how many albums did elvis sell

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. Required fields are marked *. Girls! He Touched Me (1972) Elviss final gospel record is his most contemporary-sounding and diversely arranged group of devotional songs, with fewer lulls than its predecessors and beautifully calibrated vocals: tender and sweet when beseeching the Lord, massive once they have his attention. The title track tries to explain how to get your best girl excited on the drag strip and, despite the occasional genuine revving sound, never fully turns over. 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. Aretha Franklin's album "Amazing Grace" sold more than two million copies, becoming the . 43. Copyright 2022 by www.elvis.com.au & www.elvispresley.com.au, https://www.elvis.com.au/presley/one-billion-record-sales.shtml. Elvis recorded his second gospel album, also titled "How Great Thou Art," over four days in 1966. . The band brings a bigger ruckus here than on Elviss previous gospel outings, matching the levitating purport of songs like Ive Got Confidence to a fierce instrumental attack, and the backing singers sound possessed when counting down angels against the lockstep groove of I, John., 16. Its padded out with a few decent newer recordings that Elvis actually chose to sing, like Jerry Reeds funky Guitar Man and Eddy Arnolds classic of misunderstanding You Dont Know Me.. That will never change.Right from the start of my original research, it became evident that RCA's assertion that Elvis' US sales accounted for about 60% of the total, were simply not borne out by the market evidence past or present. The obvious killer is Elviss beautiful cover of Bob Dylans despondent Tomorrow Is a Long Time, left over from an unrelated gospel session. Given the technology of the day, EP's were simply easier to handle and also less costly. 22. All Rights Reserved. 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. Elvis Is Back With New Money Maker As U.S. This endless Beatles v Elvis debate should end. You could get dangerously lost in the Kings Spanish Eyes, if you favor the European Romantic quadrant of his repertoire. If you include the soundtrack albums, Elvis had about 45 studio albums. Unless, that is, you thought the originals lacked gloopy string arrangements. " Teddy Bear" 5. Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix have broken up after he allegedly cheated on her with Raquel Leviss. Is Elvis the Biggest Selling Recording Artist? * The RIAA only certify sales which reach defined levels and, therefore, sales below their radar screen and between one level and the next level - don't count in their statistics. "Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis" reached number 1 on the Cash Box Country Albums chart. is a little all over the place (as expected from any mid-60s Elvis record), featuring an unembittered version of Hank Williamss Your Cheatin Heart, a spirited take on Chuck Berrys Memphis, Tennessee, and some tender ballads like In My Way, For the Millionth and the Last Time, and the movingly rough Forget Me Never.. Elvis (1956) Elvis is great, if not as strong as Elvis Presley from half a year earlier. Another frustration is the absence of information about non-traditional releases. His album chart positions continue to emphasize that. [1][2] Billboard ranks Presley as the 13th Greatest Artist of all Time. So, I am going to copy/paste an answer for someone who may want a sincere reply because - I'm not sure they really know! In the case of Elvis other indicators include: # Those singles which were NEVER released in the States, but were huge hits in a wide range of countries overseas, including, amongst others, 'A Mess of Blues' (1960), 'Wooden Heart' (1961), 'I Just Can't Help Believing' (1971) and 'The Girl of My Best Friend' (1976). On Scratch My Back, Elvis coaxes his lover to get rid of our itch together, and Queenie Wahines Papaya turns the soothing fruit into an aggravating tongue-twister. Elvis Presley Career Statistics Data Total number of certified albums sold by Elvis Presley worldwide 206,800,000 Total amount Elvis earned during his career $1,050,000,000 Amount Elvis was paid per week . 23. But whatever doubts I had about my conclusions have all but vanished with the passage of time. How many Elvis Presley albums have been sold? The rapid increase in demand for Presley product in the lucrative South East Asia, during the early seventies, was the main driving force behind the sponsorship of the initial live telecast of the 'Aloha' special in 1973. 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. The title song conjures mysterious Western astrology, and Night Life introduces some of the urbane shine of Viva Las Vegas. Of course, we already saw that assuming 250,000 sales on average for each mid-way to Gold is not an accurate method. Elvis Presley's songs are unforgettable - they have stood the test of time, especially his singles of the 1950s, a decade in which he had a song at No. He previously suffered a brain aneurysm on February 18, and was ultimately taken off life support. 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? Somebody else in the old RCA backroom may have initially dreamt up the figures, but it was Don Wardell who publicised them and thus must bear the responsibility. 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. It was pretty much the same with 'Don't Cry Daddy'. Terms of Service apply. Elvis has sold a billion records. (1965) After several so-so soundtrack albums in a row, Elvis returns to non-movie-related music, mostly, with a strong album released in celebration of the artists ten years with RCA. Oh, Loosey! 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). how many records did elvis sell worldwide. As a reminder, Soundscan is the process which scans every sale at retailers since the start of 1991. In 1959 RCA put total sales at 50 million; in 1960/1 75 million; in 1964/5- 125 million; in 1970 - 250 million, in 1976 - 400 million and at death a bit over 450 million, which the media rounded up to 500 million. Frankie and Johnny (1966) Elvis was so fed up with the soundtrack recording process at this point in his career that he threw a tantrum in the studio and had to record his vocals separately from the musicians. Its another group of castoffs from the studio, plus an endearingly schlocky one from a performance at the Las Vegas Hilton, rendered into another one of his vaguely conceptual wholes by the unwise crooners sense of desperation and self-contempt, at its most moving when Elvis is seated at the piano for a few songs, like on Ivory Joe Hunters gorgeously understated Its Still Here., 32. 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. 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. Half material from a few Vegas hotel dates and half studio record, Elviss first two-LP set shuffles us around the country to capture his first performances for a general audience, not designed for TV since 1961, and some of the soulful cuts left over from the great From Elvis in Memphis sessions. However a trawl through these awards at least gives one a clear indication of where Elvis' main sales lie. Elvis Presley sold an estimated 1.6 billion albums in his lifetime. 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 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. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio. The exception to the picture I have painted is Elvis' gospel music, which for many decades has found particular favour with the strong Christian movement in the States. Elvis Presley's UK sales are now well in excess of 50 million and therefore past the total achieved globally in 1959. 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. Elvis has sold over 2.5 Billion Records Worldwide. 20. 700 songs. 57. A sense of purpose permeates the whole album, and not just the one explicit protest song, In the Ghetto.. 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. RCA/Sony did once try to get their overseas outlets to send in their sales stats, but this request was misconstrued. Albums in order.com 2023. Guinness World Records names Elvis Presley the best-selling solo artist of all time for having sold over 500 million records worldwide. 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. He started to grow as a popular artist, and began to change both race relations and popular teen culture. 53. An LP had to sell $2,000,000 at the wholesale price (1975 LPs increased to $5.98 and $6.98) AND a minimumRead more . Back in the eighties, RCA were saying much the same thing. (1962) Poor Elvis doesnt get to finish his sandwich because, as he tells us on the title track, hes too busy desiring something small and sassy, which might make for a realistic glimpse of his inner state, but not quite a recording for all-time, and neither is this soundtrack to Elviss second Hawaiian flick. 1 albums ('56-'59). 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. This is also the home of Diddley-beat-plus-bongos kitsch master class Do the Clam., 48. Theres also blues, gospel, and gypsy music at their cheesiest. Pot Luck With Elvis (1962) Given the album title, this is predictably uneven. The standout ballad Tender Feeling wasnt in the film, but got tossed in here as a pot sweetener. Speedway (1968) During the Summer of Love, Elvis was recording these iffy songs for his third onscreen appearance as a race-car driver, and it became his lowest seller yet it was also the last time he would release a full soundtrack album. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. So what happened? To some extent, as I have said before, this continues to be a work in progress, but the likelihood of more information on the question of international sales outside the USA emerging after all these years are remote. **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. 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. 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. Lets Be Friends (1970) Another budget-price compilation off-loading unused soundtrack material and a couple new ones. 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. Elvis Country (Im 10,000 Years Old) (1971), 15. # In 1987 RCA gave Graceland a somewhat baffling award which listed no less than 48 million selling titles, that for the most part had not gained due recognition for past sales. This may have (even) confused Whitburns Billboard 200?This LP was also a huge C&W charted item, as a double entity. Each record had about 12 songs on it, so that's roughly 550 songs just off of his full-length studio . In the studio, he makes the most of Percy Mayfields alienation on Stranger in My Own Home Town and a soft wet kiss from Neil Diamond on And the Grass Wont Pay No Mind. The live set is more fiery, starting with breakneck versions of classics like Johnny B. Goode and Blue Suede Shoes interspersed with the Kings laughter and self-mocking banter: He calls himself bigger now (size-wise). It is, after all, over 40 years since he died. Remembering Elvis with his 10 most popular hits 1. . The outlets simply sent in awards for their biggest Elvis hit album by way of a gold or platinum disc. On the eccentric Im Yours, we have the rare experience of hearing Elvis close-harmonizing with himself over some weirdly isolated organ, providing a nicely unsettling hall-of-mirrors effect. And who you can expect to see performing and presenting. 26. Led Zeppelin IV, one of only three studio albums to sell more than . 51. 55. It seems that pretty well everybody in the business used to exaggerate the achievements of their clients if only because everyone else was doing the same. In 1956, the famous singer known as Elvis Presley released his first album. The albums discography of Elvis Presley began in 1956 with the release of his self-titled debut album, Elvis Presley . Album Certifications Total 146.5 Million. More recent and better-documented data adds even more grist to the mill and demonstrates that the picture with Presley records was and is indeed very much in keeping with market trends. This is the first reissue and repackaging of the twelve tracks from Elvis' Christmas Album (RCA Victor LOC-1035, above). That is 33% of $3.98 (1956-1970, 1970-1974 an LP was $4.98). On Blue Christmas we even get to hear what sounds like audience orgasms and insinuating band-issued instructions to play it dirty. The whole thing is casual and comfortably uncomfortable, vulnerable and confident: Lawdy Miss Clawdy breaks down into some choice ad libs about the singers lip and gets back up as Hound Dog and Heartbreak Hotel; Elviss on-the-spot rewrites and chuckles during Love Me Tender endear. 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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. That's about as many records as Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin have sold during their entire existence! [4] Elvis' Christmas Album remains the biggest selling holiday album of all time, selling over 20 million copies worldwide. As for singles thanks to the songwriters we know how the sales split in some cases - for example in 1969/70 when 'The Wonder of You' sold exactly 995,000 copies in the USA and some 2,200,000 overseas. Minimum. He said his surgery was a success, but he needs time to heal before he can tour again. Of course, we already saw that assuming 250,000 sales on average for each - mid-way to Gold - is not an accurate method. ** In addition after the 1973 buyout and right up to the present day, literally dozens and dozens of heavily promoted Elvis compilations were released through other outlets, under special license. After Dax Shepard asked her about her musical chairs relationship situation. "Wonderful World of Christmas" reached number 1 on the Billboard Christmas Albums chart in 1972 and 1973. TikToks Favorite Celebrity Couple Is Kim Kardashian and Michael Cera. Elvis doesnt quite convince you to rock out with the explicit dance instructions on the title track (clap your hands real loud and turn your head to the left) but it starts the album off with vim, which is followed by Elviss pleasant request for heavenly kisses on Angel. The rocker Easy Come, Easy Go comes and goes easily, as does this whole album, which sustains a light tone, unlike the laborious country-oriented material on Elviss other LPs from this period. King Creole (1958) Elviss favorite movie role was as the new star of the King Creole nightclub, and the accompanying soundtrack album was also something strong. Jason Statham and Aubrey Plaza do not seem like a match made in action-comedy-chemistry heaven, but it somehow works. However no Elvis singles have been released in years. "Where No One Stands Alone" reached number 1 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums and the Billboard Vinyl Albums charts. This article will answer basically all these issues. 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. 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. There is no easy way to know for sure without buying all of this albums, but it's around 710. Jul 22, 2022 - Elvis Presley made 23 traditional albums. For LP Fans Only (1959) A thoroughly enjoyable mixture of early RCA singles plus a couple of his first Sun singles newly issued on LP, this was designed to keep Elvis fans satiated with new product during his Army stint, and Elvis had terrific stuff in his back pocket. The ballads also fail to ignite, making the record a bit of a slog. A German-inspired release entitled 'Elvis Forever' and its successors swept Europe around 1975/6 and did exactly the same. 600 million albums. A busier and often boisterous second half introduces elaborate group vocals, guitars, soul-summoning claps, snaps, cymbals, and saxes, with Elviss arrangement of Run On a lean and tough version of that sinners warning. Im Comin Home attempts a rock-and-roll revival at the top of the B side and just about achieves it. "Christmas with Elvis" reached number 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums and the Billboard Classical Crossover Albums charts. And the picture is truly global. However, Elvis did sell more records than Michael, although, it's fair to say he released more albums, and his albums have been around for much longer than Michael's. Elvis has sold well over a billion records, or almost two billion records perhaps more than The Beatles! *Sorry, there was a problem signing you up. 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. 21. The concert material is mainly of the showy countrypolitan variety, smooth but less exciting than his earlier live albums. The hit Kiss Me Quick is a sly and sleazy keeper, and only the operatic ending of I Feel That Ive Known You Forever brings us closer to laughter than romance. ELVIS PRESLEY Vinyl LP LOT 50+ Album Collection Many Sealed VG~NM Condition. 24. 34. This time around, he plays explicitly with his suave military image with the hi-hello-Im-a-soldier-Elvis-doll cover shot and gatefold image of a calendar marked with the precise date of his U.S. return. From Elvis In Memphis (1969) Fresh off the success of his 68 comeback special, a reanimated Elvis recorded this album many fans favorite at a studio hed never before used, American Sound, getting its talented southern soul-style house band the Memphis Boys to back him rather than the usual gang. Whereas Elvis' claim to musical prowess was based on the magnificent instrument that was his voice allied to the sheer scale of his vision and his extraordinary interpretative powers, that of the Beatles rests on their superb songwriting skills, craftsmanship and inventiveness. 46. 47. Can Anyone Predict Whos Going to Win Best Supporting Actress? 38. 52. 19. 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. (1960) His first record made after returning to Tennessee from Germany is a solid recapitulation of his late-50s prime. Hes dangerous, hes terrifying, hes an extra in, How to Watch the 2023 Oscars Celebrate All 23 Categories Live Again. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. 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. This is a moving document (and deconstruction) of Elviss unique embodiment of r&b, gospel, country, and rock and roll. " Love Me Tender" Release date: Aug. 3. Time-Life, alone, was responsible for some 20 extensively promoted national releases, all of which sold heavily. Opening hootenanny Stay Away, Joe has a strong stay away, listener subtext, but the next song, the soulful ballad If Im a Fool (for Loving You) draws us back in. It could have been because he was expected to sing about Old MacDonald having a farm and going E-I-E-I-O, with the addition of embarrassing new lyrics about chicken fricassee, pork and beans, and burgers. [3] Harem Holiday speculates about Romeo (Elvis) abandoning his Juliet (whichever current flame) for some action, My Desert Serenade attempts to make a brand-new world appear with arabesque flute and oboe, and the rest is equally ridiculous. up to 1974 a GOLD LP is when sales reached $1 million of the wholesale price. Elvis sings The Wonderful World of Christmas (1971), It Wont Seem Like Christmas (Without You), Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread), 19. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 'A Little Less Conversation' (2002), 'Rubberneckin' (2003) etc. "Good Times" reached number 1 on the Cash Box Country Albums chart. How can you sensibly compare a group of people to one especially when their music is as different as chalk and cheese? It takes you to another world just not the one it was going for. Tighter and more pleasurable than the previous bombastic New York and Hawaii live albums, this excises a lot of flab (while, this being an Elvis album, retaining some) and adds gospel grit via J.D.

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how many albums did elvis sell