Elton John

Elton John's eponymous second record isn't just packed with the kinds of songs that would define the singer—they'd also help define the burgeoning singer/songwriter era of pop music. John and his co-writer Bernie Taupin touch the uplifting “Border Song” with gospel, imbue the haunting ballad “First Episode at Hienton” with an eerie theremin (which adds to the song’s foreboding narrative before lush string arrangements pour in), and make one of the decade's most memorable tunes with the pensive, piano-based opener “Your Song.” It’s a winner from start to finish.