Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road cannot be overestimated– it's a pop-rock masterpiece among masterpieces, a sprawling, operatic marvel from start to finish that also happens to contain an impressive number of breakout hits, most notably the finger-snapping "Bennie and the Jets," the anthemic "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting), and the classic tearjerker "Candle in the Wind," written in memory of Marilyn Monroe. Elton sings his heart out as always, and Bernie Taupin's soaring talents as a lyricist also shine through every song on this double LP, especially in complex, emotional tracks like "Roy Rogers" and "I've Seen That Movie Too." It's never a dull moment on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, which brings on the laughter and the tears with masterful pop powerful from start to finish.

First listen: