One of Elton John‘s most iconic albums is hitting a special milestone. The legendary singer, composer, and pianist announced that his 1975 record, Rock of the Westies, is getting a new edition to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Elton John’s ‘Rock of the Westies’ Was Released on Oct. 24, 1975
Released on Oct. 24, 1975, the Rocket Man’s 10th studio album came hot on the heels of Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, a record-breaking album that was certified gold before its release, and it peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart within the first week of said release. Needless to say, the stakes were higher than ever.
John unleashed two singles to promote Rock of the Westies: “Island Girl,” released on Sept. 29, 1975, and “Grow Some Funk of Your Own” / “I Feel Like a Bullet (in the Gun of Robert Ford),” released on Jan. 12, 1976. The album itself skyrocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 on Nov. 8, 1975, where it reigned for three weeks.
Reviews for Rock of the Westies were mixed. Rolling Stone lambasted “Island Girl” for its lyrics, claiming they were sexist and racist, and criticized the other tracks, writing that they “barely accomplish their objective of providing the latest in synthetic boogie.” However, AllMusic was more complimentary. It lauded the rock album as “a strong and worthwhile entry.”
‘Rock of the Westies (50th Anniversary Edition)’
On Instagram, John shared that Rock of the Westies was “the most genuine rock and roll record that I’ve ever made.” He also revealed that the new lineup of the Elton John Band had been together for only 33 days before recording the album at Caribou Ranch.
As for the 50th anniversary edition, the new version will contain a double LP in Sea Blue and Electric Blue, featuring the original album, with “a bonus disc of previously unreleased Piano & Vocal Versions.” The 2LP will also come with a 16-page booklet with new sleeve notes and exclusive photos from the artist’s archives.
In addition to the 2LP, John is releasing “Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future)” on a limited-edition 1LP, pressed on 180-gram tri-color vinyl (Blue Jay, Baby Blue, and Sunshine Yellow). Lastly, Rock of the Westies is getting a double CD for its 50th anniversary, including the aforementioned never-before-released piano and vocal versions, a 24-page booklet with new sleeve notes, and images from the archive.
You can pre-order all the Rock of the Westies 50th anniversary goodies before they are released on Nov. 20, 2026.
