54. 45. 0000001) was sold for $790,000 in December 2015, according to . Over the last decade the media have put pressure on the record companies to provide more details of their various claims, with the result that some of them have been revised, only to be replaced by statistics that do not differentiate as between actual physical sales and downloads. 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. Remembering Elvis with his 10 most popular hits 1. 'A Little Less Conversation' (2002), 'Rubberneckin' (2003) etc. CSPC: Wham! In fact whilst a fifties classic such as 'Hound Dog' may well have initially sold twice as many copies in the States, as it did elsewhere - which as only the Americans had developed a consumer based society by that stage, should hardly come as a surprise - it is plain from what we do know that subsequently anything up to 70% of the sales of later singles were sold overseas. That can only mean that the majority of these sales had been accrued from foreign parts. Elvis (1973) This ones known as The Fool Album among Elvis cognoscenti, because a superior record called Elvis had already come out in 56 and also because this leads off with the self-flagellating Fool. (Elvis calls himself a fool again on the next song, and not a wise man on the third.) How Great Thou Art (1967) Elvis liked to sing gospel as a means of relaxation between other nagging showbiz responsibilities, and How Great Thou Art was his second album of songs dedicated to, as one track here puts it, Somebody Bigger Than You and I. Finally, the singer got to perform music he cared about after years of churning out prefab soundtracks, and the results are more diverse and satisfying than his first gospel record, His Hand in Mine. 2. The received wisdom regarding his albums which prizes theSun Sessions(which, had this ranking included compilation albums featuring no new or previously unreleased material, wouldve been a strong contender for the top-spot), Elviss first records for RCA, and his 68 comeback recordings overlooks some worthy stuff within the often indistinguishable heap making up the rest of his corpus. After Dax Shepard asked her about her musical chairs relationship situation. Weve got romance, breakups, emotionally loaded dumplings this episode has a little bit of everything! Total USA share of market 33.7% (Note: it is probably down to 25% now)Rest of the World 66.3%. "Where No One Stands Alone" reached number 1 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums and the Billboard Vinyl Albums charts. Songman and his far-from-actualized Love Song of the Year.. Elvis Presley: The Searcher (The Original Soundtrack) is available for pre-order now: CD: https://Elvis.lnk.to/TheSearcher_StandardPR/amazon Elvis Golden Records Volume 3 (1963) The Colonel got it right when he convinced Elvis to resurrect the Neapolitan ballad O Sole Mio as Its Now or Never for his biggest-ever international single, perfectly opening his larynx on the Caruso-channeling chorus, and hes equally but much more tenderly seductive on the soft-sung and partially spoken Are You Lonesome Tonight? This compilation shows how Elviss early 60s singles consistently fried the schmaltz just right. Can Anyone Predict Whos Going to Win Best Supporting Actress? Recording Industry Association of America, From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis, Elvis by Request: Flaming Star and 3 Other Great Songs, The Complete '68 Comeback Special 40th Anniversary Edition, '68 Comeback Special 50th Anniversary Edition, Elvis Presley: The Searcher (The Original Soundtrack), Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas, From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee, "40 years ago America was shocked by the death of Elvis Presley", "40 years ago America shocked by death of Elvis", "What Are the Top-Selling Christmas Albums of All Time? On Stage opens with the zippy take on blues standard C.C. **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. The Elvis cash machine is spinning while his record company, Sony , says that his U.S. album sales alone have now exceeded 146.5 million. 2. Good Times (1974) Okay times. How many records did Elvis put out? It would seem that the growth of sales in overseas markets - reflected in the success of such records as 'It's Now or Never' - generally began to take off around about the time Elvis was demobbed from the army in 1960. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 19. Elvis does his best Sinatra imitation on the crooning title track, U.S. 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. This is also the home of Diddley-beat-plus-bongos kitsch master class Do the Clam., 48. According to Elvis records, more than one billion records have been sold around the world, making him the most popular artist ever. "Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis" reached number 1 on the Cash Box Country Albums chart. After he visited Graceland recently Paul was interviewed about his experience and he was quoted as saying' I used to think that it was us (the Beatles) who sold the most records, but I have seen the evidence for myself and there is no doubt it is Elvis'. Elvis As Recorded at Madison Square Garden (1972) Taken from one show during his only set of New York concert appearances (hed performed on TV in the city during the 50s), then released in a hurry, this transports Elviss early-70s Vegas show to a much bigger venue, with enormous orchestral flourishes (accompanied by a backing band of New York jazzers), and the usual mix of Elvis-identified songs and songs that were hits for others like Three Dog Night and the Righteous Brothers. The recent international sales of 'Where No One Stands Alone' may be the first gospel album to suggest that this may no longer be the case. Your email address will not be published. 22. 10. Of note are the reissue series, Costello's back catalogue having undergone reissue three times by three different companies. Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis (1974) At this point, Elvis hadnt played his hometown in 13 years, so why not make a major commercial enterprise of the last show of a big tour? - Sorting Out Records . There are a number of other points to be made at this juncture namely: Certification of record sales requires documentation not of any actual sales sheets, but of the shipping invoices sent to the distributor and the returns of unsold discs made to the supplier. Although the songs are mainly two or three minutes long, they feel like theyre taking their time without ever lagging, and the straight country material like Im Movin On benefits from elaborately funky interjections. Required fields are marked *. 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 Wonder of You" reached number 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums and the Billboard Classical Crossover Albums charts. Elvis has sold more albums then any other singer or group in the history of music. Why was the 1982 claim ever made? The string of soundtracks he released in the 60s (largely at the behest of his exploitative manager Colonel Tom Parker) give the termformulaicas bulletproof a definition as anything in algebra, and consist of his shoddiest material. 20. Elvis Presley was one of the most popular musicians of the 20th century. On Stage (1970) Elviss second live album is mostly compiled from a few Vegas dates, collecting versions of hit songs associated with other people, like Neil Diamonds Sweet Caroline and Creedence Clearwater Revivals Proud Mary, and its fine though why not listen to Neil Diamond or CCR or the Beatles or Del Shannon or the Everly Brothers if you want to hear these songs? "Wonderful World of Christmas" reached number 13 on the Billboard Country Albums chart in 1978. He started to grow as a popular artist, and began to change both race relations and popular teen culture. ** 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. It Happened at the Worlds Fair (1963) The soundtrack to Elviss expensive Space Needle romp begins with a bland song about going into the unknown (Beyond the Bend) followed by a remake of Fever called Relax, which advises listeners to defrost, and is set to slimy finger-snapping. So whether RCA simply looked at the total sales figures up to that point, current sales, or probably both, the conclusions reached may have been the same. That is a complicated question that changes as albums are released and chart. A huge frustration for people interested into Presleys US album sales is the lack of Soundscan data. Loving You (1957) The mainly zippy soundtrack to Elviss first starring role (including a whole side of recent non-soundtrack cuts) transforms Elviss singing delivery man into something nicely cuddly on the albums best known and biggest hit, (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear, with a mean woman getting him good and hot on the scorching opener Mean Woman Blues. The loping drama of the Western number Lonesome Cowboy is a highlight, and theres a solid take on Blueberry Hill and a couple of sweet Cole Porter and Ivory Joe Hunter ballads. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. [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. [4] Elvis' Christmas Album remains the biggest selling holiday album of all time, selling over 20 million copies worldwide. RCA permitted a large number of them through various licensing deals from the 70s to the 00s. The music of Elvis Presley simply transcended language barriers in a way no other singer could do. 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. Elvis plays an Army man meeting his lookalike cousin and a couple of sexy relatives for the first time in rural Tennessee, set to discomfiting songs about polygamy (One Boy, Two Little Girls) and smooching technique. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Musically, its a terrific mix of newer recordings like the chastising but flippant (Youre So Square) Baby I Dont Care and Sun tracks like Blue Moon of Kentucky (his other classic lamentation over a blue moon), and it showcases his enthusiastic inner-boy on Good Rockin Tonight and the delightfully cheery (but also menacing) entreaty Baby Lets Play House. I Forgot to Remember to Forget is another reminder that Elvis could be just as effectively sexy when silly. Girl Happy(1965) Elvis was so embarrassed by most of this soundtrack to his spring-break fantasy flick that he asked for his vocals to be lower in the mix on the exuberant title track. The Rolling Stones have sold 66.6 million albums in the United States, while the Jimi Hendrix and Backstreet Boys have each sold 66,500 albums. ", "American certifications Presley, Elvis", "Canadian album certifications Elvis Presley", "British album certifications Elvis Presley", "French album certifications Presley, Elvis", "Elvis Presley Chart History: Billboard 200", "Elvis Presley Chart History: Top Country Albums", "ARIA Charts Accreditations 2008 Albums", Australian Recording Industry Association, "ARIA Charts Accreditations 1999 Albums", "ARIA Charts Accreditations 2002 Albums", "ARIA Charts Accreditations 2018 Albums", "Elvis Presley's Groundbreaking '68 NBC-TV Comeback Special Celebrated with Definitive 50th Anniversary Box Set Release", "Elvis Presley's Pivotal Year of 1969 Celebrated with 50th Anniversary Box Set at the International Hotel in Las Vegas: Live 1969, Available Physically & Digitally August 9th", "RCA/Legacy Recordings Celebrating 50th Anniversary of Elvis Presley's Legendary 1970 Studio B Marathon Sessions with the "Nashville Cats", "Kent Music Report No 453 28 February 1983 > Platinum Albums 1982 (Continued)", "ARIA Charts Accreditations 1996 Albums", "Chart Log UK* Rodney P. The Pussycat Dolls", "ARIA Charts Accreditations 2022 Albums", "ARIA Charts Accreditations 2001 Albums", "ARIA Charts Accreditations 2003 Albums", "ARIA Charts Accreditations 2006 Albums", "Chart Log UK* New Entries Update 29.06.2013 (wk25)", "Star-Studded Music Video For "If I Can Dream" by Elvis Presley, Post Malone, Shawn Mendes, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, and Carrie Underwood Premieres Today on Apple Music", "ARIA Charts Accreditations 2016 Albums", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elvis_Presley_albums_discography&oldid=1142836866. How Many Albums Did Elvis Sell. Elvis Presley Discography: Check Out The List of Elvis Presley Albums in Order of Release Here! + $35.13 shipping. Mahalo from Elvis" album Side 1 had previously unissued tracks recorded in Honolulu on January 14, 1973, for inclusion in the U.S.-version of the live concert TV special Aloha from Hawaii, side 2 were previously issued recordings from various movie soundtracks. If your fantasies involve tropical adventure with a handsome tour guide this lonesome beach boy there is no better album. 500,000,000. Since no global certification process common to all artists exists, that is all that can be done anyway, whoever we are talking about. "It got to the point where I was driving in my car, and I thought: I just want to know if Stevie Nicks and Lindsey . For everyone else, things get dicier. Elvis wasn't just the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Hes dangerous, hes terrifying, hes an extra in, How to Watch the 2023 Oscars Celebrate All 23 Categories Live Again. In this scattered context of cutting-room scraps, even the most ridiculous stuff like Shes a Machine and Do the Vega contributes to an entertainingly cubist rendering of the King. Girls! Time-Life, alone, was responsible for some 20 extensively promoted national releases, all of which sold heavily. That figure is just part of the more than a billion. Makes you blink a bit to think of that. You might expect English speaking countries to predominate, and to some extent they do, but what is surprising is his popularity in for example South America and South East Asia. Given the technology of the day, EP's were simply easier to handle and also less costly. From Memphis to Vegas/From Vegas to Memphis (1969) This could have been more understandably named From Nothing to Something, considering the full renovation of Elvis in the period following his 1968 comeback. 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. From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee (1976). Spinout (1966) The older rock-and-roll tune Stop, Look and Listen that kicks off another Elvis race-car musical brings some heat that his last few soundtracks lacked, followed by an energetic but misogynistic song called Adam and Evil and a couple silken ballads like the self-doubting Am I Ready? that go down easy enough. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Cant Help Falling in Love is the obvious peak, and even the silly calypso moment Ito Eats wiggles into its place. The evidence is there - just not broken down to enable certification by individual title, correctly required under the RIAA rules. 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, . 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. [1][2] Billboard ranks Presley as the 13th Greatest Artist of all Time. Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix have broken up after he allegedly cheated on her with Raquel Leviss. Further Sony/RCA have released more than 250 uncertified albums in the USA alone (including Record Club only issues) over the years, some of which may only have sold as little as 50,000 copies apiece but they all add up. Elvis for Everyone! It is estimated that more than one billion Elvis records have been sold worldwide, more than anyone in record industry history. 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.