Elton John Had His Own “More Popular Than Jesus” Moment

Classic rock stars had a knack for stirring the pot more than today’s artists. John Lennon once shocked the world by saying The Beatles were “more popular than Jesus,” and Elton John created his own media storm when he publicly spoke about his sexuality. Still, someone close to Elton later said the backlash was just a “temporary hiccup.”

Bernie Taupin Compares Elton’s Revelation to Lennon’s Outburst

Bernie Taupin, the man behind many of Elton John’s biggest hits—including “Daniel,” “Tiny Dancer,” and “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues”—spoke openly in a 2023 interview with Vulture about Elton’s 1976 decision to come out as bisexual. Looking back, Taupin felt Elton wasn’t completely confident at the time.

“He was a little half-hearted on that,” Taupin said.

He admitted the announcement did have some impact. “It definitely hurt him but only temporarily because we had massive sales after that,” he explained. “It was a little bit like our version of John Lennon saying The Beatles were bigger than Jesus Christ. It was a temporary hiccup.”

Later on, Elton came out as gay in the 1990s, which Taupin believed was a more authentic moment. “I’m sure that when he came out 100%, it was easier,” he added. “You don’t want to be hiding from anything.”

Taupin Reflects on Elton’s Fame—And Misses the Chart Details

When asked if he ever realized that he and Elton had become as big as The Beatles, Taupin laughed. “I’m not sure I ever did!” he said.

He described Elton as someone who kept track of everything. “You’re talking about a guy who knows every place he’s ever played and when he played it. He followed all the charts. He still does!”

Taupin, on the other hand, wasn’t paying much attention to the numbers. “I never did that,” he admitted. “I never knew where our records were on the charts. I mean, somebody would tell me, ‘We came in at No. 1.’ I’d say, ‘Great, cool. Now let’s go get a drink.’”

Lennon’s Jesus Comment Didn’t Cause Outrage—At First

John Lennon’s “more popular than Jesus” comment didn’t initially make waves. According to Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon, the statement was made during a 1966 interview with Maureen Cleaver. Lennon was questioning whether rock music might outlast religion, noting how wildly popular The Beatles had become. He said Jesus himself was fine, but his message had been distorted by his followers.

The U.K. audience didn’t react much. But once the interview was published in the U.S., especially in the South, it sparked massive controversy.

Lennon later clarified he wasn’t trying to place himself or the band above Jesus. “I could have said ‘motorcars are bigger than Jesus,’ and I wouldn’t have gotten into as much trouble,” he noted. He simply mentioned The Beatles because it came to mind first—and admitted he wasn’t thinking about public perception at the time.

Despite those moments of outrage, both Elton John and The Beatles pushed through the noise—and became legends.