Elvis Presley getting more popular?

Everything I have read indicated that Elvis was declining in popularity. I have just begun to try to understand Elvis music and was looking at ebay and it seems that there are a significant number of people bidding on Elvis records- as many or more than Zeppelin, Dylan, etc. Looked at a download site and noticed the same popularity. Made me wonder who are these people- new fans or old? And if I was looking to start getting into Elvis vinyl where the heck would I start?

Jim

 

Popularity is a funny old thing, hard to put ones finger on it as the tide changes quickly...
As for Elvis vinyl, where you start is up to you. Mono originals. Stereo originals. Re-issues. New pressings. I've got a lovely collection of mid to late eighties UK/European pressings which are probably worthless... but boy do I love 'em to bits!

 

I have seen no evidence to suggest Elvis and his music is getting more popular. Many kids in generation z have no idea who he is, other than perhaps a distant familiarity of the name in popular culture. Sony has done an admirable job reissuing product (in an era where it makes less of an impact due to the demise of traditional, physical retail), and certainly the upcoming HBO documentary will receive promotion, but I suspect most of that product and projects appeal to the established fan-base.

 

ELVIS IS COMING

 

Why would Elvis get more popular? To who? And why? His music is old. He's dead. He's a cartoony character to most people under 50. A lot of his post-Army music has not aged particularly well.

 

More popular than when?

It's all relative, but I assume just more popular than recently, than say, the late 70s.

 

One of the (many) weird things about the popular HBO show Big Little Lies was the finale in which all the male characters go to a fundraising costume party dressed in every conceivable incarnation of Elvis—Blue Hawaii-Elvis, Comeback Special-Elvis, Jumpsuit Elvis, etc.

Then some of the stars performed various Elvis songs for the crowd, to rapturous recognition, attention, and applause.

The strange thing was that all these Elvis references were made as if the characters took them to be utterly familiar and instantly recognizable. And it also seemed to suggest that viewers of the show should take them that way too, even if they didn't or couldn't.

Don't know what it says about an Elvis resurgence. Maybe just that the show's creators thought that the idea of Elvis as an abiding common currency was cool.

 

Sounds like you don’t care much for Elvis.

 

More popular than Jesus?????

 

Of the four statements he made, three are factual. They have nothing to with liking or not liking Elvis.

 

Sure sounded that way to me.

 

It was nice to see A Little Less Conversation used in last week's Saturday Night Live opening monolog.

 

I'd argue that just TWO of the four are "factual" with the other two being highly subjective opinions being expressed by someone who obviously dislikes the music!

 

Possibly it's because he just had a birthday?

 

I believe Elvis was quite high in the recent Forbes list of entertainers who have passed away.

 

Quite high indeed.

 

I teach 5th grade and the majority of my students have no idea who he is. When they did a reading assignment online about music that had some clips of his (Hurt and All Shook Up I believe) many of them giggled at Hurt, especially the intro. Not in their wheelhouse at all. Probably not their parents' either.

 

It sounded that way to me too.

Where to start with Elvis vinyl ? I would start with his sun sides in AAA, so I would buy the sun sessions, 1979 RCA uk records, 1979, NL 42757, (RCA BLUE labels) with boppin bob etched on side one and De lane lea etched on side two...there is a thread somewhere on this forum stating that this one is the best if you want his sun sides in mono on a 33 RPM because the guy who was responsible for producing and mastering it locate the best first generation tapes that were available then...

 

I imagine people with a general interest in popular music of the last century would take a liking or appreciation of Elvis, considering he was arguably the most iconic and among the most influential artists in all of pop and rock music.

John Lennon is dead and his music is old. Same with Jim Morrison. And Jimi Hendrix. And Michael Jackson. And Kurt Cobain...I could go on...

This is very debatable, and I would argue untrue. Anyone who knows anything about Elvis, his music, and overall importance would not see him in such a way. He has his detractors who focus on the more unflattering aspects of his career, but writing him off as a “cartoony character” reeks of ignorance.

Again, this is rather subjective. I don’t think his music is any more dated than any of his contemporaries, or even compared to some big and influential artists who came after him.

 

All it takes is one of his songs to go viral and then lots of young people will like him. The same thing goes for everyone in this day and age.

 

Yeah this is how marketing people think kids find and enjoy music... it isn't.

 

Tell that to Journey.

 

Maybe Miley Cyrus had something to do with it...



Seriously, though, plenty of under-40 women love Elvis. Was just talking to a young woman today about Elvis....and she brought him up. Getting more popular? Maybe not.

 

Even if you take away the music, Elvis' status as an icon of 20th Century Americana hasn't left us yet. His story is almost Shakespearean and I am moderately confident that there will be interest in Elvis Presley as a human study for many years.

 

Hmm depends on what three you see as factual. There are two that are 100% factual since he is in fact dead and he did record long ago so yes his music is old.

What's your third then?