Glastonbury 2023; What is Elton John’s setlist for the final concert and which special guests could feature?

After 31 studio albums, more than 4,000 concert performances and 10 UK number one singles, Elton John will be saying ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ one last time as he headlines Glastonbury Festival 2023 this weekend.

Despite Elton’s performance in Worthy Farm, Somerset being his first for the music festival, it pinpoints the 76-year-old’s last-ever gig before he retires from his career that has spanned six decades.

Speaking about his final farewell on the Pyramid Stage, Elton told BBC Radio 2’s Scott Mills: “It’s just come at the right time. I’m a great believer in serendipity and fate and this is the most wonderful way to sign off in England and Great Britain.”

The ‘Crocodile Rock’ hitmaker continued to add that he felt a little ‘intimidated’ by closing the festival on Sunday 25 June, but Glastonbury’s co-organiser Emily Eavis suggested the near two-hour gig would be the ‘mother of all send-offs’.

Elton’s headlining spot was first announced in December 2022 and since then, speculation has amassed surrounding his final ever setlist and whether it would be the same to his Farewell Yellow Brick Road order that he has been performing since 2018.

As the set is just days away, Elton has revealed a little more into what Glastonbury audiences can expect from 9pm to 11.05pm on Sunday during the "legends" slot Glastonbury have each year.

Elton told the BBC: “It's a different show to what people have been seeing…When you put a setlist together, I always say it's a bit like having sex. You start off really well, then you chill out a little bit, then towards the end of the show all hell breaks loose".

He continued: “I've got the setlist down, I've got rehearsal dates booked for the guest artists, so we just have to hope the weather will still be nice…I'm starting with a song I haven't played for about 10 years, so we'll see how it goes.”

In terms of guests, Elton has teamed up with the likes of Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga in recent years and has historically collaborated with Kiki Dee and Brandi Carlisle. 

Fans are hoping that Elton’s promise of guest stars at Glastonbury could echo his last American shows where he brought out Dua Lipa, Kiki Dee and Brandi in the LA Dodgers Stadium. Could he also bring out Taron Egerton who took on the role of Elton John in the biopic ‘Rocketman’?

In terms of the setlist, according to Setlist.fm, there could be a couple of tunes Elton could drag out of the archives from a decade ago to open his final gig including Holiday Inn, Grey Seal and Home Again.

As for the rest of the setlist, Elton John is expected to include other bangers such as ‘Rocketman’, ‘I’m Still Standing’, ‘Tiny Dancer’, ‘Your Song’ and ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ before signing off from performing live.

What has Elton John's setlist looked like during his farewell tour?

According to Setlist.FM, at Sir Elton John's last "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" performance at the OVO Hydro, Glasgow, his set list was as follows:

• Bennie and the Jets
• Philadelphia Freedom
• I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
• Border Song
• Tiny Dancer
• Have Mercy on the Criminal
• Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)
• Take Me to the Pilot
• Someone Saved My Life Tonight
• Levon
• Candle in the Wind
• Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
• Burn Down the Mission
• Sad Songs (Say So Much)
• Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
• Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
• The Bitch Is Back
• I'm Still Standing
• Crocodile Rock
• Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting

Encore:

• Cold Heart
• Your Song
• Goodbye Yellow Brick Road