Elton John, alongside iHeartMedia and P&G, has announced an expanded iteration of the Elton John Impact Awards, which honor impactful members of the LGBTQ+ community and significant allies.
The honors will kick off June 1 as a podcast series and will also air as an audio special on iHeartRadio PRIDE stations.
The Elton John Impact Award had its inaugural year in 2022 at “Can’t Cancel Pride,” a virtual benefit concert. John was the award’s first recipient, and individual honorees have since included Brandi Carlile and actor Billy Porter. Can’t Cancel Pride has raised over $17 million for LGBTQ+ nonprofits.
The first group of winners in this expanded format are: Chappell Roan, Melissa Etheridge, Jonathan Bailey, Laverne Cox, Billie Jean King, and Orville Peck. Each will be presented with a gold-plated trophy.
“I’ve always believed in the power of storytelling to connect us and challenge us,” Elton John said in a statement. “These conversations bring together the people who have shaped LGBTQ+ culture and fought for dignity at a time when the world too often looked away. Some are friends who stood beside me through the AIDS crisis, others are carrying the torch forward with the new generation. Hearing their stories and reflecting on how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go, is deeply humbling. This is history that cannot be forgotten and these are voices that must be heard.”
In other Elton news, the pop icon participated in Record Store Day 2026 with a limited edition, glow-in-the-dark LP, Elton John – The Remixes LP. The compilation album was personally curated by Elton himself, who has been connected to club culture since his early days at New York’s iconic Studio 54. The LP features five remix tracks appearing on vinyl for the first time: “Cold Heart with Dua Lipa – The Blessed Madonna Extended Mix,” “Hold Me Closer with Britney Spears – Purple Disco Machine Extended Mix,” “Sad – The 2 Bears Remix Edit,” “Cold Heart with Dua Lipa – Claptone Remix,” and “Rocket Man – KDME Remix.”
Browse Elton John’s music on limited edition vinyl and CDs here.