Elvis Presley :: Charts & Sales History

[garyt]

"I Am An Elvis Fan" Campaign Launched To Compile Ultimate Fan Collection
FANS VOTE FOR THEIR TOP 3 SONGS IN 7 GENRES: '50s, '60s, COUNTRY, MOVIES, LOVE SONGS, GOSPEL, AND IN CONCERT
VOTING TO TAKE PLACE ONLINE FROM MAY 1st TO MAY 12th, WITH TOP 21 SONG RESULTS TO BE ANNOUNCED ON JUNE 15th
21-song album available everywhere July 31, 2012, through RCA/Legacy
PR Newswire

NEW YORK, May 1, 2012

NEW YORK, May 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Legacy Recordings in conjunction with Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) announces the launch of "I AM AN ELVIS FAN ," a new campaign which encourages fans, from die-hards to casuals, to vote for their favorite recordings by Elvis from seven musical genres to be provided by Legacy. The top-scoring songs will determine the tracklist for I AM AN ELVIS FAN , a new 21-song collection that will be available starting July 31st through RCA/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060130/LEGACYLOGO)

The seven categories are '50s, '60s, Country, Movies, Love Songs, Gospel, and In Concert. The categories and tracks (all listed below) will be posted at www.iamanelvisfan.com where fans will be able to select their three top choices per genre. Facebook and Twitter users will be provided with links to share and spread the experience.

Voting begins today and all votes must be received by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on May 12th. The results will be announced on June 15th. For a limited time, and as a bonus, those who pre-order the I AM AN ELVIS FAN album within the voting period (May 1 - May 12) will have their names included in the package, as space permits. Fans can pre-order the album and submit their name for inclusion in the package at www.iamanelvisfan.com.

The comprehensive "I AM AN ELVIS FAN" campaign, which can be experienced at www.Elvis.com/ElvisFan, encourages fans to "Create, Upload and Wear." In addition to the creation of the album, fans can also upload a photo of themselves to be used in an Elvis photo mosaic by EPE licensee Fan Mosaics. Those thousands of images in the fan mosaic will also be used on the I AM AN ELVIS FAN album cover. Photos can be uploaded now through June 1st. The cover art and song results will be revealed on June 15th. EPE will also create a limited edition "I AM AN ELVIS FAN" t-shirt which will be available for purchase at www.Elvis.com/ElvisFan beginning today.

"I AM AN ELVIS FAN" – MUSICAL CATEGORIES

'50s – Selections: 1. That's All Right * 2. Good Rockin' Tonight * 3. Baby Let's Play House * 4. I Got A Woman * 5. Hound Dog * 6. Don't Be Cruel * 7. Mystery Train * 8. Blue Suede Shoes * 9. Money Honey * 10. Heartbreak Hotel * 11. Shake, Rattle & Roll * 12. All Shook Up • 13. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy.

'60s – Selections: 1. In The Ghetto * 2. Suspicious Minds * 3. Gentle On My Mind * 4. Don't Cry Daddy * 5. Surrender * 6. Good Luck Charm * 7. Devil In Disguise * 8. She's Not You * 9. Suspicion * 10. The Girl Of My Best Friend * 11. His Latest Flame * 12. Love Letters * 13. Memories.

GOSPEL – Selections: 1. Peace in the Valley * 2. Crying in the Chapel * 3. How Great Thou Art * 4. If I Can Dream * 5. Amazing Grace * 6. Swing Down Sweet Chariot * 7. Joshua Fit The Battle * 8. Take My Hand Precious Lord * 9. Lead Me, Guide Me * 10. He Touched Me * 11. Milky White Way * 12. You'll Never Walk Alone * 13. Where Could I Go But To The Lord.

LOVE SONGS – Selections: 1. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You * 2. Any Way You Want Me * 3. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me * 4. One Night * 5. Can't Help Falling In Love * 6. Love Me Tender * 7. Always On My Mind * 8. Are You Lonesome Tonight? * 9. Unchained Melody * 10. Loving You * 11. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling * 12. It's Now Or Never * 13. The Wonder Of You.

MOVIES – Selections: 1. King Creole * 2. Jailhouse Rock * 3. Trouble * 4. Return To Sender * 5. A Little Less Conversation * 6. Viva Las Vegas * 7. G.I Blues * 8. Follow That Dream * 9. Bossa Nova Baby * 10. Rubberneckin' * 11. Blue Hawaii * 12. Loving You * 13. Teddy Bear.

COUNTRY – Selections: 1. I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water * 2. Kentucky Rain * 3. For The Good Times * 4. Guitar Man * 5. Blue Moon of Kentucky * 6. Just Because * 7. Long Black Limousine * 8. I'll Hold You In My Heart (Until I Can Hold You in My Arms) * 9. She Thinks I Still Care * 10. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry * 11. Welcome to My World * 12. Funny How Time Slips Away * 13. There Goes My Everything.

IN CONCERT – Selections: 1. Polk Salad Annie * 2. Suspicious Minds * 3. Just Pretend * 4. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling * 5. Bridge Over Troubled Water * 6. See See Rider * 7. Walk A Mile In My Shoes * 8. I Can't Stop Loving You * 9. You Gave Me A Mountain * 10. An American Trilogy * 11. Burning Love * 12. My Way * 13. A Big Hunk of Love.

[garyt]

I voted for:-
Baby lets play house
Mystery Train
Lawdy Miss Clawdy
Gentle On My mind
Love Letters
Memories
How Great Thou Art
You'll Never walk Alone
He Touched me
Anyway You Want Me
You Don't Have to Sa yoou Love me
Unchained Melody
Trouble
Bossa Nova Baby
Rubberneckin'
Long Black Limousine
Kentucky Rain
For The Good TImes
You've Lost That Loving Feelin'
Bride Over Troubld Waters
Walk A Mile in my Shoes

I Can't find the R&B category but they've listed it as one. This is where some of his best songs would come under.

It was very hard just to pick 3 songs from each category but, as you can see, i didn't choose any of his hits so it wouldn't be the usual compliaton album. I picked his big covers like BOTW, Unchained Melody, YLTLF because maybe non fans may want to hear his versions, Who knows?

It's a nice idea but the title of the album would be off putting to non fans and it needs to appeal to them to make it a success. It could be called something like 'Could You Become an Elvis Fan?'

Why are they releasing the album 2 weeks before the anniversary? is this when the mass pubilicity will start?

[brianquinn]

All-Time Top Selling Singles Acts – UK

The Official Charts Company recently released the Top selling singles acts of all time in the UK as follows:

The Top 12 were:

01 THE BEATLES 21.9m
02 ELVIS PRESLEY 21.6m
03 CLIFF RICHARD 21.5m
04 MADONNA 17.6m
05 MICHAEL JACKSON 15.3m
06 ELTON JOHN 14.8m
07 QUEEN 12.6m
08 ABBA 11.2m
09 DAVID BOWIE 10.6m
10 RIHANNA 10.4m
11 PAUL McCARTNEY 10.2m
12 KYLIE MINOGUE 10.1m

Brian

[nealumphred]

BRIANQUINN

Outta curiosity: what is their source for sales figures (NOT chart statistics) from the ‘50s and ‘60s?

And which singles of Elvis' from the '50s did they not count?

And do accurate figures even exist for the HMV and early RCA singles?

Thanks in advance,

NEALUMPHRED

[taz]

Recently, during a discussion on music album sales at work I came across something that I did not expect to hear in the UK. Some of my work colleagues (mainly from the Caribbean and some from Africa) made some comments regarding Elvis. They commented that they saw Elvis as a racist who stole black music. I couldn’t figure out why they thought Elvis was racist and stole black music; they didn’t really give any logical reasons to back up their statements. One of them did mention that Elvis stole the song ‘Hound Dog’ sung by Big Mama Thornton. They also stated that very few of the black community buy Elvis’ records.

I did some research on the subject and looked into how and why the above views came about. Below is my article which summarizes my research.

In 1957 Sepia magazine wrote an article titled ‘How Negroes feel About Elvis.’ Sepia magazine at this time was a white owned tabloid aimed at the African-American segment of the American population.

In the above article it stated that Elvis made the following comment, ‘The only thing Negroes can do for me is buy my records and shine my shoes.’ It was alleged that this remark was made either during an appearance in Boston or on Edward R. Murrow's "Person to Person" TV program. However, at the time Elvis had never visited Boston and neither had he been on Morrow’s show.

Jet magazine (a much more respected magazine) interviewed Elvis with regard to the racial comment that he was supposed to have made and also made their own enquiries. They came to the conclusion that the article in Sepia was totally false. However, the damage to Elvis’ reputation, amongst the back community, had already been done. It was too late to turn the clock back.

I believe that Sepia magazine wrote the article to cause controversy in order to increase its readership of its magazine. This kind of behavior is the norm with present day tabloids. Sepia knew that remarks like the above would inflame racial feelings amongst the segregated populations but it still went ahead and published its inflammatory lies.

The sad thing about this Sepia incident is that Elvis has been forever tarnished with the toxic brush of racism. This view that Elvis is a racist lingers on in some sections of the American community due to the inequalities that black musicians faced in Elvis’ era. Elvis did not accentuate these inequalities and he is not responsible for those inequalities. It is easy to turn away from the truth, to blame one figure for injustices done in the past rather than seek the multitude of causes for those injustices; it is easy to point a finger without any evidence.

In the U.K. not many people are aware of the shoe shine comment but some sections of the black community in the U.K see Elvis as a racist. This view is to my knowledge influenced by how the black community in the USA perceives Elvis and their views (in the USA) have been shaped by the article in Sepia magazine.

The comment that Elvis stole the song ‘Hound Dog’ is ludicrous to say the least and is totally false. This is the only song that is given as an example by people claiming that Elvis is a racist; they fail to give examples of any other songs that Elvis is alleged to have stolen. Leiber & Stoller wrote Hound Dog for Big Mama Thornton (Willie Mae Thornton ) and her version of it topped the R&B charts for seven weeks and sold half a million copies in 1953. Even though it sold 500,000 copies she only received $500 for recording the song but is this Elvis’ fault? No it wasn’t! She received such a paltry sum because of her record company Peacock records (later called Duke-Peacock). The owner of Peacock records was an African-American by the name of Don Robey who signed Big Mama on a five year contract.

The £500 was for the 1952 recording of her version of Hound Dog which was released in the USA in the spring of 1953, the royalties went to Leiber & Stoller. Her recording was produced by Johnny Otis. She left Peacock records in 1957 over a monetary dispute with her record company.

With regard to the comment that very few people from the black community buy Elvis’ record I have been unable to obtain sales statistics which supports or repudiates this statement. If it is true then Elvis has lost significant sales through an article for which there is absolutely no factual basis. What I have been unable to establish is what Elvis did to counter the article in Sepia and establish the truth.

[ouf]

Recently, during a discussion on music album sales at work I came across something that I did not expect to hear in the UK. Some of my work colleagues (mainly from the Caribbean and some from Africa) made some comments regarding Elvis. They commented that they saw Elvis as a racist who stole black music. I couldn’t figure out why they thought Elvis was racist and stole black music; they didn’t really give any logical reasons to back up their statements. One of them did mention that Elvis stole the song ‘Hound Dog’ sung by Big Mama Thornton. They also stated that very few of the black community buy Elvis’ records.

I did some research on the subject and looked into how and why the above views came about. Below is my article which summarizes my research.

In 1957 Sepia magazine wrote an article titled ‘How Negroes feel About Elvis.’ Sepia magazine at this time was a white owned tabloid aimed at the African-American segment of the American population.

In the above article it stated that Elvis made the following comment, ‘The only thing Negroes can do for me is buy my records and shine my shoes.’ It was alleged that this remark was made either during an appearance in Boston or on Edward R. Murrow's "Person to Person" TV program. However, at the time Elvis had never visited Boston and neither had he been on Morrow’s show.

Jet magazine (a much more respected magazine) interviewed Elvis with regard to the racial comment that he was supposed to have made and also made their own enquiries. They came to the conclusion that the article in Sepia was totally false. However, the damage to Elvis’ reputation, amongst the back community, had already been done. It was too late to turn the clock back.

I believe that Sepia magazine wrote the article to cause controversy in order to increase its readership of its magazine. This kind of behavior is the norm with present day tabloids. Sepia knew that remarks like the above would inflame racial feelings amongst the segregated populations but it still went ahead and published its inflammatory lies.

The sad thing about this Sepia incident is that Elvis has been forever tarnished with the toxic brush of racism. This view that Elvis is a racist lingers on in some sections of the American community due to the inequalities that black musicians faced in Elvis’ era. Elvis did not accentuate these inequalities and he is not responsible for those inequalities. It is easy to turn away from the truth, to blame one figure for injustices done in the past rather than seek the multitude of causes for those injustices; it is easy to point a finger without any evidence.

In the U.K. not many people are aware of the shoe shine comment but some sections of the black community in the U.K see Elvis as a racist. This view is to my knowledge influenced by how the black community in the USA perceives Elvis and their views (in the USA) have been shaped by the article in Sepia magazine.

The comment that Elvis stole the song ‘Hound Dog’ is ludicrous to say the least and is totally false. This is the only song that is given as an example by people claiming that Elvis is a racist; they fail to give examples of any other songs that Elvis is alleged to have stolen. Leiber & Stoller wrote Hound Dog for Big Mama Thornton (Willie Mae Thornton ) and her version of it topped the R&B charts for seven weeks and sold half a million copies in 1953. Even though it sold 500,000 copies she only received $500 for recording the song but is this Elvis’ fault? No it wasn’t! She received such a paltry sum because of her record company Peacock records (later called Duke-Peacock). The owner of Peacock records was an African-American by the name of Don Robey who signed Big Mama on a five year contract.

The £500 was for the 1952 recording of her version of Hound Dog which was released in the USA in the spring of 1953, the royalties went to Leiber & Stoller. Her recording was produced by Johnny Otis. She left Peacock records in 1957 over a monetary dispute with her record company.

With regard to the comment that very few people from the black community buy Elvis’ record I have been unable to obtain sales statistics which supports or repudiates this statement. If it is true then Elvis has lost significant sales through an article for which there is absolutely no factual basis. What I have been unable to establish is what Elvis did to counter the article in Sepia and establish the truth.

Very interesting.

Some of my work colleagues (mainly from the Caribbean and some from Africa) made some comments regarding Elvis. They commented that they saw Elvis as a racist who stole black music.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maybellene

According to Berry, his favorite song to sing at integrated clubs (“salt and pepper clubs”, as he called them) was the traditional country song "Ida Red", an uptempo dance number made popular by Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys with their 1938 recording.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFef08YZ6qk

With encouragement from Muddy Waters, Berry in 1955 brought to Chess Records a tape of his cover of Bob Wills' version of the tune which he had renamed “Ida May” and a blues song he wrote “Wee Wee Hours”, which he stated was inspired by Joe Turner’s “Wee Baby Blue”. To Berry’s surprise, Leonard Chess showed little interest in the blues material but was enthusiastic about the commercial possibilities in a “hillbilly song sung by a black man”. Chess wanted a bigger beat for the song and added a bass and maracas player to the trio at the recording session. He also felt the titles “Ida Red” and “Ida May” were “too rural”. Spotting a mascara box on the floor of the studio, according to Berry’s partner Johnnie Johnson, Chess said, “Well, hell, let’s name the damn thing Maybellene” altering the spelling to avoid a suit by the cosmetic company. The lyrics were rewritten at the direction of Chess as well. “The kids wanted the big beat, cars, and young love,” Chess recalled. “It was the trend and we jumped on it.” It has been claimed that taking old recordings and modifying them, by changing the instrumentals and the lyrics was a common practice in the 1950s. With these changes the original songs were often not detectable particularly if the melody was slightly modified. This practice took place because copyright laws on older recordings were rarely enforced.

As Chess had predicted, the lyrics struck a chord with teenagers fascinated by cars, speed, and sexuality. "Maybellene” became one of the first records to score big on rhythm and blues, country and western, and pop charts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75RiHJGfyUE

Featuring some inimitable Chuck Berry riffs, some blues-style picking on a country guitar, and Johnson’s piano, which added a hummable rhythm to the steady backbeat, "Maybellene" was a pivotal song in the emergence of rock 'n' roll. This exciting fusion of a rhythm and blues beat with a rural country style was the catalyst for the type of rock 'n' roll that emerged in the mid-1950s

Hi taz. The next time you will see your work colleagues tell them that Chuck Berry was a racist because he stole white music.

If they answer that it's not because Chuck Berry like white music that he was a thief and a racist, you can answer that it's not because Elvis Presley like black music that he was a thief and a racist.

[brianquinn]

BRIANQUINN

Outta curiosity: what is their source for sales figures (NOT chart statistics) from the ‘50s and ‘60s?

And which singles of Elvis' from the '50s did they not count?

And do accurate figures even exist for the HMV and early RCA singles?

Thanks in advance,

NEALUMPHRED

Neal,

Just found your posting.

The Official Charts Company did not give a 'source' for their sales figures and refuse to do so even now after repeated requests. I suspect they have used estimated sales taken from Point Of Sale machines but as we all know this is totally inadequate over a period of 50 years. It is virtually impossible to estimate Elvis' UK HMV/RCA sales other than on chart appearances and again this is totally inadequate.

It appears to me that the OCC can produce whatever figures they deem fit and get them accepted by the general and music press despite their being inaccurate.

We will never get to know what goes on behind closed doors. Without a valid source and exact figures the OCC estimates are not even worth looking at

Brian

[stollar]

Elvis will recieve awards at Elvis week

on the august 15:

Elvis Christmas Album Diamond
I Got Lucky Platinum
Elvis In Person Platinum
Elvis Presley Platinum
Elvis Platinum
The Very Best Of Love Gold
Elvis Sings For Kids Gold
Mahalo From Elvis Gold
Elvis Christmas Gold

[stollar]

Just realised that this means no new awards,

the titles above were certified last year.

[brianquinn]

Just realised that this means no new awards,

the titles above were certified last year.

Correct. The Awards were announced by the RIAA months ago and they were added to the EPE Website under 'Elvis' Gold and Platinum Record' List. Therefore, even with these Awards, Elvis' album tally remains the same at 134.5 million. All SONY had to do was 'ship' around 9,000 copies of 'Christmas Duets' and around 23,000 of 'An Afternoon In The Garden' and Elvis would have had two new GOLD Album Awards. What SONY are doing is presenting the physical awards to EPE but they will not be able to claim any increase in Elvis' RIAA album tally this time around. Don't get me wrong, its still nice for EPE to have these Awards and they should make a fine display at Graceland. Just a missed opportunity by SONY.

Brian

[brianquinn]

'Elvis BY REQUEST' debuts at #4 on ARIA Album chart in Australia: The latest ARIA Album Chart will be released later today (27th) with the new Australian 'Greatest Hits' at #4! This is the same highest Elvis chart entry position since 'ELVIS: 30 #1 Hits' in 2002. Of course this time fans had to pre-purchase to receive their free "named" poster, which would create some excellent first week sales.

Apparently all Sony USA sold of the "I Am An Elvis Fan" 35th Anniversary release was 3,330 copies (now 8,040) despite all the multi-media promotion.

Congratulations to Tim McLean of Sony Australia Marketing.

Well done Aussies!

Brian

[AndiIversen]

Croatia (week 34-2012)

International albums:
#30 re-entry The Essential Elvis Presley

[thebigham]

10/27 Billboard charts:

Top 200 SoundScan Albums 1991-2012

175 SBSM PRESLEY*ELVIS ELVIS 30 NO. 1 HITS 4,831,555

[garyt]

Elvis Sales Boomed Across Europe
Following his Death in 1977

Those of us old enough to remember Elvis’s death in August 1977 also remember how the American public’s demand for his records exploded during the ensuing months. (In September 1977, Elvis had eight albums on Billboard’s "50 Hot Country LPs" chart.) Like a tidal wave, the boom in Presley record sales spread across the planet, tragically putting a spotlight on his international appeal. The following brief sketches of European responses to Presley’s passing are summarized from reports in Billboard from August and September 1977.

• UNITED KINGDOM

There were over 12,000 members of Elvis’s official U.K. fan club when the singer died, so it’s not surprising that London became ground zero for the resulting Presley record sales boom in Europe. One retailer there at the time called the demand for Presley products “staggering” and likened it to “the days when the Beatles’ albums went overnight to number one.”

Reaction to Elvis’s death at the retail level was “stunned amazement.” Nicholas Banks of Sound Effect in York explained, “Everything sold out fast. We even resurrected the Elvis Christmas Album and it goes out fast with each reorder.”

At Easy Listening in Birmingham, John Corbett had never seen such a record-buying splurge. “It’s been nothing but Presley, particularly his really big old singles,” he noted. “Everybody has been genuinely sad about buying them at this time. Product has sold to the mums and dads, who probably grew up with his music, and kids who have seen his films on television.” Lancashire storeowner Tony Ames said his customers were “really heartbroken by the news. They still come in, literally red-eyed and white-faced.” Mike Scott-Mason of Harlequin’s Coventry Street branch added, “Presley’s appeal is clearly universal, because just about everybody is buying anything, including tourists.”

• FRANCE

The Presley sales boom was less pronounced in France than in other Northern European countries. French pop music fans had never bought into rock ’n’ roll as much as the English-speaking countries on the continent. Still, most French newspapers gave frontpage coverage to Elvis’s death, with “Le Monde” describing the singer as “the demon of rock.”


Sales of Presley records in France had fluctuated over the years, peaking at 250,000 copies for his most popular issues. A Billboard correspondent explained, “It was always felt that things would be different, even in a French-speaking territory, if he had made personal appearances here.” Still, Elvis’s death resulted in a sudden rise in his record sales in France. A production order for 250,000 LPs was placed after the news hit.

• GERMANY

Harald Heilmann, RCA’s sales chief in West Germany, announced, “We sold 500,000 albums in the week after Presley’s death and could have sold double that.” RCA’s pressing facility in Hamburg just couldn’t keep up with the demand. The staff worked day and night shifts, but still dealers had to stand in line to get Presley records.

After the news of Presley’s death broke, German discos played only Elvis records, and newspapers gave the story their biggest treatments since the death of President John Kennedy. The music newspaper Musik Joker halted the printing of its current issue and replaced it with an “Elvis Special” print run of 180,000 copies. German travel agents were busy organizing trips to Memphis for German fans. A spokesman for record company DGG, which produced an Elvis tribute record, said, “Superstar Elvis is a man of the century and will live on records forever.”

• HOLLAND

Inelco, RCA’s Presley licensee in Holland, had sold more than 5 million Presley LPs since the start of Elvis’s career. More than 100,000 more were sold within the first three days after his death. Such concentrated sales activity was considered phenomenal in Dutch music business history, according to Billboard. On the day of Elvis’s funeral, Inelco re-released the single “Wooden Heart” and rushed forward the release of a Presley Album, “20 Fantastic Hits,” which had been originally scheduled for the following month.

Within hours after Elvis’s death, Dutch composer-producer Eddy Ouwens recorded the tribute song, “I Remember Elvis Presley.” Released under the artist name “Danny Mirror,” the record sold 100,000 copies the first day. However, EMI-Bevema artist, Jack Jersey, known as “The Dutch Elvis,” declined to record an Elvis-themed song at the time, saying he felt it was too much of a commercial cash-in.

• SWEDEN

The morning of Elvis’s death, the Stockholm switchboard at Electra Records, RCA’s Elvis licensee in Sweden, was swamped with calls. Some of the callers were fans, but most were dealers who sold out their Elvis records. “We’ll never have an artist of that stature again,” stated Lennard Andersson, Electra’s press officer. “There is no one to match him with any other company in the world. It was a great and sad loss. As for sales, it was just like a pre-Christmas rush, though one based solely on Elvis product.”

Electra found itself better positioned for the sudden demand for Elvis vinyl than most European companies. The summer had been used for stocking, and supplementary orders had already been placed on most Presley recordings. As a result, the company had 68 different Presley LPs and about 50 singles in stock when the demand wave hit.

Billboard reported on the quick reaction by Swedish stores. “One shop in Stockholm devoted a whole display window for a special memorial display with sleeves, white carnations and Presley pictures. Most book shops arranged special Elvis displays. Swedish TV-2 has already scheduled the screening of several Elvis movies.”

• FINLAND

Although Elvis’s Finnish fan club became inactive in the 1960s, Billboard reported “widespread shock among pop fans in Finland over Presley’s death.” Magazine tributes were “building up to a tremendous coverage peak.”

During the 1960s, when Presley’s popularity peaked in Finland, his records accounted for 20% of total annual sales for Discophon, RCA’s licensee in the country. Elvis’s best-known record there was “It’s Now or Never” (close to 30,000 copies sold). In the 1970s, Presley sales leveled off to between 10,000-15,000 per year. Only a month before his death, Kid Galahad became the first Presley film to be seen on television in Finland.

After his death, Discophon quickly sold out its stock of Presley records. Producing new ones took up to two weeks, mainly due to printing of the sleeves. In the interim, Finnish Elvis fans searched out the direct import stores.

• DENMARK

Hede Nielsen, RCA’s distributor in Denmark, sent dealers the 9,000 Presley albums that it had in stock. It then faced the difficult task of meeting a firm demand of 80,000 more with help from plants in Italy, France, Germany, the U.K., and Canada. Pressure from retailers finally forced the company to close its orders office.

The company’s managing director explained that the HN tried to get Elvis records directly from the U.S. “We promised American RCA we would cover up the Victor dog on the labels, but they would not send the records because of that copyright problem. But we were desperate for Presley product.”

Planned soon on Danish TV was a play written by Dan Turell and Edmondt Jensen, based on the words of American protest singer, Phil Ochs: “The only possibility in the U.S. for a humane society would be a revolution with Elvis Presley as leader.”

• IRELAND

Irish Record Factors and Soloman and Peres jointly handled distribution of Presley records in Ireland. Following Elvis’s death, IRF cleared out its remaining stock of Presley vinyl in two days; S & P did the same in one day.

Already in the works was “Elvis,” a musical based on the singer’s life. Developed by Irish promoter Noel Pearson, it was set to open in Cork in October 1977. Cahir O’Doherty had the lead role, with other local actors portraying Colonel Parker, Bill Haley, and The Beatles. A 12-inch single Elvis tribute disc featuring O’Doherty was in the pipeline from CBS Ireland.

• CZECHOSLOVAKIA

“The news of Elvis Presley’s passing had a wide impact in Czechoslovakia,” according to Billboard, this in spite of the fact that Presley recordings had never been pressed and distributed within the country. RCA had no licensee for Presley products in the communist nation. Some records, however, came in from India, which at times provided Czechoslovakia with licensed products.

“Yet Presley was enormously popular,” Billboard reported, “especially among the generation who were in their teens in the early ’60s. He was probably the only foreign pop star who had an active fan club here, and some local cover versions of his hits are among the most important recordings in Czech pop history.”

• ITALY

Even though Presley had had no major hits in Italy since the early sixties, his death was widely covered by Italian radio, television, and the press.

RCA Italiana announced it would release a special Elvis commemorative album of tracks selected by the Italian fan club (Club Amici Di Elvis Presley). Livio Monari, president of the 1,000-member club, said, “As soon as we have permission from the U.S.A., the special album will be prepared. The club members have mostly selected numbers from recent recordings in order to show that he was still a major international star.”

Monari had received hundreds of phone calls at the club headquarters in Rocanati. “Many fans asked us to arrange a trip to Memphis for the funeral,” he said, “but there was not enough time to organize it. Next year we shall go and visit the grave.”

• SPAIN

Spain was one of the few major European countries that did not experience a boom in record sales after Elvis's death. The news “provoked a mass of retrospectives and news stories in the media here,” reported Billboard’s Spanish contributor, “but at street level the reaction was somewhat more subdued—a sign that the Presley cult was not as deeply rooted here as elsewhere in Europe.”

During the early years of his career, Elvis was not promoted in Spain, where the music industry was then dominated by South American dance music. His followers in the fifties were considered a “sophisticated elite who were in touch with trends in the ‘outside word.’ By the time the Spanish record industry caught up with the rest of Europe, Elvis had evolved into what local teenagers regarded as a ‘light-weight family entertainer.’”

Of course, the commercial upheaval following Elvis’s passing in 1977 occurred in other parts of world besides North America and Europe. It was felt as well in Australia and the Far East, particularly in Japan. It’s ironic that the tragedy of his passing helped to illuminate the magnitude of Elvis’s international stardom. | Alan Hanson (March 2010)

[stollar]

Billboard magazine 26 juni 1961:

Holland sales: "Ol Sole Mio" 160,000

Are You Lonesome Tonight 45,000

Wooden Heart 90,000

Surrender 20,000 In the first week.

[BadMan125]

As someone who has read about Elvis for years, I found that people have continued to go on with a lot of false discrepancies about Elvis, especially that shoe shine comment which he never made. Also he didn't "steal" anything lol What Col. Parker did in getting people to get Elvis credit for others' songs (only one of which was black - Otis Blackwell, while others like Estelle Axton was white) was actually industry protocol (Chuck Berry couldn't get Maybellene played until Alan Freed copped credit because of his promotion). Some of Elvis' hits alleged to be covers of R&B songs were actually based upon remakes he heard from other white artists ("All Shook Up", "Hound Dog", etc.) In addition other black songwriters did get a big pay cut from Elvis after Rose Marie McCoy, Little Richard and Ray Charles had their recordings covered on Elvis' albums.

Anyway, since this is about his sales and chart analysis, it's also incredible how for years I had been led to believe Elvis had eighteen number-one hit singles on the pop chart. Then when you look back at when he debuted on the charts (November 1955), this was when the Billboard Top 100 took off. It seems that before the Top 100, most of the songs deemed #1 were either deemed so on the Best Sellers Chart, Most Played in Jukeboxes and Most Played by Jockeys, so it was the three "main charts" I guess with Best Sellers being the biggest or maybe it was really #1 if it reached #1 on all charts. Interesting when Elvis had his "double #1" with "Hound Dog" (one of my favorite Elvis songs) and "Don't Be Cruel", it was actually on the Best Sellers in Stores and Most Played in Jukeboxes chart but only peaked at #2 on the Top 100 so technically it was a #2 hit for Elvis. It takes away from the luster of it being a double #1 though it still became a double #1 on the R&B and country charts, both of which counted both sides. And the other #1, "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You", was actually only #3 on the Top 100 though it was #1 on its Best Sellers list. "Too Much" went #1 on the Best Sellers list in 1957 and "Hard Headed Woman" went #1 on that chart in 1958 however both songs peaked only at #2 on the Top 100/Hot 100. Afterwards, only the Best Sellers chart remained while the Jockeys and Jukebox charts were taken out.

I got a question about that: when Joel Whitburn reassessed the charts in 1999 (I think, not sure) after his first book in 1969, why did Joel think the Best Sellers and Most Played in Jukeboxes and Jockeys charts needed to be added when the Top 100 was already seen as the "main" chart in late 1955? It would've been a little different had Elvis been out in, say, 1952. But Elvis became a hit sensation in 1956. I think that's as faulty as him selling a billion copies worldwide, which is impossible for any artist. He hasn't reached, the Beatles haven't reached it and we know MJ hasn't reached it, in fact you can say they're about even between 150-300 million for each act.

I just love how the billion copies statement has been analyzed. Because if you think about it, most countries don't operate in the way a country like the United States does. It also seems some of Elvis' shipped gold, platinum and multi-platinum albums never reached its sales post-1977 and if it did, it was audited as such? Doesn't take away that he's still the biggest-selling male solo artist in the United States though and one of the top three biggest-selling artists of all time but I just felt I had to say something. I dig Elvis now for his music and what he left behind.

[borderwolf]

Billboard magazine 26 juni 1961:

Holland sales: "Ol Sole Mio" 160,000

Are You Lonesome Tonight 45,000

Wooden Heart 90,000

Surrender 20,000 In the first week.

Thanks, stollar!

[borderwolf]

Poland
year-end 2012
http://www.zpav.pl/rankingi/listy/top100/roczna.php




82 THE REAL ELVIS ELVIS PRESLEY

[Topicel]

Billboard magazine 26 juni 1961:

Holland sales: "Ol Sole Mio" 160,000

Are You Lonesome Tonight 45,000

Wooden Heart 90,000

Surrender 20,000 In the first week.

Thanks, stollar!

Yes indeed Stollar, nice to be reminded of the early 60s 'comeback' after getting lumbered in the US Army for two years.

The jury is out as to whether it was beneficial for Elvis' career as the Colonel had him believe, but it certainly added to Parker's masterplan to neuter the rock'n'roller in him and turn him into an 'all-round family entertainer'.

Luckily Elvis was unique in being able to 'sing all kinds' so he could handle the more melodic European-type recordings that he was given and which, for a while, led him to become even bigger on the Continent than ever before. But the downside of course was the drift into lesser quality material and a Hollywood tailspin of utter mediocrity. I doubt if anyone else could have survived it career-wise.

Anyway, like I say, it is apt to recall that Elvis was the first true international success in sales terms (in the scale of the times) of the rock era when so many consider the likes of MJ to be ahead of the game in that regard.

Topicel

[Jonathan]

BB200

SBSM 44 PRESLEY*ELVIS ELVIS 75 (1 CD) (2 W 11,441 999 45 101,824

[kriss]

Total Soundscan-registered Album Sales (1991 - Mar 2013) = 35,200,000

[brianquinn]

'Prince From Another Planet' was released in the UK on 12th November, 2012. It reached No.74 on the Official UK Album Chart for w/e 18th November, 2012. The No.73 album sold 2,398 copies so it gives a very good indication of how many 'Prince' sold during its first week.

'Aloha From Hawaii' (Legacy Edition) was released in the UK on 18th March, 2013. It reached No.196 on the Official UK Album Chart for w/e 24th March, 2013. During its first week of release it sold 1,191 copies and as of 12th April, 2013 had sold 1,280 copies.

Brian

[brianquinn]

'Viva Elvis - The Album' re-entered the UK Album Chart at 92 for w/e 4th May, 2013.

Brian

[brianquinn]

This week 'Viva Elvis - The Album' rises from 92 to 70 on the UK Album Chart.

Brian

[borderwolf]

Venezuela
unofficial dvd chart
www.recordland.com

35
Elvis Presley
The Ed Sullivan Show