23 Studio albums, 8 Live albums, 13 Compilation albums, 29 EPs, 18 Soundtrack albums, 30 Box sets, 115 Posthumous compilations, and 11 Remix albums. TikToks Favorite Celebrity Couple Is Kim Kardashian and Michael Cera. Harum Scarum (1965) The film was billed as 1001 Swingin Nights and the plot involves Elvis bringing an enchanting princess back to Vegas from the Middle East. Sales of such albums as 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' (2002), 'If I Can Dream' ( 2015 ), 'The Wonder of You' (2016), 'Christmas with the RPO' (2017) and just recently 'Where No One Stands Alone' (2018) all underline my point. Elvis may not have fit in with the revolutionary spirit of 68, but he delivered an enjoyable group of songs: impassioned ballads like Love Letters and It Hurts Me, an energetic rendering of Ray Charless Whatd I Say, and the playful A Mess of Blues.. Bing Crosby's disc sales, were once upon a time, estimated by his record company on the basis of a somewhat quirky analysis of his sheet music sales and those of the Beatles were, for years, inflated on the rather quixotic grounds that the sale of each one of their albums should be considered as equivalent to six singles. (function() { Or it could have been because he had to perform the rest of this familiar mishmash of pseudo-smooth (City by Night), pseudo-rocking (Long Legged Girl), and pseudo-polka (I Love Only One Girl) and release it on the same day as his supreme acolytes the Beatles released Sgt. The contents, sadly, aren't nearly as soul . There is no question that the American share of the global market had been in steady decline for several decades - dating back to the time that some countries as far apart as Brazil and Japan, first began to embrace Western music and culture. Some idea of the scale involved actually emerged through the 1977/8 interim and the final audited record company reports. This endless Beatles v Elvis debate should end. Thats the Way It Is (1970) Elvis was cranking out records in 1970, and this one was a cocktail of Jumpsuit Elvis from his longstanding tenure at the International Hotel in Vegas and some Nashville studio stuff loosely tied to a documentary film. As well as, extended play 45rpm mini-albums and several 45rpm single reissues. That is a complicated question that changes as albums are released and chart. Elvis Golden Records, Volume 2: 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Cant Be Wrong (1959) Colonel Parker got fans stoked for Elviss imminent release from German deployment with this collection of singles he released in 58 and 59 (thankfully, minus a pair of ho-hum tunes from King Creole), and this both rocks and allures, from the quick-change rhythms and doo-wop groans of come-hither I Need Your Love Tonight to pleading ballads like Dont and the verging-on-desperate drama of One Night and I Beg of You.. How many albums did Elvis Presley sell? We could stick around for the rest of this pleasantly pat stuff like the fuzz-funk moralizing of Change of Habit if we accept the platitudinal invitation extended by Have a Happy to let your address be sunshine place.. Back in the eighties, RCA were saying much the same thing. "Christmas with Elvis" reached number 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums and the Billboard Classical Crossover Albums charts. These are albums which were never sold on standard retailers but instead by mail order or at Christian book stores. Elvis Now (1972) Elvis Now wouldve been more accurately titled Elvis Recently, presenting a variety of unrelated recordings from 69-71, many better as hit songs for other artists. The 'parade' footage is good to see as it puts you in the right context with color and b&w footage. From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee (1976). He charms on The Girl of My Best Friend and the saxophone-smothered Like a Baby, and the topical Soldier Boy has a lovely bridge for this officers pipes. 4. We will start by listing each and every release. How much money did Colonel Parker make off Elvis? From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis (1969), 13. This version was issued in 1959 and remained in print until 1969. The title song conjures mysterious Western astrology, and Night Life introduces some of the urbane shine of Viva Las Vegas. Elvis Gold Records, Volume 4 (1968) Not quite a collection of hits from the then-cooling star only (Youre the) Devil in Disguise went top-ten in the U.S. this was the final Gold Records collection issued during his lifetime. [6], FTD (Follow That Dream), Sony Music's Official Elvis Presley Collectors label, was established in 1999 to serve the dedicated Elvis collector and to complement the commercial and artistic level of RCA's retail release schedule by issuing repertoire that is considered of interest to serious Elvis fans and collectors, material that is generally not part of mainstream RCA label releases to the public at large. 25. From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis, Elvis sings The Wonderful World of Christmas, From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee, Im Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You), (Therell Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me), Ill Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms), 11. In Europe alone, virtually all the big Presley hits from 'It's Now or Never' onwards, more than matched US sales and there is a wealth of evidence, including comments made by some of the songwriters concerned, which are available to prove this. Elvis did not sell 1 billion records by 1982, which claim first appeared via an article in the 'Washington Post' dated 12 July of that year and quoted RCA as its source. After going through thousands of releases on Discogs, Biwa and Elvisoncd, I concluded on 341 non-promotional albums that have been sold at some point. This year, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the release of Presleys first record, his widow, Priscilla, and RCA have put together a massive box set presenting the Kings original recording career, pretty much unabridged. No less than a staggering 30 or so major independent labels operating in the mail order sphere, have been involved at one time or, not to mention untold numbers of smaller scale regional enterprises. ** It is true that sales returns for many individual titles particularly between March 1973 and January 1976 and August 1977 and August 1978 are incomplete because of computer problems and changes - but RCA still have an audited record of the overall annual, albeit unallocated figures for that period. Elvis Australia was founded in 1996 www.elvis.com.au was literally born from the concept of wanting to represent 'Elvis in Australia', so www.elvis.com.au Read more. The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. "The Wonder of You" reached number 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums and the Billboard Classical Crossover Albums charts. 13. My original investigations revealed that Elvis was by some distance the greatest record seller of all time and ten years on it is that much easier to make a case for the claim that he has sold over a billion copies of his records. Albums [ edit] Studio albums [ edit] Notes And that opinion was backed by Ernst Jorgensen, who should know if anyone does. Of note are the reissue series, Costello's back catalogue having undergone reissue three times by three different companies. 9. The closing track, Thats Someone You Never Forget, credited to Elvis and his high-school buddy Red West and which may or may not be about the passing of Elviss beloved mother, Gladys, is haunting, though tonally far out of step with the rest of the record. # In several key overseas markets some sales were documented and certified - even as far back as the 1950s. There Aint Nothing Like a Song tries to get you stoked about songcraft by getting you to chew on a tired rock groove with awkward interjections by the films co-star Nancy Sinatra. It kicks off with the lush celeste and pedal steel of the title track, which is a sweet Bing Crosby update, and after the kooky saxophone and clonking sounds of Almost Always True, the island mood remains sustained, complete with frantic ukulele intros. Almost in Love (1970) This budget-price collection of 45s and EP-only tracks, culled mainly from soundtracks, redundantly includes Stay Away, Joe, which was already included on other compilations. G.I. Historical consequence aside, the music is a dynamite convergence of older Sun and newer RCA recordings, which served to feed the growing nationwide Elvis bedlam, and its equally perfect as a showcase for the thrusting dancer of Blue Suede Shoes as it is for the sensitive crooner experimenting in nocturnal melancholy at its hypnotic best on the ethereal Blue Moon and I Love You Because. At the same time, the desperate Ill Never Let You Go (Little Darlin) and Money Honey reveal an essential dangerous-rebel aspect to his appeal. The best musical instrument is a love triangle. Blue Hawaii (1961) The second-most commercially successful LP of the 60s (behind only the soundtrack to West Side Story) is this iconic soundtrack, which comes as close to having a unifying concept as Elvis ever got, Christmas and Christ excepted. And it was during his watch that the 'Washington Post' claim first began to appear on the back of Elvis albums and in press releases. **It appears that immediately the 1973 royalty buyout came into force RCA stopped issuing either Elvis or the Colonel with sales figures, relating to any of his records released before 1/3/1973. In its favor: Return to Sender.. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio. Ten years ago I researched this subject in depth with help from Ernst Jorgensen and through him Sony BMG and compiled a comprehensive report, which was published on this site. Songman and his far-from-actualized Love Song of the Year.. 8. 37. Oh, Loosey! Elvis Golden Records (1958) Historically important and precedent-setting, but even more delectable sonically, its another first for Elvis, and our pleasure organs can be as eternally grateful to this album as they are to the first ice-cream parlor to offer multiple scoops. One more important notice is that reissues arent counted as new releases, instead they are added to original albums. 15. If you do the math, thats 341 minus 101 equals 240 albums completely unaccounted for under Presleys RIAA tally. However no Elvis singles have been released in years. Its fun to hear the swaggering ebb and flow of the full Elvis package of this era captured on tape, unlike the smaller samples offered by previous live albums, though its never as raw and nervously idiosyncratic as his vaunted NBC-aired comeback special of 1968. Over the course of Elvis' life, he achieved some of the highest accolades in music and film. 24. This album was the painful result, a mix of new ones like the ultra-sexist What Every Woman Lives For and Petunia, the Gardeners Daughter, and traditional songs with an ersatz Dixieland flavor for this movies story of a 19th-century riverboat gambler. The vinyl version of the complete show went No. In the United States, Led Zeppelin has sold over 111 million albums. How many records has Elvis Presley? The outlets simply sent in awards for their biggest Elvis hit album by way of a gold or platinum disc. The original 1969-70 charted success (12 on Billboard),found BOTH LPS charting (lower-as ELVIS IN PERSON (BILLBOARD 183) CHARTMASTERS (1,025,000) & BACK IN MEMPHIS (BILLBOARD 80) CHARTMASTERS (175,000) ,in the last half of 1970-as REISSUED LP PRODUCT. If you subtract 260 million from 500-600 million, that suggests Elvis Presley has sold anywhere from 240 to 360 million records after he was dead. This is a moving document (and deconstruction) of Elviss unique embodiment of r&b, gospel, country, and rock and roll. RCA permitted a large number of them through various licensing deals from the 70s to the 00s. + $25.35 shipping. Another frustration is the absence of information about non-traditional releases. Elvis released his first album in 1956, and continued to put out records until his death in 1977. Of course, we already saw that assuming 250,000 sales on average for each mid-way to Gold is not an accurate method. Hurt is the open wound that gets this off to an epically melodramatic start and, at its best, ragged interpretations of songs like Danny Boy and Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain keep the album compellingly bottomed-out. To add some complexity, releases arent automatic on them, some albums were issued at BMG Music Club, others at Columbia House, some at both and some at none. Girls! A sense of purpose permeates the whole album, and not just the one explicit protest song, In the Ghetto.. According to Elvis records, more than one billion records have been sold around the world, making him the most popular artist ever. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us. ( A Billion is 1 Thousand Million). Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite (1973) On the same day as Super Bowl VII, Elvis attempted to outdo that extravaganza with his own super magic for the tube, as he put it, donning an American Eagle jumpsuit to appear in the most expensive televised live special thus far, broadcast to over a billion people worldwide. 2. The title track on Moody Blue is a would-be camp classic from Mark James, who also wrote Suspicious Minds, and the live half has a couple of enjoyably bouncy countrified versions of Olivia Newton-John hits in If You Love Me (Let Me Know) and Let Me Be There, as well as a goofy take on the doo-wop classic Little Darlin. Of the final studio cuts from October 76, Way Down is an up, and Pledging My Love is a strong-enough musical declaration. " Love Me Tender" Release date: Aug. 3. Perhaps, not surprisingly, the last album released during his lifetime, 'Moody Blue', was by 1982 thought to be one of the King's top sellers - with global sales put at more than 14 million copies. 56. The titles included a HOST of mid-sixties soundtrack albums and mid-seventies singles, which even today, have failed to achieve domestic ie US certification. Music industry One step closer to being accurate. Elvis Presley was included in the History Channel's 10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America video, and I believe that his effect on race relations and popular . It adds up to an enjoyable mix of traditional classics (O Come, All Ye Faithful helped by the addition of a heavy bass line and funky drums), good new Christmas songs (the soulful Ill Be Home on Christmas Day), and newer songs like the stripped-down, randy Merry Christmas Baby. The holiday spirit gave Elvis a rare and welcome unifying concept to work with even though this album was recorded in May. The Elvis Presley: The Searcher (The Original Soundtrack) deluxe 3CD set includes a 40-page hardcover book featuring rare photography, liner notes by Warren Zanes, and a director's note by Thom Zimny. 29. That can only mean that the majority of these sales had been accrued from foreign parts. LIVE. Unless, that is, you thought the originals lacked gloopy string arrangements. Before and during the holiday season after Presley's death in August 1977, the Pickwick LP was advertised and sold on television via mail order to enormous sales . Makes you blink a bit to think of that. How many albums has Elvis sold since he died? 2023 Vox Media, LLC. There's no question that Beatles music sells. This is the first reissue and repackaging of the twelve tracks from Elvis' Christmas Album (RCA Victor LOC-1035, above). Led Zeppelin IV, one of only three studio albums to sell more than . Roustabout (1964) Elviss slickster manager, a former carny who dubbed himself Colonel Tom Parker (formerly Dutch immigrant Andrea van Kuijk), got a picture made for his star which took place in Parkers old milieu, with Elvis playing the title fairground worker who could sing mellifluously while performing motorcycle stunts. This is the third album recovered from the epic 1970 sessions that produced the competent light-country of Thats the Way It Is and Elvis Country its also the rejects. Once we will be up there, having a clear view of the full list of albums that were scanned, we will dispatch appropriately the career total of Presley into every release with the help of various known data. This may do if you want more of what Blue Hawaii had pedal steel, tropical content but with a quarter of the charm. " Hound Dog" Release date: July 1, 1956. He had commercial success with songs in the pop, country, r&b, ac, and gospel genres, among others. For example little Denmark purchased an incredible 150,000 copies of a 1968 release entitled 'A Portrait in Music'; whilst in 1974 the double album '40 Greatest Hits' shattered every known speed sales record previously set in the UK. Elvis's session at Sun from 1954-1955 we're never released as an album during the 1950's or 60's. The songs did appear, a few at a time, on Elvis Presley (1956), For LP Fans Only (1959) and A Date With Elvis (1959). While it was already an enormous task, that was only one part of the picture. I Got a Feelin in My Body is especially okay church-revival funk, and lots of swelling gospel-group vocals and string arrangements get busy throughout this Stax Studiorecorded batch. Why was the 1982 claim ever made? You\'ll receive the next newsletter in your inbox. Hes dangerous, hes terrifying, hes an extra in, How to Watch the 2023 Oscars Celebrate All 23 Categories Live Again. Elvis Presley's UK sales are now well in excess of 50 million and therefore past the total achieved globally in 1959. Sumners lower-than-the-lowest-piano-note bass vocal leading off Why Me Lord? followed by a sensational How Great Thou Art. The album starts off strong with a dynamic I Got a Woman and a belted-out reworking of the Sun-era sex quest Tryin to Get to You, then closes with another pair of galloping 50s classics and the familiar Blue Hawaii charmer Cant Help Falling in Love. Its no comeback special, but this is still some choice live Elvis. Double Trouble (1967) Advertised as an adventure filled with dames, diamonds, discotheques, and danger, this movie featured a soundtrack for which the recording sessions once again got Elvis so mad that he stormed out of the studio. Each song nonsensically ends with a tiny snippet of the title theme song, sung from the perspective of an all-knowing, ever-present Neolithic being who hung out with Moses, giving the record a vaguely conceptual feeling, but sounding like an error every time. Learn how your comment data is processed. 57. Despite his undeniable talents, Elvis was a wildly uneven recording artist. 1 albums ('56-'59). Elvis for Everyone! Although these figures should be treated with a certain degree of caution, it was only when Elvis died that things appeared to really go awry. Spinout could be the best soundtrack Elvis put out around this time, but thats not saying a lot, and it still has oodles of eminently skippable stuff, like the sex-is-food equation Smorgasbord.. Elvis' Christmas Album (also reissued as It's Christmas Time) is the third studio album and first Christmas album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley on RCA Victor, . Elvis sings The Wonderful World of Christmas (1971), It Wont Seem Like Christmas (Without You), Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread), 19. The sole non-soundtrack inclusion here, a song Elvis wrote with a pair of buddies called Youll Be Gone, has melodramatic Spanish flavor leading to an operatic crescendo a trick Elvis had mastered and deployed repeatedly by the mid-60s. The music of Elvis Presley simply transcended language barriers in a way no other singer could do. However a trawl through these awards at least gives one a clear indication of where Elvis' main sales lie. Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix have broken up after he allegedly cheated on her with Raquel Leviss. Like that earlier collection, the tone is mostly light but in this case, often grating: Yoga Is As Yoga Does gets Elvis tied up in an embarrassing knot, and The Love Machine awkwardly feeds Elvis through a fortune-telling scenario. Well it seems that around five years after Elvis died, a former Radio Luxembourg DJ, by the name of Don Wardell, took over from Joan Deary as the product manager in charge of the Elvis catalogue at RCA. Rider that became the Elvis Shows frequent intro music, after which Elvis gurgles water into his mic, admits to being lost onstage, and indulges his love of sob stories on Release Me and new hit The Wonder of You..