Alright, so today’s the 28th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. What I have never figured out is: why is he considered the “king” of rock ‘n roll when there have been so many better rockers since then? What’s your opinion?
Ah yes, we should all stop and pause for a moment to remember Elvis Presley. Not the strung-out overweight sad sack after he and Priscilla split up in 1973, but the young, vibrant man who brought rock ‘n roll to the masses in the 50’s.
Prior to Elvis, remember, it was primarily black musicians who were championing this radical new form of music, but without much success. Much more popular in the late 40’s and early 50’s were performers like crooner Frank Sinatra, who was a wonderful singer but boring by comparison.
While there have been better musicians since Elvis – and certainly better overall performers – Presley brought a sense of showmanship, of being the center stage in a way that the big bands and 40’s singers never did.
And he brought sex on stage, with his pelvic gyrations and dance steps that shocked and titillated youngsters while horrifying their parents. (Rock hasn’t lost that aspect either, though the cutting edge has splintered into punk, industrial, metal, and various other genres that continue to excite the audience and horrify their parents to this day)
June 5, 1956 was the first time that Elvis Presley really scandalized the public, specifically the audience of the The Milton Berle Show, with suggestive hip movements while performing his second RCA single “Hound Dog.” Television critics across the country slammed the performance for its “appalling lack of musicality,” “vulgarity” and “animalism”, but this was the first appearance that generated significant publicity and, of course, his primary audience, teen girls, were too busy swooning to see anything vulgar in what Elvis was doing on TV.
In his long, illustrious career, Elvis Presley had over 110 top 40 hit singles, including 18 number one songs. He also starred in 31 motion pictures, notably Jailhouse Rock, Blue Hawaii, Viva Las Vegas and King creole. No other performer has come closer to this amazing record of success and critical acclaim.
So is Elvis still the King of Rock ‘n Roll? Oh yeah!
[…] Why was Elvis Presley called the King of Rock ‘n Roll … – This is the reason someone like Elvis is named the King of Rock & Roll. It was nothing to do with who came first as in a pioneer of rock & roll but who inspired so … […]
You can be the King of everything, but it doesn’t means the people will love you. Most people will be jealous of your talent and others will hate you.
That’s why being a King is very hard.
Hail the King, Elvis was the King during his LIfe and still is the King because I cannot see any better guy for the crown. Maybe in the future, maybe not.
The guy was a truth King of Rock n’ Roll no doubt for me.
I’m so tired of this Elvis is King crap all he did was to cross over the music which was later to be called rock&roll to a wider /whiter group. Before that it was known as New Orleans jump music or jump music. In 1950 Fats Domino had the hit Fat Man which by 1953 had sold a million copies, that is a year before Sun Studios opened its doors. People People people just follow the music back and you will find that after WW II partying blues musicians looking to amp up their jams accelerated the count and a new sound was born ,in New Orleans not Mphis.
This is the reason someone like Elvis is named the King of Rock & Roll. It was nothing to do with who came first as in a pioneer of rock & roll but who inspired so many with his long, illustrious career, Elvis Presley had over 110 top 40 hit singles, including 19 number one songs. He also starred in 33 motion pictures, notably Jailhouse Rock, Blue Hawaii, Viva Las Vegas and King Creole. No other performer has come closer to this amazing record of success and critical acclaim. Case closed.
The real answer to the question is this; in the 1930’s and 40’s there was a musician named Hank Williams. He brought Country-Western music into the mainstream.
His real name was Hiriam King Williams. What Hank Williams did for Country music, Elvis did for Rock & Roll music. Hence he was dubbed the “King” of Rock & Roll. that is how history happens.
Thank you
I strongly disagree with the statement that Frank Sinatra was boring, he could make people laugh, cry and think through his distinguished talent as an actor, musician and human being. Most importantly he could convey emotion and meaningful messages through his beautiful way of singing and that is an important aspect of music. If this is boring for this guy, he shouldn’t write articles about music and musicians at all. I advise him to study this point in depth before stating such a NONSENSE. I an not a musician or fan and don’t have to be either to aprreciate that.
To the ones who say hes not king, true. He was the king of rock and roll and I beleive out of most the artists here. Elvis was the biggest impact on people. KING OF ROCK AND ROLL, get it correct. Either way it doesnt matter whether you beleive he was the king or not. People need to grow up.
elvis presley what get married to Ann marie louise white tell my father first please Ask him and than what date wedding may 1th 1967 nevada supreme court david zenoff in a private ceremony held in a suite in las vegas in the tudor style Aladdin hotel in las vegas since the suite was relatively small none of the memphis mafia nor their wife invited to the actual ceremony and than he die August 16th 1977 i love him so much be with him all time i am miss you so much denise evans was bride and matthew bolding was bastmen and guess come to elvis and ann marie white in my dream
In order to be the “father of modern day music” you have to actually create that music. No ONE person can be the Father of modern day music, because MANY people have contributed to the MANY sounds of music you hear today. Its funny, because Elvis actually didn’t even write his songs yet you wann say he fathered something. Also, to the person that said they took their friend to an Elvis concert and they cried afterward, so what? Several talented performers have made their audience cry, INCLUDING MJ. Whitney Houston made non fans cry when she sang the National Anthem and I Will Always Love You. If someone is talented and sings or plays a heartfelt song it will definitely affect you. Elvis was in NO WAY the only artist to have that affect on other people. That’s why your friend said that Elvis was ONE of the best concerts he’s been to, meaning he’s gone to ones he thought were JUST AS GOOD. There is a difference between FACTS and OPINION. I could show you just as many clips of fans crying and fainting at an MJ, Beattles, or NSYNC concert as I can an Elvis one.
A king has to write songs…All this stupidity by. Envioux people
Alexander the Great was a king…So did. He. Make his own sword.
Valentino Rossi Great motor bike rider does he make. His own. Bikes
Al Pacino Great Actor Does he write his own scripts.
Ussai Bolt fastest runner on earth. Does he make his own trainers.
Songs are wfittien by song writers. the. King madecsongs sound great.
Paul Anka My way…WithoutvSinatra no where.
Sinatrs,,Nzt king colevloads of great singers never wrote songs.
Forget this lame excuse Presleyvwas and always will be king
Nobody will dispute Elvis was a very good singer and entertainer but to be called the King of Rock and Roll i am not so sure. Most of the rock and roll singers from the early days upto today done concerts over the world Except Elvis he didnt do one single concert in England where he had and still has a huge fan base and only went to Germany because he joined the army. I think a better title would be Father of modern music.
He was and is the king full stop
John Lennon said before elvis there was nobody TRUE
Greatest of all time
Nobody is better
I can tell you one thing….in my lifetime I took two people to see Elvis. My best friend in 1976..a live performance. She hated Elvis but went with me so I wouldn’t go alone. At the end of the concert, the lights came up and I turned to her and she was literally curled up, sobbing over the impact of seeing Elvis live on stage. She has been a diehard fan ever since then. Then in 2012, I convinced my husband (who didn’t like Elvis) to travel with me to Memphis to see the Elvis 35th Anniversary concert. He pretty much sat mesmerized and when the concert ended, he looked at me and said…”that was one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen!” And it was a TAPED version of Elvis backed up with live music. This coming from a man that has attended hundreds of concerts including Jackson 5, MJ, all of them from 70’s , 80’s and on. Can’t explain it…it’s just a fact.
He’s like an overachieving cover band. Arthur Crudup is where its at.
Elvis stole music from people, he didn’t even write his own songs. He did a lot in music, but talented? NO
Shaun
Are u on this planet buddy ?
Elvis is not the king of rock and roll. The white racist media called him that. The media desperately wanted a “Great White Hope”. Elvis was at the right place at the right time. Elvis did bring sex on stage and he was also white. and i agree with the poster above that’s why we have the likings of justin timberlake and bieber. The media isn’t fooling anyone. white america has no culture of music except for country music, and to get some edge they steal from other genres of music. Plus pretty much most of America has forgotten about Elvis’s career anyway. ELVIS IS NOT THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL!!!! I either think Chuck berry or lil richcard are either the kings of rock and roll. Elvis was just media money.
You said it right; “I think”. What you think is not important, most votes count!
This is funny as it disagrees with billions of opinions
The king lives on forever
Chuck and Little R came after Elvis. So let them thank Elvis for promoting the music that made them rich as well.
Elvis is trash. The only reason “Johnny Bravo” got a pass is because he fit the suit. If white america was going to let their virgin daughters(ha,ha)swoon over anyone, it wasn’t going to be a black man. So they bit the bullet and pushed Elvis. The times haven’t changed much in fifty years. Thats how we explain the popularity of Justin Timberlake and Justin Bieber. When it comes down to it, white america copies cutting edge black sound and champion their own for their youth to follow. I see you !
Still the King of Rock & Roll, no mater what the under lying reason. Some many of the black artists were very happy a guy like Elvis came along to indirectly promote their music. ….. You on the other hand sound like a racist. Very sad on your part.
sold more records then any one more number ones then any one and been dead 35 yeas and still at the top of the tree that say it all and still number one in the uk .long live the king. ELVIS THE KING
Hi Dave,
I’m in my late 40s and would pay good money to see and hear a man sing and perform Suspicious Minds as well as Elvis did.
To me, it didn’t matter that he did not write the song, his delivery was superb. And that’s what the kings of rock do – deliver and entertain.
I rember where I was when I found out Elvis died. I was only a very young child, but his death affected many people around me.
‘ I don’t sound like nobody…’ Elvis said when asked and he certainly did not.
His black poular music contemporaries in the South greatly admired and truly respected him . Both Jackie Wilson and James Brown commentated that black singers copied Elvis and his moves..not the other way around.
Elvis,to his great credit, was not hung up on the status thing..he would laugh when asked about.Elvis was the sum of many parts,all musical influences in the area and time he grew up in..country,folk,gospel,etc.Music itself continually evolves and is a melting pot..there is no such thing as inherently ‘black’ music or ‘white’ music,eg lues music contains Irish and Scottish folk rhythmsamong many sources.
Thanks Mr Presley!
It does’nt matter anymore who the king of rock n roll was as Elvis Presley wanted to be a crooner at the start of his music career. Then Sam Phillips at sun records used him to sing black rythem and blues songs to fullfill philips ambition to find a white man who could sing rythem and blues just as good as a black man. So Elvis Presley was an expert crooner make no mistake about and he recorded a numerious amount of ballads in later life on record albums that were produced by himself. So what sane crooner would choose to sing “hound dog” over “are you lonesome tonight” I think sam philips lost the plot when he gave elvis presley black peoples music to sing as it was an egotistical power trip by philips just to keep black people down. But elvis presley was very young and impressionable in 1954 and could not have foresaw what the powers that be in the music business had in store for him. Any way this “who is the king of rock n roll” debate is pointless as rock n roll devided the generations around 1954 and made perfectly good crooners redundent for a short while, but they survived and even thrived in their later years. Tony bennet is a prime example of the surviveing crooner who is still alive and singing in 2012. So the real truth is that elvis presley is the king of the crooners and not the king of rock n roll as we were all led to believe.
That is not true …before Elvis was even popular he loved rhythm & blues, country & gospel….& he would head down to Beale Street, the heart of Memphis’s & sing…. Many of his future recordings were inspired by local African-American musicians such as Arthur Crudup and Rufus Thomas. B.B. King recalled that he had known Presley before he was popular, when they both used to frequent Beale Street.By the time he graduated from high school in June 1953, Presley had already singled out music as his future.
It is amazing that Elvis has been dead for 35 years and there are people out there that still feel threatened with his greatness and come on Elvis sites and disrespect him. Most of whom are irrelevant.Great entertainers today that were born after Elvis’s death talk about how Elvis inspired their careers, people such as; Beyonce, “The Rock” and even hard core rappers like 50 Cent all show the ultimate respect for the “King!”
michael jackson is the best,the true king of music
Elvis has out sold every major act on the planet ..those facts and figures above ar actually in correct ..in the uk alone Elvis has had 21 no.1’s over 150 albums on the billboard chart..collectively Elvis has had 70 no.1’s world wide , more top ten enteries than anyone , more top 5 hits than anyone , more gold and platinum awards than you could wave a stick at..in 2011/12 Elvis has had 7 new multi platinum awards which will be presented to the elvis estate in august.
Elvis..NO ONE COMES NEAR ..NOT EVEN MJ .
As someone notes here, John Lennon did indeed say, “Before Elvis there was nothing.” But that remark says more about the availability of interesting pop music in Liverpool, England, circa 1950-56 than it does about reality. Before Elvis, great R&B didn’t reach John Lennon’s ears, and after Elvis, it did, in the form of rock ‘n’ roll. Elvis was the breakthrough guy for mass acceptance of rock. Elvis was king. But there was great stuff before him if you looked; plenty of noblemen.
Yes, he put up good shows. But the fact is that he replicated music in the exact manner at the expense of the owners and pioneers. We talk about racism not because the black person is the perpetrator, it has always been the white person in the oppresion business. Can you argue against that? Whatever the crime black people commited against you, you white folks can explain. But no one becomes king by copying others. In that case, the ones who are copied are the true kings, doesn’t matter how polished the copied stuff might sound or be. Look at hip hop and Rap these days, some white promoter is waiting for a chance to find a a next of kin who can sound as good them niggers and claim at the end of the day that he’s the greatest. But let me tell you, the color of music is BLACK coz it looks like AFRICA. Just like Bob Marley, the king of Reggae. Rock n Roll, hip hop, blues, jazz, dance hall, rap, RnB, reggae, etc, are all black in complection. Just be with your classical or barogue concertos.
You can’t overestimate the influence Elvis Presley had; just one small example from Denmark (the Scandinavian country, 5 million inhabitants): One year ago a guy named Henrik Knudsen had a copy of Graceland built in a little town, Randers. It’s 1,5 times Graceland, has an Elvis-museum in the basement, a cinema showing Elvis-featerettes; an Elvis-shop and an American diner in the ground floor, and a conference/party room on the first floor, that people can rent for parties.
This first year there have been 55.000 visitors, and the party room is fully booked for the next three years.
It is a huge success, and the Danish media is covering it all the time, and there has allready been visitors from as far away as Russia, and several old band members of Elvis’ has been there as well.
Put on top of that, that there are 200.000 people working as Elvis impersonators around the world (like them or not) + the Elvis In Concert show, featuring Elvis on big screens has toured America, Europe, Australia and Asia, which has been seen by almost 6.000.000 people.
An influence like that so many years after his death, is unparralleled in music history.
TCB
i what a fans becaurse that why my name is annmarie louise white
“If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it ‘Chuck Berry’: John Lennon
Pay attention to the lyrics everyone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8epyQ5MnFY
This is written by someone who is not Caucasian nor African American. I have lived in the United States long enough to observe what is real and what is fraudulent. The media always allows the white people to prevail and has always made black people look bad. Just like with the Michael Jackson scandal(s) however after his passing this comes out…
Again, pay attention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ou74rCN0Bk
james brown is the king of them all.dance, syle,songs, of the times. soul.its whats this musics about us.. black peoples music, which was stolin and timted to make there music which is only and immitation of the real thing we all know that the white man will alway prevail because heis in control of our establisment in this world.
We all have our own opinions some like elvis some like michael.. but It don’t matter it’s your opinion. stop trippin over it you can’t make someone else like a musician that you like. But to be honest the barrier thats set up between blacks and whites will never come down. Blacks got they thing and whites got there’s. there’ll always be racism. If we were all green then there’d be a fight between the tall green people and short green people or light green and dark green. The greatest to one person may not be the greatest to another.
The Last Few Posts sum this up Brilliantly, also shows that Elvis was in fact, History wise, the King Of Rock and Roll Too!!! Not only by his one of a kind God Given Abilities….Elvis had the Gift of Humility While Being The Very Best Ever….Something many of his Lesser Musicians to Follow Him Lacked…Especially Michael Jackson. It’s a Shame that Blacks Today are so Envious of Every White Man, Be It The Greatrest QB’s in Football…which are and will always be White. Boxing has Turned back into a White Mans Sport, Especially the HeavyWeight Division…Seems that this is becoming Bothersome to Many of The Black People….Be Happy that you finally have a Black President….But Please, Dont Trash “THE GREATEST”!….
The King and the ONLY King of ROCK and LIVE
performance. Great showman.
Writing song has nothing to do with Elvis. For all that said he didn’t write his own songs, is this the best you can come up with ? Very weak, and you sound like your all shook up !!!!!!!!! You have suspicious minds. Elvis didn’t invent Rock and Roll but he took it and gave it a shoot in the arm it needed. Rock and Roll was already there, he just took it and ran with it. It’s like football, If the ball is on the field and no one ever picks it up and runs with it how can they make a touch down. The time was right in those days, he seen it and ran with it. And never looked back. Elvis is the TRUE KING OF MUSIC IN ROCK AND ROLL. So stop acting like a bunch of babies .. If you don’t like Elvis so be it, but he is still the King Of ROCK AND ROLL. This is one time history will not repeat itself… Thank you and have a good day.
This is great. However a lot of miss information. In 1953 It was (Bill Haley and the Saddlemen). It was a country band. Their hit that year was ‘Crazy Man Crazy”. Not a rock song,up-tempo country. “Shake, Rattle and Roll” came out the next year when the Comets replaced the Saddlemen. Elvis’ That’s Alright came out before it. Rolling stone credits “That’s Alright” as the first Rock n Roll song ever recorded. It came out a year before Little Richard’s first hit “Tutti Frutti” (a copy) of Elvis’new Rock sound according to Penniman. Here is what Richard said about Elvis: “Elvis was God-given. There’s no explanation. A messiah comes around every few thousand years, and Elvis was it this time.” Here is what Jackie Wilson said: “A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man’s music, when in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied his.”
Chuck Berry: “Describe Elvis Presley? He was the greatest who ever was, is, or will ever be.”
ur cool man!
I think its hilarious to say Elvis is not the King because he didn`t invent Rock`n Roll.
MJ did not invent pop either, but they still call him king of pop. Well, de demanded to be called king of pop in the Brit Awards. If they didn`t he would refuse to enter the stage. Thats pathetic.
And its rasism for black people to hate Elvis because he as white made it with “black music”.
Chuck Berry is NOT king and never will be. You`re looking for some black guy. Dream on!
Elvis did in fact make a NEW sound. He changed the music by himself.
He changed stage manerism.
Elvis is the King of Rock`n Roll because he sat the standard everybody wanted to follow. He was the front man against the puritanical America. And he won!
And of cource, he has sold 1,5 billion records.
I think I should remind you that MJ “only” have sold 750 mill.
Michael Jackson??? He/She….was shoved down our throats as a little kid, part of the Family Dancin Around on stage. Jackson was more of a “Freak” show….ALL OF HIS SCANDALS BROUGHT MUCH OF HIS ATTENTION..WANTING SKIN WHITE, PLASTIC SURGERY T LOOK LIKE DIANNA ROSS…PLAYIN WITH LITTLE BOYS ALONE.MASK OVER FACE,GLOVE ON HAND JUST TO BE SEEN IN PUBLIC..ETC..MEDIA, PAPARAZI GRABBING TACTICS!!!..used much of the MTV, and Birth Of TV MUSIC VIDEOS, to Boost his sales, etc…The Amount of Impact that VIDEOS had on the Musicians was and still is “AMAZING”….Elvis didn’t have all of that…He didn’t even have “Color TV” to be seen in much of his career…..Elvis was talked Down By “Authorities” as Sex Crazed, and Dont Let Your Children see This!!! And in the 1950’s, People Listened….No Revolution Yet!!! So, Elvis Has Many More Obstacles in His Way, But With Only His Perfect Voice,”UNMATCHABLE”…and Perefect Looks, and His Gyrations…..He Became, and IS THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL, FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!
.
“No other performer has come closer to this amazing record of success and critical acclaim.”
Eh…WRONG! Then along came Michael Jackson!!!
ELVIS IS NOT THE KING OF ROCK IN ROLL jerry Lee Lewis
ELVIS IS THE MOST ORIGINAL PERSON THERE EVER WAS. HE HAD LITERALLY EVERYTHING TO FIT THE PROFILE OF A SUPERSTAR, WITH SPRINKLES ON TOP. CELEBRITIES ARE MICE COMPARED TO HIM.
THE GREATEST NAMES THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN WERE/ARE ELVIS GROUPIES. HIS LIKE WILL NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN.
I MAY AGREE WITH DAVE TAYLOR, BUT HE’S A MORON FOR WRITING SOME OF THE JUNK ABOVE.
All of you who think he stole the black man’s music are full of it. All of you who think he isn’t the king of rock and roll are full of it. Al of you who say he didn’t write ANY of his own music are full of it. In fact, he wrote on a lot of his songs, and did almost all the arrangements himself.
Liz Taylor says so??? Who is Liz Taylor?? She was a Tramp her whole life, and she was a champion of the weirdos, like those that did the “UnNatural” and UnGodly Things..Gays, Molesters, Etc…who gives what she says any creedance?? Michael is only popular because of the advent of Video, MTV, and VH1…Elvis didn’t have all that around in his time. Also, Jimi Hendrix says the defining and biggest moment of his life, was to peek from High on a Hill, in a stadium to get a glimpse of “The King” Elvis Presley in Concert…Hendrix says that made him want to be a star, Elvis was a God to Hendrix, by his own admission. Little Richard, like Michael Jackson, was a Queen, that is why they cant be declared King. Plus, noone ever did anything with music like Elvis did, noone, no black performer was capable. The music of Rock may have had some trace back to black blues music, but sounds nothing like it…just listen to Elvis Music…Sound All of Its Own…The Best Ever!! And Without Video, and Child Molestation, and Skin Dying, and Plastic Surgery to Gain Popularity!!!! He did it all with His Voice, and Hips!! His natural Looks!!! Elvis is and will always be KING!
No Elvis was not the king of rock n roll. He emulated many kings before him.
Chuck Berry was the king of rock n roll and his style was high riveted.
Racism did not give him his just due. Elvis success came because he was the right color emulating the ones that had the soul.
So no Elvis is not the king of rock n roll
“I do believe Elvis was a phenomenal performer, but a King isn’t determined/appointed by the jewels in his crown (metaphor for record sales and awards etc.) BUT his influence on culture, ”
Elvis influenced culture more than any other African-American musician. He took rock ‘n’ roll and brought it to the ears of everyone around the world, which opened doors for black musicians. Even though much of his music can be attributed to African-American influences, his music is still revolutionary.
If you don’t think racial barriers were torn down until Michael Jackson took the stage guess again. Elvis cracked Memphis’s segregation laws and inspired the youth to look past racism. Elvis constantly gave credit to singers like Fats Domino and denied the title of king of rock ‘n’ roll.
I think Rufus Thomas said it best when he said “the black man, white man, has got no music of their own. Music belongs to the universe.”
People that malign Elvis as just another somebody don’t understand. Go to Graceland (In Memphis, TN), take the tour of his mansion, and you will see why Elivs Is The King of Rock n Roll. We have never seen anything like that. A legend.
People compare Elvis to Everybody
With Michael Jackson.
With Eminem.
With the beatles.
With Chuck Berry
With Frank Sinatra
with Tom Jones
With Engelbert Humperdink
They wish very hard but there is only one who changed music forever ELVIS AARON PRESLEY IN 1956
The beatles are second and Michael is just Michael not King just Michael!
how can you say that elvis presley is the king of rock n roll when you know dam well that chuck berry started no matter what you say you can’t take away his propts because he start rock n roll
everybody in that generation knows that chuck berry is the king til the day he die.
Lol. Michael never called himself The King Of Pop. Elizabeth Taylor did and the fans picked it up so everyone else started calling him that. And to the person who called Michael a child molester. Michael was never a fan of Elvis or influenced by him. He said so in his autobiography Moonwalk. He was influenced and inspired by James Brown. You are just jealous because Michael is bigger than Elvis now. For some reason Elvis fans are just jealous of that. Michael wrote his own music produced and composed it. He came up with his own dance moves. Elvis never did any of that. Elizabeth Taylor called him The King of rock n’ roll, pop, and soul.