The Essential Elvis Presley [RCA/Sony BMG]

Performer: Elvis Presley
Producer: Ernst Mikael Jorgensen (Compilation); Roger Semon (Compilation)
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Liner Note Author: Michael Hill. Recording information: 07/05/1954-02/04/1976. Those who need more than the single-disc set of number-one singles, but less than the full box sets covering Elvis's1950s, '60s and '70s output, will be most pleased with BMG's two-disc compilation, THE ESSENTIAL ELVIS PRESLEY. With 40 tracks in chronological order--beginning with the epochal "That's All Right (Mama)" up to the title track of his final album, "Moody Blue"--this anthology is as straightforward as its name. From the early rockabilly classics to epic romantic ballads like "Suspicious Minds" and "Always On My Mind," and from movie hits like "Viva Las Vegas" to bluesy rockers like "Reconsider Baby," all of Elvis' most important tracks are on this well-chosen set. Those who know the myths and legends more than the music would do well to start here and learn just why Elvis Presley is now and forever the King of Rock & Roll.

"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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