Needles & Grooves

Paul is a maybe

Stevie is definitely on the same tier as elton

I hate these arguments, but depends on the criteria. Not to take anything away from Elton, but if you’re talking Sir Elton you have to include Bernie Taupin. Where with control-freak Paul he wrote the lion’s share of his stuff himself alone, and same with Stevie aside from very early career stuff. So I’m not sure what criteria you use to compare.

Of course that’s assuming all other factors (performance, musicality, influence, other subjective stuff) are equal, which they aren’t. Which is why these arguments never hold water - there’s never a predefined measuring stick.

Stevie has some classics but didn’t have the kind of consistent output that Elton did. If you’re talking solo Paul then I’d agree with keeping him on that level. Add in his Beatles work and it surely bumps him to the next tier.

Given Stevie's blindness, wouldn't that elevate him due to working around it? Not to mention being African-American...

I dont know if I can put elton above stevie, they are definitely atleast on the same level. Paul I'd put slightly below them, after he left the Beatles his catalog is a little more hit or miss and he doesnt have as many classics as a solo artist that elton and stevie have. Also worth noting though that any talk of Elton's greatness needs to include Bernie in it as well