Elvis Presley Would Be 78 Today
By: Amanda Ashley
Updated: January 8, 2013
Elvis Presley would have turned 78 Tuesday. In honor of The King's b-day, Billboard took a look back at at five of his most impressive chart records:
- 108 Hot 100 hits, the most among rock artists in the chart's history. Among all acts, only the "Glee" cast (205) and Lil Wayne (110) have inked more charted hits. Presley's career, however, predates the Hot 100's 1958 inception; he charted more than 30 song entries on surveys that chronicled popular music beginning in 1956.
- 80 top 40 Hot 100 hits, the most such showings in the tally's archives. On the first Hot 100, dated Aug. 4, 1958, Presley ranked at No. 4 with "Hard Headed Woman" and at No. 34 with "Don't Ask Me Why," each featuring his longtime gospel backing band, the Jordanaires.
- 126 Billboard 200 charted albums, the highest total in the chart's 56-year history. Ten of those sets reached No. 1, beginning with "Elvis Presley," which ruled for 10 weeks in 1956. His most recent reign came courtesy of "Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits" in 2002.
- 67 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the most time spent at the top for a solo act. Garth Brooks and Michael Jackson follow, each with 51 frames in charge. Presley's longest reign? The "Blue Hawaii" soundtrack totaled 20 weeks at No. 1, beginning in December 1961.
- Presley became the first rock artist to make two trips to the Hot 100 summit, as "Stuck on You" began a four-week command April 30, 1960. That song, recorded shortly after Presley's discharge from the Army, followed "A Big Hunk O' Love," which led the Aug. 15, 1959, chart. Presley last perched atop the Hot 100 No. 1 with "Suspicious Minds" the week of Nov. 1, 1969.
- 108 Hot 100 hits, the most among rock artists in the chart's history. Among all acts, only the "Glee" cast (205) and Lil Wayne (110) have inked more charted hits. Presley's career, however, predates the Hot 100's 1958 inception; he charted more than 30 song entries on surveys that chronicled popular music beginning in 1956.
- 80 top 40 Hot 100 hits, the most such showings in the tally's archives. On the first Hot 100, dated Aug. 4, 1958, Presley ranked at No. 4 with "Hard Headed Woman" and at No. 34 with "Don't Ask Me Why," each featuring his longtime gospel backing band, the Jordanaires.
- 126 Billboard 200 charted albums, the highest total in the chart's 56-year history. Ten of those sets reached No. 1, beginning with "Elvis Presley," which ruled for 10 weeks in 1956. His most recent reign came courtesy of "Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits" in 2002.
- 67 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the most time spent at the top for a solo act. Garth Brooks and Michael Jackson follow, each with 51 frames in charge. Presley's longest reign? The "Blue Hawaii" soundtrack totaled 20 weeks at No. 1, beginning in December 1961.
- Presley became the first rock artist to make two trips to the Hot 100 summit, as "Stuck on You" began a four-week command April 30, 1960. That song, recorded shortly after Presley's discharge from the Army, followed "A Big Hunk O' Love," which led the Aug. 15, 1959, chart. Presley last perched atop the Hot 100 No. 1 with "Suspicious Minds" the week of Nov. 1, 1969.
