30 #1 Hits

Performer: Elvis Presley
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Personnel includes: Elvis Presley (vocals); Gordon Stoker, Ben Speer, Brock Speer, Rad Robinson, Jon Dodson, Charles Prescott, Millie Kirham, Sherrill Nelson, Kathy Westmoreland, Myrna Smith; The Jordanaires; The Surfers; The Sweet Inspirations; The Imperials; J.D. Sumner & The Stamps. Producers include: Steve Sholes, Chet Atkins, Chips Moman, Felton Jarvis, Elvis Presley. Compilation producer: David Bendeth. Includes liner notes Peter Guralnick and Ernst Mikael Jorgensen. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Commemorating the 25th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, 30 #1 HITS presents a career-spanning serving of the King's chart-toppers. Dating back to "Heartbreak Hotel" (which was inspired by a suicide note printed in the Miami Herald), most of these cuts have become indelibly etched into the fabric of pop culture and each has a unique story behind it. "Love Me Tender" has its origins in the Civil War ballad "Aura Lee," "It's Now Or Never" found Elvis Americanizing the Neapolitan ballad "O Sole Mio," and "Wooden Heart" likewise was converted from a German children's song. This Memphis native's choice of artists to cover was equally intriguing and includes Hollywood legend Al Jolson ("Are You Lonesome Tonight?"), New Orleans soul shouter Smiley Lewis ("One Night"), blues great Big Mama Thornton ("Hound Dog"), and country titan Hank Snow ("[Now And Then There's] A Fool Such As I"). Further testimony of Presley's long-lasting appeal is the inclusion of the JXL Radio Edit Remix of "A Little Less Conversation," a UK #1 that not only enabled Elvis to have more chart-toppers than The Beatles, but also became a hit in a number of other countries including the United States.

Rolling Stone (10/02, p.75) - 5 stars out of 5 - "...The proverbial offer no one can refuse..." Entertainment Weekly (9/27/02, pp.86-7) - "...It does the job as intended: a one-stop-shopping intro to Elvis..." - Rating: A- Q (12/02, p.69) - Included in Q Magazine's "The 50 Best Albums of 2002." Q (10/02, p.124) - 5 stars out of 5 - "...For a single-disc summation of his life, this one is a treat..." Uncut (12/02, p.160) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...An evocation of his career and an impressively astute assemblage....A canny introduction to the King's output..."

"Before Elvis, there was nothing," John Lennon once said. An overstatement, of course, but Elvis Presley's ascendance to superstardom in the mid-1950s kicked off a musical and social revolution whose impact has yet to abate. After the charming young man from Tupelo, Mississippi was discovered by Sun Records honcho Sam Phillips, the wise studio owner took Presley under his wing, leading to the landmark recording of his first single, "That's All Right (Mama)." The rest, of course, is well-documented history, with Elvis going on to conquer the pop charts, the box office, and beyond. He truly was the King, and his blend of country, pop, and R&B became the cornerstone of rock & roll.

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