soon...

Reps for both artists sent out an announcement Monday confirmed that the song, “Hold Me Closer,” is due in the coming days. There was little information in the announcement except single artwork, which consists of the title, a rose (Britney) and a rocket (Elton).  The tune called "Hold Me Closer' also includes a new lyric penned and sung by Britney.

More from Variety here...

New Elton/Britney mashup "Hold Me Closer" release coming soon...

A new Elton/Britney mashup called "Hold Me Closer" is on the verge of release.  It contains samples of "Tiny Dancer" and "The One" and several other Elton tunes. Also new lyrics written and sung by Britney.  

This should be interesting.  More here...

Update: "Cold Heart" holds at #1 on the Billboard AC Chart, holds at #29 on the Hot 100

  

UPDATE: 7/19/22:  "Cold Heart" holds #1 on the Billboard AC Chart, holds at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100, holds at #2 on Dance/Electronic Chart, now at #6 on the Recurrent Adult Top 40 Airplay.

UPDATE: 7/13/22:  "Cold Heart" back to #1 on the Billboard AC Chart, at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100, at #2 on Dance/Electronic Chart, now at #6 on the Recurrent Adult Top 40 Airplay.

UPDATE: 6/29/22:  "Cold Heart" back to #1 on the Billboard AC Chart, at #25 on the Billboard Hot 100, drops to #9 on Dance/Electronic Chart, now at #5 on the Recurrent Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #20, on the Digital Downloads Chart at #18.

UPDATE: 6/22/22:  "Cold Heart" back to #1 on the Billboard AC Chart, at #25 on the Billboard Hot 100, holds at #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, now at #5 on the Recurrent Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #20, on the Digital Downloads Chart at #18.

UPDATE: 6/17/22:  "Cold Heart" drops to #2 on the Billboard AC Chart, up four spots to #25 on Billboard Hot 100 and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, now at #4 on the Recurrent Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #19, on the Digital Downloads Chart at #18.

UPDATE: 6/8/22:  "Cold Heart" back at #1 on the Billboard AC Chart, up nine spots to #29 on Billboard Hot 100 and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, now at #2 on the Recurrent Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #19, on the Digital Downloads Chart at #15.

UPDATE: 5/31/22:  "Cold Heart" back at #1 on the Billboard AC Chart, holds at #38 on Billboard Hot 100 and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, now at #2 on the Recurrent Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #19, on the Digital Downloads Chart at #13.

UPDATE: 5/24/22:  "Cold Heart"  at #2 on the Billboard AC Chart,  at #38 on Billboard Hot 100 and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, now at #1 on the Recurrent Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #19, on the Digital Downloads Chart at #14.

UPDATE: 5/17/22:  "Cold Heart" now at #1 on the Billboard AC Chart,  drops to #30 on Billboard Hot 100 and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, now at #1 on the Recurrent Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #18, on the Digital Downloads Chart down to #14.

UPDATE: 5/10/22:  "Cold Heart" now at #22 on the Hot 100, holds at #2 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, now at #2 on the Recurrent Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #13, on the Digital Downloads Chart down to #12.

UPDATE: 5/3/22:  "Cold Heart" now at #14 on the Hot 100, holds at #2 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, now at #2 on the Recurrent Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #13, on the Digital Downloads Chart down to #7.

UPDATE: 4/6/22:  "Cold Heart" holds at #14 on the Hot 100, holds at #2 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, now at #8 on the Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #11, on the Digital Downloads Chart holds at #3.

UPDATE: 3/29/22:  "Cold Heart" at #14 on the Hot 100, holds at #2 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, #5 on the Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #12, on the Digital Downloads Chart holds at #3.

UPDATE: 3/25/22:  "Cold Heart" at #13 on the Hot 100, holds at #2 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, #5 on the Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #12, on the Digital Downloads Chart holds at #3. 

UPDATE: 3/11/22:  "Cold Heart" holds at #10 on the Hot 100, up one to #2 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, falls to #4 on the Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #11, on the Digital Downloads Chart it falls two to #3.

UPDATE: 3/3/22:  "Cold Heart" goes up two spots to #10 on the Hot 100, holds at #3 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, rises one to # 1 on the Adult Top 40 Airplay, on the Pop Airplay recurrent chart its at #10, on the Digital Downloads Chart it went from #15 to #1

UPDATE: 2/23/22:  "Cold Heart" goes back up two spots to #12 on the Hot 100, up one to #3 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart, on Pop Airplay it is now on the recurrent chart at #9 and the Adult Top 40 Airplay up two to #2.

UPDATE: 2/15/22:  "Cold Heart" goes down three spots to #14, up one to #4 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart and on the Pop Airplay now on recurrent chart at #7 and the Adult Top 40 Airplay up one to #4, on Digital Download up one to #3 .

UPDATE: 1/26/22:  "Cold Heart" goes back up one spot to #9, holds at #5 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart and on the Pop Airplay it drops two to #11 and the Adult Top 40 Airplay its stays at #4, on Digital Download drops one to #3 .

UPDATE: 1/19/22:  "Cold Heart" drops three spots to #10, holds at #5 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart and on the Pop Airplay it is stays at #9 and the Adult Top 40 Airplay its stays at #4, on Digital Download drops 1 to #2 .

UPDATE: 1/11/22:  "Cold Heart" moves up 13 spots to #7, up one spot to #5 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart and on the Pop Airplay it is stays at #9 and the Adult Top 40 Airplay its up one to #4, on Digital Download chart it up 5 spots to #1 .

UPDATE: 1/6/22:  "Cold Heart" moves backup 9 spots to #20, up one spot to #6 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart and on the Pop Airplay it is stays at #9 and the Adult Top 40 Airplay its down one to #5 but with an increase in spins

UPDATE: 12/29/21:  "Cold Heart" drops to 29 on Billboard Hot 100, up one spot to #7 on Billboard AC and still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart and on the Pop Airplay it is up to #4.

UPDATE: 12/21/21:  "Cold Heart" drops to 23 on Billboard Hot 100, holds at #8 on Billboard AC as Christmas is now in total control of the charts, but still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart and on the Pop Airplay holds at #8.

UPDATE: 12/14/21:  "Cold Heart" drops to #19 on Billboard Hot 100, down one to #8 on Billboard AC as Christmas is now in total control of the charts, but still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart and on the Pop Airplay chart it inches up one spot to #8.

UPDATE: 12/7/21:  "Cold Heart" drops to #13 on Billboard Hot 100, down one to #7 on Billboard AC as Christmas is now in total control of the charts, but still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart however on the Pop Airplay chart it rises 3 spots to #9.

UPDATE: 11/30/21:  "Cold Heart" holds at #11 on Billboard Hot 100, down one to #6 on Billboard AC as Christmas continues to take over the charts, still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart 

UPDATE: 11/23/21:  "Cold Heart" moves to #11 on Billboard Hot 100, up one to #5 on Billboard AC, still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart

UPDATE: 11/16/21:  Christmas music begins to take over chart as "Cold Heart" holds at #14 on Billboard Hot 100, steady at #6 on Billboard AC, still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart

UPDATE: 11/9/21:  "Cold Heart" up one to #14 on Billboard Hot 100, steady at #6 on Billboard AC, still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart

UPDATE: 11/2/21:  "Cold Heart" climbs to #15 on Billboard Hot 100, steady at #6 on Billboard AC, still #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart

UPDATE: 10/26/21:  "Cold Heart" climbs to #21 on Billboard Hot 100, #6 on Billboard AC, #1 on Dance/Electronic Chart

UPDATE: 10/19/21:  "Cold Heart" climbs to # 25 on the latest chart.  

10/12/21: "Cold Heart" climbs 14 spots to #32 making it Elton's first Top 40 hit since "Written in the Stars" his duet with LeAnn Rimes in 1999.

"Cold Heart" chart performance has been very impressive;

#8 AC (Billboard/Mediabase) +114 spins

#9 Billboard Global 200

 #14 Hot AC (Billboard/) +329 spins

#22 Top 40 (Mediabase) +1045

#3 Dance (Mediabase) +97

Elton working with PNAU on followup to "Cold Heart"

Not sure how I feel about this.  I thought "Cold Heart" was dreadful when I first heard it and its still on the charts nearly a year later and has become Elton's biggest hit in decades. Now my opinion is it's fine.  I'll listen if it comes on the radio but I don't choose to listen to it. I suppose it's great that the younger generations are listening to Elton again but I figured it was a one-off success.

Now its reported he is working with PNAU on a followup that may come out next month for the summer with a "secret superstar' presumably a current popular artist.

Read the story here.

UMC to correct Elton John blu-ray error

For those that have received their Madman Across The Water 50th Anniversary Box Set you know that the 5.1 version of Madman Across The Water with Mick Ronson is actually the standard album version.  Universal will be mailing out replacement Blu-ray discs to everyone that emails them with the requested information.  Below is the article from SuperDeluxeEdition.com with instructions on how to request your replacement disc.  

Click here to read the story.

Madman Box Set Review

Review: Elton John’s ‘Madman Across The Water’ Gets the Lavish Expanded Treatment to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

 I actually think it’s the most American record we ever made, says Elton John’s lyricist Bernie Taupin in the introduction to the hard-bound 104-page book that comes with this lavish, “super deluxe” 50th-anniversary reissue of Madman Across the Water (November 1971). It’s an overview, a time capsule of that era…it’s still wonderfully evocative. The album is like an American road trip. 

Read the review...

New Elton vinyl reissues coming...

Peachtree Road, The One and Regimental Sgt. Zippo vinyl reissues coming...

 

July sees a clutch of Elton John remastered vinyl reissues including a 2LP edition of his 2005 album Peachtree Road, a stereo release of 1968’s Regimental Sgt. Zippo and his first album of the 1990s, The One.

 Read the rest here...

Elton John Career-Spanning Doc ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ Lands at Disney

Sir Elton John is preparing to say goodbye in fabulous splendor, with the help of a documentary crew and the Walt Disney Co.

Disney Original Documentary and Disney+ said Wednesday that the film, entitled Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances and the Years that Made His Legend, will serve as the definitive and official feature on John’s life and career. Including unseen archival footage, new interviews and a present day look at him and his family, it’ll culminate with his final North American show at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles this November.

 Click here to read the article...

"Cold Heart" becomes Elton John's 18th Billboard AC #1

 

Elton John and Dua Lipa‘s “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” is the hottest song on the Billboard Adult Contemporary radio airplay chart, as it rises to No. 1 on the list dated May 21, reflecting play in the May 9-15 tracking week, according to Luminate.

The coronation marks the latest historic feat for John, as he notches his record-extending 18th AC No. 1. That’s among 41 top 10s and 75 entries overall, also bests among all artists in the tally’s archives, which date to July 1961.

Read the article...

 

BIG NEWS: Elton John To Celebrate 50th Anniversary Of Madman Across The Water

 

Madman Across The Water 50th Anniversary Box Sets due June 10.  Available for pre-order on Amazon;

 

Click the image below for the Amazon pre-order page;

From Elton John.com;

Madman Across The Water available on four different formats:

• Super Deluxe box set 3-CD, 1-Blu-ray also featuring 18 previously unreleased tracks, also containing 1971 reproduction poster and 104-page book, photos and essay with interviews with those who helped make the album, as well as memorabilia and artwork taken from the Rocket Archive. Blu-ray features 5.1 mix, and 1971 Sounds For Saturday and 1971 Old Grey Whistle Test performances
• 4-LP, 180g vinyl box set, includes a 40-page booklet with introductions by Elton and Bernie, photos and essay featuring interviews with many who helped make Madman Across The Water, plus a reproduction 1971 reproduction poster, as well as memorabilia and artwork from the Rocket Archive
• 2-CD set with original album, rarities and demos, includes a 40-page booklet with introductions by Elton and Bernie, plus essay highlights featuring interviews with many who helped make Madman Across The Water, as well as memorabilia and artwork taken from the Rocket Archive
• 1-LP  limited edition remaster of Madman Across The Water, in blue and white coloured 180g vinyl

Elton: "And I can't wait for you to hear more new music soon."

Sir Elton John was honored with the Mass Appeal prize, and teased that 'more new music' is on the way after he collaborated with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Dua Lipa, Olly Alexander and Charlie Puth on The Lockdown Sessions LP last year.

 More here... 

Elton in Hershey tonight...

Elton performs tonight in Hershey...  this writer predicts the setlist... if you have this thing called Google you can check the setlist yourself.  You can read his song wishlist which is lame.  My wishlist is below...

My Elton concert wishlist...which probably will never happen...

70s...

Grimsby

Bitter Fingers

Tower of Babel

I've Seen The Saucers

Teacher I Need You

Grow Some Funk of Your Own

I Feel Like a Bullet

Street Kids

(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket

Better Off Dead

Amoreena

Hercules

Harmony

Crazy Water

One Horse Town 

 

Everthing else...

This Train Don't Stop There Anymore

Did He Shoot Her

Heart In The Right Place

Too Low For Zero

Club At The End of The Street

Birds

Blue Avenue

Town of Plenty

Dear John

Claw Hammer

Cold

Made In England

Please

On Dark Street

Understanding Women

 

 

Billboard: The 75 Best Elton John Songs, hits and deep cuts

Let the arguments begin!   

The Top 10 is not that surprising although the #1 song is not what I expected.  I love it but its not the typical #1 song chosen in these types of lists.

Going through the list I am pleasantly surprised by many of the deep cuts that have been included.  Dare I say impressive.

Spotify Playlist is the the sidebar.

Billboard: Top 75 Elton John Songs, hits and deep cuts...

Diamonds Ultimate Greatest Hits set released in Dolby Atmos for Elton's 75th

'Diamonds: The Ultimate Greatest Hits' mixed in Dolby Atmos...immersing the listener in spatial audio on Apple music, HD audio on Amazon Music, and 360 audio on Tidal for the very first time.  Read the article at EltonJohn.com

Elton John says he's 'unbelievably lucky' as he celebrates 75th birthday

Elton John has said he is determined to keep "giving back to the industry that has given me so much" as he turns 75.

The singer was born on 25 March 1947 and to mark the milestone will also be releasing the album Diamonds: The Ultimate Greatest Hits on streaming platforms mixed in Dolby Atmos for the first time.

 

Read the whole article...

Elton's final MSG performances

 Sir Elton John Makes A Magnificent Pandemic Comeback at MSG as Farewell Tour Resumes

 

Elton John said he wanted to wrap up his touring life so he could spend time with his kids. After 50 years, he had every right to do it. He was 72 years old.

Then came the pandemic, and various illnesses. During the time off, he managed to fit in an actual number 1 hit with Dua Lipa, “Cold Heart,” and a new hip. But you know, he’s always been very hip!

 

 

 

The Complete Thom Bell Sessions for 2022 Record Store Day

Another Record Store Day release for this year.   Click here

Record Store Day 2022 on 26 April marks the first time 'The Complete Thom Bell Sessions' has been made available on LP in the UK. Available in 180gm purple vinyl, its six tracks are significant, as they marked the first time Elton recorded without his usual team around him, choosing instead to be produced by legendary Philadelphia soul writer, arranger and producer Thom Bell.