Today marks what could have - and should have - been Elvis Presley's 90th birthday! Thank you for the music and the legacy you left, we still enjoy it, day by day!
Graceland celebrated Elvis' birthday on the north lawn of Elvis' Mansion. Witness the unveiling of a larger-than-life birthday cake and hear the proclamation of Elvis Presley Day from Memphis and Shelby County officials.
If you can't make it in person, tune in online for free via Graceland's >>> Vimeo page here - this is one birthday celebration you won't want to miss!
You can also enjoy BBC's Matt Shepherd 'Golden Years 'Elvis: The King At 90' Special' radio special. In this special edition of the Golden Years he plays live performances from the King, original songs from other artists, which would later appear in Elvis' concert song list and fans who saw and met the King live in concert and in person share their unique and delightful stories.
Elvis Presley can usually be located somewhere on the charts in the United States and United Kingdom, his Christmas catalogue helped him return to many charts worldwide the past few weeks.
But that effect is (almost) over, so we return to the normal charts. The UK's Top 100 for 2024 'Elvis' '30 No. 1 Hits' was listed as the 42nd. best selling album of the year. On Billboard's Album Top 200 year-end list the album made it to the No. 166th spot.
Still, Presley claims a hit album on five different charts that focus only on one genre. His current success underlines not only the star’s continued popularity across America, but also how his work can be classified under different labels—including both work he released during his lifetime and afterward.
Elvis: Ultimate Gospel reappears on the Top Christian Albums chart this week at No. 43. Surprisingly, despite its name, it can’t also be found on the Top Gospel Albums list.
Official U.K. charts:
On the Official Album chart, the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' won 2 spots and climbed to No. 42.
'Elvis' Christmas Album' fell off the Official Album chart, the Streaming Album chart while Elvis' 'White Christmas' compilation also dropped off the latter chart.
'Blue Christmas' fell off the Official Singles Chart, the Streaming Singles Chart, the Audio Streaming Singles Chart.
Official Music DVD chart: 'Elvis The Searcher' makes a re-entry at No. 21. (to be updated)
Irish IRMA charts: (to be updated)
Official Irish Singles chart: 'Blue Christmas' gained 33 places from No. 76 to No. 43.
Official Irish Album chart: 'The Classic Christmas Album' makes a re-entry at No. 53.
Official Irish Album chart: 'Elvis Christmas Album' makes a re-entry at No. 61.
Official Irish Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' makes a re-entry at No. 92.
U.S. Billboard charts (same as extra update from December 31, 2024):
Hugh McIntyre noted for >>> Forbes: A lot has changed in the music industry since Elvis Presley’s passing. In the decades following his death, perhaps the most meaningful shift has been the introduction of streaming, which has completely revolutionized how people consume music and how artists impact the Billboard charts.
Many musicians who enjoyed their heyday in the years before streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music emerged as powerful forces in the music business haven’t recreated their popularity in a new era. Tastes have changed, and many older listeners don’t necessarily focus on consuming the songs and albums they love on those sites. Presley has bucked that trend, at least somewhat, by scoring several hits on Billboard’s Top Streaming Albums chart, and he’s still climbing on that tally.
This week, Presley hits a new career high on the Top Streaming Albums ranking, which lists the most-streamed full-lengths in the U.S. The singer’s 'The Classic Christmas Album' surges from No. 38 to No. 20, which now stands as the loftiest position he’s ever seen.
Presley beats his previous all-time high of No. 22, which he reached almost exactly a year ago. On the chart dated January 6, 2024 - which reflected listening from the 2023 Christmas season - another popular holiday set, 'Elvis' Christmas Album', debuted and peaked at No. 22.
Even before 'The Classic Christmas Album' pushed past Elvis' Christmas Album in terms of top placement, the former title stood out as Presley’s sturdier win on the Top Streaming Albums chart. His current hit has spent seven frames on the streaming-only roster, while Elvis' Christmas Album only managed one turn before disappearing.
Billboard introduced the Top Streaming Albums chart only relatively recently, but Presley has still managed to collect a pair of smashes on the tally. That’s fairly rare among acts that got their start in the spotlight more than half a century ago, and that fact underlines his ongoing popularity in American pop culture.
'The Classic Christmas Album' is on the rise on multiple Billboard charts this week, as listeners in the U.S. can’t get enough of holiday music around this time of year. In addition to the Top Streaming Albums roster, Presley’s hugely successful collection reaches a new peak on the Top Country Albums and Top Rock Albums lists as well. It jumps to No. 4 on the former while finally conquering the latter for the first time.
Billboard 200 Album chart: 'The Classic Christmas Album' climbed from No. 46 to No. 23.
Top Streaming Albums chart: 'The Classic Christmas Album' climbed from No. 38 to No. 20.
Top Country Albums chart: 'The Classic Christmas Album' climbed from No. 9 to No. 4.
Catalog Albums chart: 'The Classic Christmas Album' climbed from No. 17 to No. 13.
Top Rock and Alternatives Album chart: 'The Classic Christmas Album' climbed from No. 5 to No. 2.
Top Rock and Alternatives Album chart: 'The Essential Elvis presley' climbed from No. 41 to No. 37.
Top Rock Album chart: 'The Classic Christmas Album' climbed from No. 3 to No.1.
Top Holiday Album chart: 'The Classic Christmas Album' climbed from No.17 to No. 14.
Hot 100 Singles chart: 'Blue Christmas' climbed from No 36 to No. 21.
Global Top 200 Singles: 'Blue Christmas' climbed from No 51 to No. 21.
Global Top 200 excl. U.S. Singles: 'Blue Christmas' climbed from No 173 to No. 43.
Streaming Songs chart: 'Blue Christmas' climbed from No 27 to No. 20.
Streaming Country Songs chart: 'Blue Christmas' remained steady at No. 4.
Rock Digital Songs Sales chart: 'Blue Christmas' remained steady at No. 15.
Holiday 100 chart: 'Blue Christmas' climbed from No 21 to No. 20.
Holiday Airplay chart: 'Blue Christmas' re-entry at No. 45.
Holiday Streaming Songs chart: 'Blue Christmas' climbed from No 21 to No. 20.
Holiday Streaming Songs chart: 'Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)' climbed from No. 85 to No. 77.
Christian Streaming Songs chart: 'O Little Town of bethlehem' climbed from No. 10 to No. 5.
Top Christian Album chart: 'Elvis' Ultimate Gospel': re-entry at No. 43.
Classical Album chart: 'Elvis - Christmas with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra' remained steady at No. 20.
Artist Top 100 chart: 'Elvis' climbed from No 44 to No. 35.
US Book Charts:
Extra charts from the U.S. this week, for the Lisa Marie Presley biography. On the New York Times 'Combined Print and E-Book Nonfiction' bestsellers lists, 'From Here To The Great Unknown' climbed from No. 13 to No. 12. The book dropped outside the Top 15 on the nonfiction hardcover bestsellers. On the monthly Audiobook bestsellers list for December, the book dropped from No. 9 to No. 8No. 9 (monthly list).
Greek Charts:
Greek IPFI Album Top 75'; 'ELV1S 30 #1 HITS' re-entered the chart at No. 75.
(Source: Billboard / Official Chart Company / IRMA / UK Mix Forum/ IPFI / Amazon / NY Times / Publisher's Weekly / Entertainment Weekly / ARIA / Forbes / UltraTop)
Rolling Stone published the 96-page single issue magazine 'The King As He Was, As He'll Always Be'.
Publicity stated: One of the most influential and popular musicians of all time, Elvis Presley redefined the sound of American rock and roll. Though he died at just 42 in 1977, his legacy continues to grow.
This collectors edition of Rolling Stone chronicles his rise, from his humble childhood in Tupelo, Mississippi, to his breakthrough as daring singer who drew on a diverse range of musical influences, including gospel, blues, folk, and country, leading to chart-topping records like “Hound Dog,” “All Shook Up,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” and “Jailhouse Rock.”
And while his music stood for itself, it was Presley’s lustful, hip-swiveling performances that helped catapult him to superstardom. He parlayed that appeal into an acting career, reeling off dozens of box office hits in the 1950s and ’60s, including Love Me Tender, Jailhouse Rock, Blue Hawaii, and Viva Las Vegas.
This special issue includes all the highlights from his career, including his final years as he launched a comeback and his tragic death at Graceland, his beloved Memphis compound.
You can pre-order the magazine from >>> Amazon (associate link).
The Lisa Marie - The King's Flying Graceland
Carlos Varrenti shared a video, announcing his new 600-page book 'The Lisa Marie - The King's Flying Graceland' which will be released on April 17, 2025, marking 50 years since Elvis Presley bought the plane.
Publicity stated: The Lisa Marie - The King's Flying Graceland' is 550 pages all about Elvis' favorite plane. It includes fascinating stories, interviews with the pilots, stewardesses and others who flew on it, plus features hundreds of great photos, media reports, and other rare archival material.
The book also tells the story, in detail, of what happened to the plane after Elvis' death before it was brought back to Graceland.
King of the Strange
Elvis Presley is featured in the January 2025 edition of the U.K. Fortean Times magazine with inside the article 'Elvis: King of the Strange'.
The January 2025 edition of the Spanish Ruta 66 Rock and Roll magazine features Elvis Presley on the cover, and inside an overview of his discography, ranked from "the worst to the best".
Elvis Special
The U.K. Mirror tabloid published an unofficial tribute to the King of Rock and Roll on what would have been his 90th birthday.
Description: The smouldering, petulant smile, those outrageous gyrating hips and, of course, his unbelievable voice - Elvis lives on even though it is almost 50 years since his death.
To mark what would have been his 90th birthday, this Daily Mirror special edition looks back at the extraordinary life of the King of Rock and Roll. With some amazing images from our archives, we relive his career - from those early days in Memphis to becoming a global icon who is still loved and adored today.
The Early Years
Published in Australia in Anthem Publishing's 'Vintage Rock Presents' series is 'Elvis The Early Years'.
Originally released in Europe earlier in 2024, it is described as: In Elvis The Early Years, we pay tribute to the King's Imperial Phase, when America was first seduced by the raw charisma of Elvis Aaron Presley. We delve into his back catalogue to examine his iconic first two albums, and we run down his 20 best tracks from the 50s.
We also have features on Elvis’ parents, Vernon and Gladys, plus The Jordanaires, Sun boss Sam Phillips, the Louisiana Hayride, the Million Dollar Quartet, the King’s army years, the Jailhouse Rock film and much, much more!
(Source: Pascal Matteo / Ruta 66 / The Mirror / Elvis Information Network
BBC Radio 2 kicked off the new (Elvis) year and 90th birthday celebrations with the Top 40 Favorite Elvis Singles. The radio station announced that 'Suspicious Minds' was the nation’s favorite Elvis Presley song. It took the Number 1 spot in Your Ultimate Elvis Song, the Top 40 chart of single releases by Elvis as voted for by the station’s listeners - with over 100 000 votes cast - to mark what would have been his 90th birthday on January 8, 2025.
Listeners to the BBC were asked to select up to five of their favorite tracks from Elvis’ 90 Top 20 UK hits.
In the show, Priscilla Presley, said: “I want to thank everyone who has voted and shown this outpouring of love ahead of such a special anniversary, it's wonderful knowing just how much Elvis’ music means to you all and that he lives on through the beautiful memories that remind you of him and his amazing career, and I send you all my love. To pick out one track from his vast catalogue is such a big decision. But between you, that's what you’ve done. So let's play Your Ultimate Elvis Song.”
In the Number 2 spot is 'In The Ghetto', Number 3 is 'If I Can Dream', Number 4 is 'Always On My Mind' and Number 5 is 'Can't Help Falling In Love'.
