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🇺🇸 United States · 1960–1977

Elvis Presley

When one approaches the music of Elvis Presley, the first thing that stands out is that raw energy and a way of performing that broke molds. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, when he was 13 years old. There, in 1954, he began his musical journey at Sun Records. Producer Sam Phillips was looking to bring the sound of African-American music to a wider audience, and he found in Elvis a perfect voice and presence for that mission. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Elvis was one of the pioneers of *rockabilly*, that fast-paced rhythm that fused *country* with *rhythm and blues*. In 1955, drummer D. J. Fontana joined to complete the quartet that would define his initial sound.

The year 1956 was a turning point. RCA Victor acquired his contract, a move orchestrated by Colonel Tom Parker, who would represent him for the rest of his career. The first single for this label, Heartbreak Hotel, released in January, became a resounding success, reaching the top of the charts. In the span of a year, RCA Victor sold ten million Elvis singles. His television appearances and his chart-topping records catapulted him as the central figure of the emerging *rock and roll*. However, his performance style, charged with a sensuality that made some uncomfortable, and his ability to give visibility to sounds associated with African Americans, generated both admiration and controversy. That same year, in November, he made his film debut with the movie Love Me Tender.

blue-eyed soul Blues christmas music Country gospel 1930s

2 Albums

30 Songs

4,6M Listeners/mo

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Essential songs

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Hound Dog

2:17 02

Cant Help Falling in Love

3:01 03

Blue Suede Shoes

Elvis Presley · 1956

2:01 04

I’m Counting on You

Elvis Presley · 1956

2:24 05

I Got a Woman

Elvis Presley · 1956

2:26 06

One‐Sided Love Affair

Elvis Presley · 1956

2:11 07

I Love You Because

Elvis Presley · 1956

2:44 08

Just Because

Elvis Presley · 1956

2:34 09

Tutti Frutti

Elvis Presley · 1956

1:59 10

Tryin’ to Get to You

Elvis Presley · 1956

2:34

2 album|s · 1956 — 1989

Full discography

1989 ★ Essential

Jailhouse Rock

16 song|s · blue-eyed soul

1956 ★ Essential

Elvis Presley

12 song|s

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Biography

In 1958, Elvis was called to military service. Upon returning two years later, he resumed his recording career with works that achieved great commercial success. During the 1960s, under Parker's guidance, he focused on making Hollywood films and their soundtrack albums, although many of these productions were not well received by critics. Titles such as Jailhouse Rock (1957), Blue Hawaii (1961), and Viva Las Vegas (1964) are remembered from that period. In 1968, he marked his return to the stage with an acclaimed television special for NBC, titled Elvis, which led to an extensive concert residency in Las Vegas and several tours. In 1973, he starred in the first concert broadcast worldwide via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii. Despite his success, health problems stemming from substance abuse and unhealthy eating habits affected his well-being, and Elvis passed away in August 1977 at his Graceland estate, at the age of 42. Throughout his career, Elvis Presley sold an estimated 500 million records worldwide, demonstrating his versatility in genres such as *pop*, *country*, *rock and roll*, *rockabilly*, *rhythm and blues*, *adult contemporary*, and *gospel*. He won three Grammy Awards, received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36, and has been posthumously inducted into several music halls of fame.