13 November 2025
Newsdesk
Elton John’s globally beloved Apple Music 1 show, ‘Elton John’s Rocket Hour,’ is revving up for a monumental celebration: its 10th anniversary. This Saturday, the legendary musician marks a decade of tirelessly championing new artists and timeless classics with a special milestone episode. Joining the party are special guests Olivia Dean, Blood Orange (Dev Hynes), Channel Tres, and Apple Music's own Zane Lowe.
Since its launch in 2015, Rocket Hour has served as a powerful platform for emerging voices. Across 446 episodes, Elton has personally hand-programmed every playlist, shining a spotlight on over 3,000 artists and 6,700 songs. He’s interviewed 212 guests, from inaugural guest Brandon Flowers to global icons like Billie Eilish, while consistently championing the next generation, including Sam Fender, RAYE, and Chappell Roan.
"You don’t give up on a young artist because the first album might not do well. If I believe in them, I keep going," Elton explains. “Seeing them flourish—it's like watering a plant and seeing it blossom into something beautiful.”
The 10th-anniversary episode, recorded at Apple’s new LA studios, features Elton alongside Zane Lowe, who originally helped bring Rocket Hour to fruition. Lowe reflects on Elton's impact, calling him “the spiritual North Star of Apple Music Radio,” praising his commitment that “given us confidence to keep going.”
The anniversary lineup is packed with new-wave boundary-pushing voices whom Elton championed early. He catches up with Olivia Dean, whose spectacular rise has made her one of Britain’s brightest new stars. Dean expresses her deep gratitude for his support: “To have your support... was like everything. And I just felt it took it to a whole new level.”
Elton also chats with Dev Hynes of Blood Orange about his new album and artistry, calling him a musician “with a brain, and an imagination and musicians with a soul.” Finally, the trio reunites with Channel Tres, whose breakout single ‘Controller’ is the most-played track in Rocket Hour history. Channel Tres credits Elton’s early advice on insecurities as a “pillar” in his career, noting, “Him saying that, it comes from experience.”
This milestone episode reaffirms Elton’s enduring mission: keeping music discovery alive. As he says, "I'm not that interested in the old... it's the new stuff, and seeing people like Olivia Dean and Channel Tres, and Blood Orange... seeing how they’re doing and how far they've come, and how brilliant, and how their music has made me so happy. That's fantastic.”
