#134 Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley

The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

2025 Album Rank

134

2011 Album Rank

92

Total Points

464

Year Released

1956

Billboard 200 Chart Peak

1

Weeks at #1

10

RIAA Sales Certification

1,000,000 (Platinum)

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Elvis Presley Album Details

Released on March 23, 1956, Elvis Presley was the first full-length album by Elvis and the first rock and roll album to top the Billboard pop chart. Combining tracks recorded at RCA and Sun Records, the album captured the rebellious energy of a cultural upheaval in motion. With a sound steeped in rhythm and blues, gospel, and country, it marked the beginning of Elvis's ascent as the King of Rock and Roll.

The album's mix of Sun-era swagger and RCA polish introduced the world to Elvis's raw charisma. His interpretations of songs like Blue Suede Shoes, Tutti Frutti, and I Got a Woman were electrifying and defiant. The iconic album cover, pink and green lettering with Elvis caught mid-performance, became one of the most imitated designs in rock history.

Other Elvis Presley albums on the chart: The Sun Sessions

Interesting Facts about Elvis Presley

• The album cover photo was taken at a 1955 show at the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in Tampa, Florida. Its bold pink-and-green design directly inspired The Clash's London Calling cover decades later.
• Of the 12 songs on the album, five were recorded at Sun Records between 1954 and 1955, including I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') and Trying to Get to You.
• The track Blue Suede Shoes was recorded as a tribute to Elvis's friend Carl Perkins, who had written and recorded the original. Elvis's version charted without overshadowing Perkins's hit.
• Alternate takes from these sessions reveal how loose and raw the atmosphere could be. Early attempts at Money Honey and Just Because feature vocal flubs and studio chatter preserved on bootlegs.
• The song I Love You Because was originally left off the album due to its more sentimental tone. RCA eventually released it as a single to capitalize on Elvis's growing popularity.
• Scotty Moore (guitar), Bill Black (bass), and D.J. Fontana (drums) formed the core band, creating a stripped-down, rhythmic drive that set a template for early rock bands.
• Tutti Frutti and Blue Moon were among several songs recorded in RCA's New York studios, where the label tried to balance Elvis's raw energy with tighter production. Blue Moon features haunting falsetto and echo effects unusual in his catalog.
• The album reached number one on Billboard's Top Pop Albums chart in May 1956 and stayed there for 10 weeks, an unprecedented feat for a debut LP in the rock era.
• Live performances of album tracks were a sensation in 1956, especially on TV shows like The Milton Berle Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, where his hip-shaking delivery caused national controversy and massive ratings.
• Some tracks were initially held back to avoid competing with 45 RPM single sales, a common practice at the time, but later appeared on EPs and subsequent compilations.
• The album was reissued multiple times with different track orders in the U.S. and abroad. Some international versions even added Heartbreak Hotel, which was recorded in the same time period but released separately as a single.
• Outtakes from the sessions were later featured on collections like Elvis Presley: The Complete 50s Masters and Sunrise, offering fans a glimpse of his early artistic development in the studio.

Elvis Presley Track List

1. Blue Suede Shoes - Reached #20 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
2. I'm Counting on You
3. I Got A Woman
4. One-Sided Love Affair
5. I Love You Because
6. Just Because
7. Tutti Frutti
8. Trying to Get to You
9. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You)
10. I'll Never Let You Go (Lil' Darlin')
11. Blue Moon
12. Money Honey