The Music On Vinyl record label released the fourth batch in their Elvis Presley re-issue program.
Publicity stated: As always, the editions on marbled vinyl are strictly limited to 500 copies and will be for sale exclusively at our own web shop. Now, let’s get down to business because the next three records will surely make any Elvis fans’ heart skip a beat.
Much more than a collection of leftovers: Elvis Back In Memphis! The album is comprised of material culled from the 1969 session recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis that yielded the classic From Elvis in Memphis album.
After being out of print for a good number of years, we are making 15 titles out of our Elvis Presley back catalogue available again between August 2025 and February 2026. Each title will see two different editions: one on regular-coloured vinyl and one very limited on mix-coloured, marbled vinyl, both housed in deluxe sleeves with a linen look and feel.
'Back In Memphis' is comprised of material culled from the 1969 session recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis that yielded the classic From Elvis in Memphis album. But, this album is much more than a collection of leftovers. Elvis' rendition of Percy Mayfield’s 'Stranger In My Home Town' for example is a fan-favourite and somewhat of a hidden gem among Elvis aficionados. Leftovers or not: this album once again proves that the King could really do no wrong and that there is no such thing as “leftovers” in his vocabulary anyway.
Back In Memphis is a limited edition of 500 individually numbered copies on green marble vinyl and on green marbled vinyl and 1,500 copies on green colored vinyl. The LP is available from >>> Amazon (associate link).
Good Times is The King's 20th studio album, released near the end of his career. It contains hits such as 'I’ve Got a Thing About You'.
After being out of print for a good number of years, we are making 15 titles out of our Elvis Presley back catalogue available again between August 2025 and February 2026. Each title will see two different editions: one on regular-coloured vinyl and one very limited on mix-coloured, marbled vinyl, both housed in deluxe sleeves with a linen look and feel.
Good Times is Elvis Presley’s 20th studio album and was released in 1974, near the end of a career tragically cut short. Most of the tracks are the first pick of a recording session at the famous Stax Studios in December 1973, with “Take Good Care of Her” and “I’ve Got a Thing About You” as leftovers from a session at Stax in July of that year. The latter became a hit, rising to #4 on the Country charts. The album contains more top Elvis fare, though: “My Boy”, “Spanish Eyes”, “Loving Arms” & “She Wears My Ring”.
Good Times is available as a limited edition of 500 copies on pink marble vinyl and 1,500 copies on pink marbled vinyl. The LP is available from >>> Amazon (associate link).
On Stage - February, 1970 is Elvis' second live album recorded in his famous Vegas period. Includes UK #1 'The Wonder Of You'.
After being out of print for a good number of years, we are making 15 titles out of our Elvis Presley back catalogue available again between August 2025 and February 2026. Each title will see two different editions: one on regular-coloured vinyl and one very limited on mix-coloured, marbled vinyl, both housed in deluxe sleeves with a linen look and feel.
On Stage (subtitled February, 1970) is Elvis’ second live album, recorded in his famous Vegas period on two dates in 1969 and 1970. Unlike his previous live album, this record featured songs that were not typically associated with Presley’s regular live repertoire in favour of covers to show his ever-dedicated audience that he was very much staying abreast with current music. In this case we’re talking renditions of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”, Del Shannon’s “Runaway”, Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie”, and the Beatles’ “Yesterday”. But, it’s the Elvis staple “The Wonder Of You” which earned him a #1 hit in the UK. Fun fact: the album is also known for not showing Elvis’ name anywhere on the cover.
On Stage February, 1970 is available as a limited edition of 500 individually numbered copies on white and black marble vinyl and as a Limited Edition on 1,500 copies on blue colored vinyl. Bothe include a printed inner sleeve and 60x60cm fold-out poster.
Unchained Melody
Elvis' spiritual confidante and hair stylist, Larry Geller, has written a new book, Unchained Melody". It is due out in the next week or so and will be available from Amazon sites, Google Books, Apple Books, and on major platforms.
Larry's previous books were If I Can Dream - Elvis' Own Story; Elvis' Search for God; Leaves of Elvis' Garden; and Healthy Life, Great Looks, Healthy Hair.
January 8, 2026 marks the day that could have been - and shoot have been - Elvis Presley's 91st birthday. A date that still feels special to millions of fans worldwide.
Born in a shotgun shack in East Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1935, Elvis Presley achieved legendary status. He transformed the industry with his unique sound and style, leaving a legacy that still resonates on his 91st birthday year.
Elvis revolutionized Rock and Roll, but his true strength lay in his humanity. In his voice, his charisma, his vulnerability, and his warmth. He knew how to touch people, connect them, and bring them joy, something he continues to do to this day. His music lives, his stories live, and his legacy grows every day. But For many, was and remains so much more than just a musical pioneer.
A remarkable aspect of Elvis is that his posthumous legacy, like his life, continues to produce news, day by day. His legacy is still enjoyed every day by millions of fans around the world.
Elvis, Nashville '56
The French RDM-Edition announced the April 14, 2026 release of the 10-inch LP 'Elvis, Nashville '56' featuring updated Mono II Stereo' mixes for six Elvis classics from 1956.
Publicity stated: A release celebrating 70 years since Elvis’ first RCA recording sessions. Containing both sides of Elvis’ very first RCA hit single, this collectors edition 10-inch 45rpm contains all the tracks recorded by Elvis Presley in Nashville during his pivotal breakout year of 1956.
Newly remixed and remastered from Mono to Stereo by acclaimed producer Anthony Stuchbury you’ll now hear a more familiar stereo mix with backing vocals panned to the side enabling a listening experience like never before!
Tracks Rockin’ Side A: I Got A Woman / Heartbreak Hotel / Money Honey.
Romantic Side B: I’m Counting On You / I Was The One / I Want You, I Need You, I Love You.
The current expected release date is 14th April 2026, 70 years to the very day that Elvis recorded the final track on this release.
You can listen to an interview with Anthony Stuchbury and a first preview track on Matt Shepherd's >>> Golden Hour radio show (MixCloud) which celebrates Elvis at 91.
EPiC Poster
The film's distributor Neon has now released the second official poster for 'EPiC: Elvis in Concert'.
IMAX Poster
Another poster was distributed for the IMAX premiere.
EPiC Soundtrack
Shop Elvis unveiled the details of the 'EPiC' soundtrack album which will be released on CD, vinyl and digitally. The CD will be available February 20th, the 2-LP on April 24, 2025.
Description: Discover Elvis like never before with the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann's 'EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert'.
Executive produced by Baz Luhrmann, this collection features the showstopping performances featured in the film, including new mixes and fresh remixes of classic Elvis hits, along with two exclusive new tracks that blend and reimagine iconic Elvis performances, delivering bold, innovative interpretations that celebrate the King in an entirely new way.
Amazon will release an exclusive 2-LP is pressed on translucent orange colored vinyl and on translucent yellow vinyl.
Graceland will release an exclusive 2-LP is pressed on red marbled colored vinyl.
Side A: Can't Help Falling In Love (EPiC Intro) - Also Sprach Zarathustra / An American Trilogy (EPiC Version) - Thats All Right (EPiC Version) - Tiger Man (EPiC Version) - Wearin That Night Life Look - Hound Dog (EPiC Version) - Polk Salad Annie (EPiC Version)
Side B: You've Lost That Loving Feeling (EPiC Version) - Little Sister / Get Back (EPiC Version) - Burning Love (EPiC Version) - Never Been To Spain (EPiC Version) - Love Me (Jamieson Shaw Remix)
Side C: I Cant Stop Loving You (EPiC Version) - Are You Lonesome Tonight (EPiC Version) - Always On My Mind (EPiC Version) - How Great Thou Art (EPiC Version) - Oh Happy Day (EPiC Version) - Big Hunk O Love (EPiC Version) - Bridge Over Troubled Water (EPiC Version)
Side D: In The Ghetto (Jamieson Shaw Remix) - Walk A Mile In My Shoes (EPiC Version) - Suspicious Minds (EPiC Version) - Bring The Curtain Down (EPiC Outro) - Cant Help Falling In Love (EPiC Version) - American David (EPiC Version) - A Change Of Reality (Do You Miss Me?)
Tracks CD: Can't Help Falling In Love (EPiC Intro) - Also Sprach Zarathustra / An American Trilogy (EPiC Version) - Thats All Right (EPiC Version) - Tiger Man (EPiC Version) - Wearin That Night Life Look - Hound Dog (EPiC Version) - Polk Salad Annie (EPiC Version) - You´ve Lost That Loving Feeling (EPiC Version) - Little Sister / Get Back (EPiC Version) - Burning Love (EPiC Version) - Never Been To Spain (EPiC Version) - Love Me (Jamieson Shaw Remix) - I Cant Stop Loving You (EPiC Version) - Are You Lonesome Tonight (EPiC Version) - Always On My Mind (EPiC Version) - How Great Thou Art (EPiC Version) - Oh Happy Day (EPiC Version) - Big Hunk O Love (EPiC Version) - Bridge Over Troubled Water (EPiC Version) - In The Ghetto (Jamieson Shaw Remix) - Walk A Mile In My Shoes (EPiC Version) - Suspicious Minds (EPiC Version) - Bring The Curtain Down (EPiC Outro) - Cant Help Falling In Love (EPiC Version) - American David (EPiC Version) - A Change Of Reality (Do You Miss Me?) - Dont Fly Away (PNAU Remix)
Sony released the track 'You're Wearing That Nightlife Look' from the upcoming soundtrack. It draws on four Presley recordings: 'Wearin’ That Loved On Look', 'Night Life', 'I, John' and 'Let Yourself Go' - besides a few others "influences" - to create something new.
In an exclusive interview with The Commercial Appeal, Joel Weinshanker talked about 'EPiC', the 50th anniversary of Elvis' death and more. The main take-a-ways:
On the 'EPiC' Movie
Weinshanker said developing the 'EPiC' documentary has been a priority throughout his tenure. "I've been involved with Elvis Presley Enterprises for 12 years, and for 11 of those years, I've been trying to convince Warner Brothers to go into the salt mines and pull out all of this footage," he said. "I had a real understanding, even watching the original films, that there would be a tremendous amount of material there."
The project became possible following the success of Baz Luhrmann's 2022 'ELVIS' biopic and the director's relationship with Warner Brothers. "In my first meeting with Baz at Graceland, before he even agreed to do the biopic, I told him the story of all of this amazing footage. And Baz turned around and said, 'Boy, I want to make a documentary out of that.' And because of Baz's gravitas, very frankly, we were able to do it."
According to Weinshanker, the documentary features Elvis as narrator. "What I've always said is that the best person who should speak about Elvis is Elvis," Weinshanker said. "When you see this film, that's really what Baz did. Elvis is the storyteller, you hear about his life in his voice. This movie is just an amazing opportunity for someone to get Elvis' story from Elvis."
On the Elvis Hologram Concert
Weinshanker revealed that an Elvis hologram concert experience is close to being announced. "We're getting very close to announcing a location for an Elvis hologram," he said.
He explained EPE's approach to new technology: "Every time there's a new technology, they ask first about using Elvis with that new technology. Often, we say no for a long time, or maybe forever. And then sometimes we just say no until the technology gets to a place where it makes sense. The technology has finally gotten to the place where it can be an amazing experience. We feel it's going to be great for our brand, and great for Elvis."
On the 50th Anniversary of Elvis's Death
The 50th anniversary of Elvis's death will be commemorated in August 2027 with year-long programming and events at Graceland. "We're 12 months out from what will be a year-long focus," Weinshanker said. "That's really going to be about us creating incredible storytelling and having as much of that storytelling coming from Elvis as possible. And it is a phenomenal story — it's the story of America, it's the story of our pop culture."
On the Future of Elvis Presley's Memphis
EPE is planning further development of the Elvis Presley's Memphis complex, which underwent a US$130 million renovation and expansion in 2017. Weinshanker said EPE is eyeing 2030 as "a time where we would have something really rolling out that would be finished and be the next iteration."
Two new exhibits debuted on January 8. "Our ability to constantly update and change is going to define the future for us," said Weinshanker. "We're lucky in that we have an incredible collection of artifacts and we've barely scratched the surface in terms of that material. So we're looking forward to showing people things they've never seen before."
Weinshanker concluded: "Ultimately, what we're trying to share is this incredible story of Elvis being told by Elvis, through us. What we're going to build and how we're going to expand is really going to be based upon that."
Read the complete interview on the >>> Commercial Appeal website where you also find coverage of the Birthday Celebrations and previews of the new exhibitions.
Eternal One-Sided Love
Elvis Presley Society of Japan published the softcover book 'Eien ni Kataomoi' by Reiko Yukawa. There is no official English title, but it translates to 'Eternal One-Sided Love' and is sub-titled 'A Book for Elvis in Heaven'.
The book contains a collection of essays, conversations and speeches by Japanese music critic and lyricist, Reiko Yukawa, a lifelong Elvis fan who, as can be seen from the book's cover, got to meet him. Ms. Yukawa will turn 90 this month. The B5-sized 228-page book was edited by Atsushi of Studio Art L.
FTD World 1999 - 2025
Elvis authors David Ward and Atsushi Nakamura announced that they plan to release a Japanese version of their December 2025 'FTD World 1999 - 2025' discography book in black and white at the end of January. The cover-art is still tentative.
The Secret Story of the Creation of Elvis's Great Songs 1972-77
Atsushi Nakamura also announced the June 2026 release of his book 'The Secret Story of the Creation of Elvis's Great Songs 1972-77'. The cover-art is still tentative.
(Source: David Ward / Matt Shepherd's Golden Hour / Anthony Stuchbury / Paul Sweeney / Pascal Matteo)
Elvis' 91st birthday celebrations started in Memphis with concerts, exhibitions, conversations, special tours and more.
Graceland is welcoming fans from around the world to Memphis this week as it celebrates Elvis Presley’s birthday with five days of events and the debut of two new exhibits at Elvis: The Entertainer Career Museum at Elvis Presley’s Memphis.
The new EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert Exhibit is inspired by Baz Luhrmann’s new film of the same name which featuring long-lost footage from Presley’s legendary Vegas residency in the 1970s, woven together with rare 16mm footage from Elvis on Tour and treasured 8mm film from the Graceland archive, along with rediscovered recordings of Elvis telling ‘his side of the story.’ The exhibit showcases stagewear, jewelry, guitars, movie posters, and rare performance memorabilia, including several pieces never before displayed.
Featured items include:
Concho Jumpsuit worn by Elvis; also the first suit seen in EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert
Red Outfit worn by Elvis during rehearsals for his Las Vegas shows
TCB Sunglasses made by Optique Boutique in California
Black Leather-Like Outfit worn by Elvis at his opening-night after-party on August 10, 1970
Gretsch Country Gentleman Guitar purchased by Elvis Presley in July 1969 and used during his performances in Las Vegas in 1969 and 1970
Elvis 1956 Exhibit - Graceland
Also debuting is Elvis 1956, an exhibit exploring the landmark year that took Elvis Presley from hometown sensation to a global superstar. At age 21, Elvis recorded iconic hits like “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” and “Blue Suede Shoes,” made historic television appearances, filmed his first movie, Love Me Tender, and participated in the legendary “Million Dollar Quartet” session at Sun Studio.
Artifacts on display include:
Key to the City of Tupelo presented to Elvis during his homecoming show in September 1956
White stage shoes worn by Elvis in Tupelo and many other early concert appearances
Large display of 1956 Elvis memorabilia including fan-made skirt, buttons, lipstick, and RCA record player
Elvis’ First TV Guide cover from September 1956
Graceland celebrates the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s birthday this year with five days of events in Memphis, January 7-11. Born in 1935 in humble beginnings in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis Presley achieved legendary status, leaving a legacy that continues to resonate today.
Some of the highlights of the celebrations include:
January 8th - 'Elvis Birthday Proclamation Ceremony' - Graceland Mansion. Free to attend.
An exclusive sneak-peek of Baz Luhrmann’s 'EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert', exclusively for fans celebrating Elvis’ birthday in Memphis!
A new EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert exhibit, opening during the Elvis Birthday Celebration at Graceland.
This Gretsch Country Gentleman guitar was purchased by Elvis Presley in July 1969 and used during his performances in Las Vegas in 1969 and 1970. It is the only Gretsch documented in the Graceland Archives that Elvis personally purchased and performed with. Fresh from restoration and looking incredible.
'Elvis 1956' Concert: 1956 was a landmark year for Elvis, it was the year he became a superstar and the lightning rod for the controversy of early Rock and Roll. Appearances by Jerry Schilling, Billy Blackwood and The Blackwood Brothers Quartet, and others.
'The Jungle Room Sessions': Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Elvis’ iconic 1976 recording sessions at Graceland with an intimate evening of music. This special tribute honors the soulful sounds captured in the legendary Jungle Room.
'Conversations On Elvis': Hosted by Tom Brown, guests include Jerry Schilling, TCB's Jerry Scheff, Elvis’ Imperials Terry Blackwood and Jim Murray, Larry Strickland, and Tony Brown (TCB pianist) plus Jonathan Redmond, editor of 'EPiC' to take you behind-the-scenes.
'Elvis: Made In Memphis' Concert: From Sun Studio to Stax and American Sound, and all the way down to the Jungle Room at Graceland, this unforgettable evening will bring Elvis’ Memphis musical legacy to life with everything from heartfelt ballads to powerful concert anthems.
'In The Jungle Room With Jerry Schilling': Step into the legendary Jungle Room for an unforgettable evening with Jerry Schilling an intimate conversation hosted by Tom Brown. Even with a US$800 price-tag per ticket the event "sold out".
Fans who cannot make it to Memphis for the celebrations can watch the Elvis Birthday Proclamation Ceremony online for free via >>> Graceland’s Vimeo page on January 8, at 8:30 am CST.
For more information and tickets for Elvis’ Birthday celebration visit the >>> Graceland website.
Graceland also announces a special event in honor of Lisa Marie's birthday on February 1. This will be celebrated in a special way at Graceland this year with special tours during the weekend of January 30 - February 1st that highlight Lisa Marie’s life at Graceland.
From 2pm – 4pm each day, live tour guides throughout the mansion will share personal stories of Lisa Marie’s life growing up as Elvis Presley’s daughter at Graceland. In addition to the stories, guests can also view exclusive displays inside the mansion showcasing items from Lisa’s time spent at Graceland.
These tours are limited and will be available during this weekend only.
According to photographer, Keith Alverson, Pat West (Red's wife) is scheduled to be at King Banquet Event Center in Memphis on Wednesday, January 7, 1pm-3pm. Pat will be signing photos and will have info about the new book 'A Hell of A Ride', scheduled for release in February. (Photo: Keith Alverson).
Jim Sykes Died
If any of you have listened to Elvis on SiriusXm, I'm sure you've heard the booming voice of disc jockey, Big Jim Sykes. Unfortunately he passed away this morning.
Big Jim was known for the warmth and enthusiasm he brought to every broadcast. Through his work, he helped keep Elvis’s legacy alive for generations of listeners and created a sense of community for fans everywhere.
It's a huge loss for the community. Jim was personally an Elvis fan and an incredible connection between Elvis and the rest of us. He will be missed.
(Source: Graceland / Nigel Patterson / Elvis Book Discussion Group on Facebook / Argo / Reddit)
The Vinyl Passion budget record label announced the February 20, 2026 release of the 19-track compilation LP 'This Is ...' on blue colored vinyl.
Description:Elvis Presley, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, remains an unparalleled cultural icon. His dynamic voice and electrifying stage presence forever changed the music world. Presley combined elements of rhythm and blues, country, and gospel, laying the foundation for modern pop music. This album collects his most timeless hits, from the iconic "Heartbreak Hotel" to the unforgettable "Can't Help Falling In Love," and demonstrates the enduring power of his musical legacy.
The album is a textbook example of classic rock and roll, with forays into early rockabilly and moving ballads. The collection offers a complete picture of the versatility that made Elvis a global star.
Tracks: Heartbreak Hotel / I Want You, I Need You, I Love You / Hound Dog / Don't Be Cruel / Love Me Tender / Too Much / All Shook Up / (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don't / Hard Headed Woman / Jailhouse Rock / One Night / (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I / Stuck On You / It's Now Or Never / Are You Lonesome Tonight? / Can't Help Falling In Love / Good Luck Charm / Return To Sender.
Christmas is over, back to the "charts as usual" and fans streamed more "classic hits than Christmas hits did week as the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' compilation did very well on the U.K. charts.
On the U.S. chart we see the delay in sales reports with very strong "Christmas sales" for Elvis in the first week of 2006, topping the Top Rock Album and Top Rock and Alternative Albums charts!
Official U.K. charts
The 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' compilation jumped from No. 81 to No. 62 on the Official U.K. Album Top 100, and from No. 72 to No. 48, on the nation's Streaming Album Top 100 while 'The Classic Christmas Album' dropped off that chart after last week's re-entry at No. 93. On the Chart Update chart the set climbed from No. 70 to No. 50.
The song 'Blue Christmas' dropped off the Official U.K. Single Top 100 chart, the Streaming Singles chart, but hung on to the Chart Update chart one more week, falling from No. 54 to No. 85 this week.
The 'Elvis The Searcher' re-entered the Music Video chart Top 40 at No. 37.
U.S. Billboard charts
On the U.S. Billboard charts Elvis is finding listed higher than on the U.K. charts.
'Blue Christmas' climbed from No. 27 to No. 21 on the Billboard's Main Hot 100 single chart. On the Global Top 200 chart the song climbed from No. 39 to No. 29, and it gained no less than 145 places on the Global Top 200 Excluding U.S. chart, climbing from No. 198 to No. 53 this week. On Billboard's Country Digital Song Sales chart the song re-entered the chart at No. 8 while it did the same on the Holiday Airplay Top 50 at No. 47.
On the Holiday 100 chart 'Blue Christmas' remained steady at No. 21 while it climbed from No. 24 to No. 21 on the Top Streaming Songs chart and dropped back from No. 8 to No 11 on the Rock Digital Song chart. On Billboard's Country Streaming Songs chart the 'Blue Christmas remained steady at No. 4.
'Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)' re-entered the the Top Streaming Songs chart at No. 17. It climbed from No 94 to No. 93 on the Holiday 100 chart, but on the Holiday Streaming Songs chart it remained steady at No. 21.
'O Little Town of Bethlehem' climbed from No. 13 to No. 3 on the Christian Streaming Songs chart this week.
'The Classic Christmas Album' jumped from No. 43 to No. 22 on the main Billboard 200 Album chart. On the Top Streaming Albums chart to album climbed from No. 32 to No. 20, and on the Catalog Album chart it bounced back on the charts, climbing from No. 22 to No. 17. The album climbed from No. 8 to No. 6 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, while 'The Essential Elvis Presley' climbed from No. 42 to No. 35 on that chart.
Hugh McIntyre wrote for Forbes: While all of the Billboard charts reflect current listening, and many of them are focused on what’s new and exciting, the past several weeks on the Top Rock and Alternative Albums chart have shown that when it comes to these styles, Americans prefer the classics. Just last week, Pink Floyd’s 'Wish You Were Here' launched at No. 1. This week that album falls to No. 28, making room for Presley’s holiday collection to jump from No. 5 to No. 1.
'The Classic Christmas Album' hit No. 1 on the Top Rock and Alternative Albums chart for the first time, 57 weeks into its tenure on the tally, and well over a decade since it was released in 2012. The compilation joined 'Elvis Presley Forever', which debuted at No. 1 back in September 2015.
On the Top Rock Albums chart, a slightly more specific variant of the more all-encompassing ranking, 'The Classic Christmas Album' jumped from No 6 to No. 1.
'The Classic Christmas Album' is one of dozens of yuletide projects that grow in stature every year and are enjoying their most impressive frames in months at the moment, just before disappearing entirely. The album is one of a relatively small number of releases that Billboard has classified as both "country" and "rock", meaning it can enter charts for both genres simultaneously.
On the Top Holiday Album chart the compilation won one spot climbed to No. 16 while the album climbed from No. 43 to No. 22 on Billboard's Global Top 200 Album chart.
The 'Christmas with Elvis and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra' album climbed from No. 21 to No. 18 to the Classical Album chart.
On the Artists chart Elvis Presley climbed from No. 52 to No. 31 this week.
To be updated: 'Blue Christmas' returned to the Holiday Digital Song Sales chart at No. 24.'Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)' jumped from No. 44 to No. 39 on the Global Top 200 chart.
Canadian Billboard Charts
On Billboard's Canadian Hot 100 chart, 'Blue Christmas' climbed from No. 19 to No. 17 while 'The Classic Christmas Album' rose from No. 32 to No. 17 on the Canadian Album Top 100 chart.
Irish Charts
The 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' compilation climbed from No. 95 to No. 89 on the IRMA Album Top 100. But 'Blue Christmas' fell off the Single Top 100 chart from last week's listing at No. 59.
Rest of the World
The 'Blue Christmas' single dropped off the Australian, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish and Swiss Single charts while 'Elvis' Christmas Album' exited the Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish and Swiss Album charts.
(Source: Billboard / Official Chart Company / UK Mix Forum / Janne Hokkanen / Forbes)
Lance H. Robbins published 'Breaking Elvis : Untold Secrets of the King' as a paperback and a hardcover edition.
Description: He was the most desired man alive, the most controlled star in the world and the most haunted, celebrated, idolized legend in music history.
For decades, bodyguards, girlfriends, insiders, and hangers-on spun their own versions of Elvis Presley. Some protected the myth. Some exploited it. Others stayed silent.
Breaking Elvis does something no traditional biography dared to do. It cracks the image wide open. This is not a tribute book, it’s not a sanitized legacy project. And it’s not written with permission from anyone who benefited from keeping the truth buried. It is a fast, hilarious, wild, fascinating, informative, and shocking take on the King in a no-holds barred look at his life covering topics that get to the heart of what every Elvis fan has either whispered about, argued about, or always wanted to know! Each chapter separating the Myth, the Story - and ends with Secrets Revealed.
This is Elvis unfiltered, brilliant, funny, reckless, insecure, generous, paranoid, tender, self-destructive, and impossible to look away from.
Note: This book contains many A.I. generated errors.
(Source: Amazon / Elvis Book Discussion Group on Facebook)
Sony's official Elvis Presley Collectors label, Follow That Dream Records, was established in 1999, with Ernst Jørgensen and Roger Semon as the driving force behind it. It was aimed at the serious Elvis fans and collectors, and issued material that was generally not part of mainstream RCA label releases.
The label was instigated for three reasons: to make artistically and historically important material available for the dedicated collector, to create and promote product that satisfies the insatiable appetite of fans for material and finally, to steer fans away from buying illegal (bootleg) product.
The label's catalog ranges from CDs and vinyl containing soundboard recorded concerts, original classic album releases and alternate takes and books. The latter written by various authors, including Ernst Jørgensen and Pål Granlund's Flaming Star Elvis fanclub. Most of the books include one or more CDs.
Elvis music collectors probably own a copy of either the two Japanese books on the label (published in 2015 and 2021) or the hardcover trilogy titled 'The World Of FTD' (2017), detailing the catalog of the Follow That Dream collector's label.
Since the latter book was release almost 10 years ago, it was time for an update. Atsushi Nakamura and David Ward provided this with their two-volume 'FTD World 1999 - 2025' book-set. Is it the up-to-date overview collectors were waiting for?
Design
The authors split the Follow That Dream discography over two 152-page paperback volumes. The reason for publishing two soft-cover books, as opposed to one hardback volume, was simple economics: printing and shipping costs. The authors still decided to use quality paper, which really adds to the reading experience.
Both volumes have the same modern and easy to read design. Working as a team, Atsushi Nakamura provided content from his previous publications and was responsible for the layout while David Ward translated part of the Japanese content to English and wrote the new pages for the releases by the label.
Graphically the books are very appealing, with two recognizable photographs on the cover, and the typography using the colors of the FTD-label. Added to the images of the CD, vinyl and book releases are photographs from Erik Lorentzen's collection, all used to illustrate the title, as well as fill up the blank spaces in a relevant way.
For most titles we get the front and back cover art, or the front-cover of the booklet (that came with the 'Classic Albums'). There are no images of the insides; that's a pity. I would have preferred to see the complete cover-art of all releases. There is one exception, we get a look inside the first volume of 'Celluloid Sell-Out!' with preview pages and rejected cover art.
As an author of physical references in a digital world, I'm also missing the promotional graphics that were created for various releases such as 'Forty Eight Hours To Memphis'. That would have completed the history of the label, and that type of marketing material kind-off belongs to a discography.
But I can understand the design-choice to keep the number of pages "low" in regard to the aforementioned costs. On the pro-side, there are a few neatly colorized photographs in the book, such as one of Elvis and Ann-Margret at the Old Vegas Amusement Park during the filming of 'Viva Las Vegas'.
Content
The books are divided in various sections. The first volume contains 16 albums with Studio Outtakes, 87 titles with Live, Rehearsals and Private Recordings, as well as the 40 'Classic Album' re-issues. On volume 2 we find 31 Soundtrack re-issues, 40 books (with and without CDs), 16 'Sessions' sets and the 52 vinyl albums the collectors label released since 1999. Each section has a short introduction, setting the scene and providing the necessary context.
All sections are organized chronologically, according to when the music was recorded, not when it was first released. This makes a lot of sense, in particular, with the live section. It also means that the Soundtrack albums, Classic Albums re-issues and vinyl mostly appear in the order they were released in Elvis' lifetime.
As there is overlap between old and new titles and between various book, CD and vinyl releases by the collector's label, the content could be ordered in various ways, but the authors chose a logical one.
As the FTD-label re-issued the same content various times, it would have been good if some more cross-references had been added for all releases that cover the same session, (original) album or song; this is something readers will have to do themselves.
The book offers all the factual information you need as a collector, such as the title, release date, cover art, tracklisting and a summary of the content, including corrections where necessary, detailing the actual versions of the music on the CD, which sometimes differ from the tracklisting. All the re-pressings the authors are aware of, including the differences are included too. So we get a complete overview of the catalog.
Contrary to the KJ Consulting trilogy, this set does not contain reviews of the releases, but David Ward stated in an interview with Piers Beagley for the Elvis Information Network that the authors "have inserted our own thoughts on many of the releases throughout the book. Hopefully, there are some stories in there about Elvis that many fans won't know." The decision not to add reviews was a good one, as the information provided for each title is enough for a collector's reference such as this.
Actually, there are two KJ Consulting books listed in the book; 'King Creole - Frame By Frame' and 'Jailhouse Rock - Frame By Frame'. But these books don't feature the logo of the FTD-label, or have any reference to it. These two photo-books are not strictly FTD books, but Flaming Star productions which were distributed by FTD.
Leafing through the book brought back many memories of all the new material the FTD-team brought us fans, right from the first CDs I bought when the label first started: the unreleased Dressing Room Rehearsal for the 1968 'Elvis' TV Special, to unreleased Out-takes on 'Out In Hollywood', the home-recordings on 'In A Private Moment'. But also, the 'Jungle Room Sessions', the first soundboard on 'Tucson '76' (or should I write "Tuscon" as the label did on the first release of this CD?) to Felton Jarvis' 'Guitar Man' reworks on 'Too Much Monkey Business'. Even when the FTD-label never seemed to have a release-strategy, the first releases in 1999 and 2000 were a good indication that the label would give the fans "all kinds" of Elvis releases.
In the back the authors added a concert data section which offers a great overview of the tours and Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe residencies the label has covered, and which ones they haven't. Perhaps it is good when Ernst Jörgensen and Roger Semon take a look at this section for future releases.
The beauty of a release such as this is that you can see how the label expanded the types and quality of releases from single discs and photo-books to multi-disc ('Session') sets, book and CD combos, vinyl and of course the Deluxe 'The Making Of' tomes.
Looking back at everything fans have gotten from the collectors label the past 26 years, we can only be grateful, even if fans sometimes rightfully complain. The corrections made by the authors illustrate this.
And we can conclude that, besides offering the fans alternate material, the label also succeeded in another "business goal": killing the bootleg market at their own game. That market is basically reduced to Audience Recordings - something the FTD-label did only once or twice - or vinyl compilations and re-issues.
In the aforementioned interview David Ward stated that he thinks the that the collectors label will continue until 2035, the 100th anniversary of Elvis' birth: "It would make a lot of sense to end the label then. I'm nearly 60 and I think my generation is now the largest group of Elvis fans, the offspring of the original fans, if you like. By 2035, we'll be retiring and starting to wind down our collecting activities, maybe even downsizing our collections. There are younger fans, as you know, but probably not enough to sustain a project like FTD. Besides, there's the elephant in the room, how much material do they actually have left?"
If the FTD-label manages to keep up the average of circa ten new titles per year, that totals about 100 titles up to 2035. There will be enough material for a third volume, something to look forward to as a collector.
Conclusion
For Elvis fans, these books are a no-brainer for both experienced and new fans, as it offers pretty much everything you need to find your way through 26 years of Follow That Dream releases. These volumes don't have the detailed background information of the 'Elvis UK' discographies - that was not the goal - but these books belong right up there as they are as complete as they can be, even 'The Making of G.I. Blues' from December 2025 is included.
The two volumes offer an affordable, quick and easy way to see what's out there, what each release is about, what you're missing, and what the alternatives are.
Running an Elvis Presley news and reviews website has the advantage that you have an "excuse" to buy everything you "need" to be as complete as possible. Browsing through the pages of these two volumes I conclude that I'm complete for the CD and book releases, and I realized once more the regret of not keeping up with the vinyl from day one ...
So "thank you" Atsushi and David, you woke up the collector in me, wanting to fill the gaps in the vinyl section of my Follow That Dream collection. Like the 'Elvis Day By Day' yearbooks, these two books should come with a warning: they will cost you money!
Booy Verlag published the 200-page bilangual book 'Elvis - Photos and Memories - volume 2' (German and English) by Beatrix van Ooyen.
Description: Eyewitnesses and photographers document Elvis Presley's time with the US military in Germany from October 1, 1958, to March 2, 1960. The first volume in the series, 'Elvis - Photos and Memories' focuses on copyright information, 40 eyewitness accounts, and 570 photographs.
The second and new volume, 'Elvis - Photos and Memories – Vol. 2' addresses collectors' rights and the value of their collections, as well as artistically or AI-generated images, screenshots of photos and films, eyewitness accounts, and fan activities to preserve the memory of Elvis Presley.
Rick Crofts did a Year In Review video for 2025, looking back at Elvis and personal highlights. I wonder where he got the idea :-) Well worth a view, if you're an Elvis fan, you'll understand why!
