Elvis' Popularity.

This appeared in Elvis News.com.

What Happened To Elvis' Popularity?

By Can Balkan, Nov 25, 2010
Dear Fans...We all love Elvis. Some of us love him because he was a great humble human being and most of us do because of his music. For many years, he's been earning awards, packing huge arenas(as he will again in 2012), and he charted well in this past decade. It was a glorious ten years for us.
But what happened right now? Viva Elvis?... Most people loved it but it didn't go well. To be honest with you, the show it self is not that good as I understood from the reviews of people who'd been there. It was a huge chance not it's diminishing.It could be nice if it had been on tour as they will do for MJ musical but it's not. The show is actually failing and so is the album too.
Many re releases of the original albums, compilations failed when cahrts considered.
On the other hand, there's a great demand for Elvis The Concert; Virtual concert tour around the world, even without NO AD. which is a shame actually. With a little more advertisement, I am definitely sure that O2 Arena can be a "sell out" for three days in London.
The Hyde Park was a huge success too regarding the number of people.
There are many events around the world;tributes and etc. They are doing well.
So what's wrong with Elvis? Why can't Sony see those successes written above? Boyzone couldn't fill even the half of the arena in Liverpool but Elvis can do that still, but why can't Sony see this opportunity?
We must do something. Huge campaign or a protest letter to EPE about Sony's ignorance. I am from Istanbul TR and I can tell you Sony TR is only caring about MJ. Why is the language of elvis.com only english if they want to be global, reach all fans around the world from every class.
If we don't do anything to makeofficials understand that Elvis is actually still selling well,(Especially with a little international ad.); Pure Elvis I mean, he will be only remembered as a great icon, that'sit. I want more than this, I want him to be recognized a s a great artist instead of "Love Me Tender" or "It's Now or Never."
I am tired of hearing "Oh I didn't know that Elvis sang such songs too." or "Wow, his version is better than the original". I hear this when "I" make the advertisement at home to other people. "Elvis on tour" was a great chance to show his stardom around the world but it failed. Did you know that still we didn't get it in Turkey, only Blue Ray which's very very expensive here. Why on earth could people arrange "this is it" to be seen at various theatres around the world through a whole week but not for elvis even only one day? Don't tell me that people don't go to it. If those arenas can be filled, so can theatres too.
Elvis's reputation is really important to me and I just wanted to share my feelings with you all who really care about him. Elvis.com has to correct the sales figure (For ages, it's written as one billion), Elvis has to have diamond awards, American Music Awards for his great achievements, real facts and numbers about his fan base etc. He deserves it,to be cared more and more.
Let's do more for him; if you can give the effort for writing messages about silly bootlegs, then you can do for real needed purposes too. Let's reunite and make officals understand that Elvis is really big.

I can understand Viva Elvis not selling well - it wasn't very good and received very mixed reviews among fans. There is also a declining/ageing market for general Elvis p-roduct, such as EOT.

It's a mixture of things that is causing this but despite that I think he's still doing well. I mean, he returned to the big screen last year with EOT and it was a huge success. There's no one to blame but the fickled music industry.

Why artists who have true talent fall to the bottom while the ones who are surviving off of gimmicks rather than talent are staying afloat? It's very disheartening. An example is that whole Britney vs Christina thing. There was Christina who could really sing and then there was Britney who's singing was mediocre but sold sexuality to get over the bar. Britney was declarred America's sweet heart while Christina fell to the bottom. It's no wonder that people say that music back in the day was better then music is today.

Then there's also the giant Sony who's not helping anything by pushing the "gimmick" acts and basically ignoring the true artists. It's not entirely their fault though because this is the age of music piracy and Disney-like artists.

I couldn't agree more Cliff :))) we have to do someting soon ! Elvis is the biggest artist of all time they just don't realize it!!!!! :))

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Originally Posted by Wickedreigndrop

It's a mixture of things that is causing this but despite that I think he's still doing well. I mean, he returned to the big screen last year with EOT and it was a huge success. There's no one to blame but the fickle music industry.

Why artists who have true talent fall to the bottom while the ones who are surviving off of gimmicks rather than talent are staying afloat? It's very disheartening. An example is that whole Britney vs Christina thing. There was Christina who could really sing and then there was Britney who's singing was mediocre but sold sexuality to get over the bar. Britney was declared America's sweet heart while Christina fell to the bottom. It's no wonder that people say that music back in the day was better then music is today.

Then there's also the giant Sony who's not helping anything by pushing the "gimmick" acts and basically ignoring the true artists. It's not entirely their fault though because this is the age of music piracy and Disney-like artists.

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Right on Toya. You said it. I truly feel the industry stopped being about talent years ago. It's all about marketing & the almighty dollar now. Same with the movie industry.
As for the Britney v Christina, to me there is no contest. Britney is just a s***k, and overrated at that. Where as Christina is hot but she has the talent to go with it. Like Elvis, who also had the sex angle, her talent will see her through. I saw the last vid she did where they accused her of coying Lady GaGa. I remember thinking that she din't need to stoop to this level. I should say at this point Lady Ga Ga has got more talent than she is given credit for. By that I mean singing talent. It's as you say Toya, you've got to have a gimmick, and unfortunately, or fortunately sex sells, as they say.All I can say is that if Britney is America's Sweetheart, then God help America. ;)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ummYd1bgQH8

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Originally Posted by epforever1

I couldn't agree more Cliff :))) we have to do someting soon ! Elvis is the biggest artist of all time they just don't realize it!!!!! :))

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But what more can we do, apart from what we're doing now? I stopped buying Elvis recordings a longtime ago, mainley because I've got everything he's ever done. If I were to by his re released stuff I'd just be buying the cover, and none of them are new. I started buying FTD cd, but they are just too expensive, as are a lot of these new compilations. I'm talking about the latest Sony release. OK, a lot of the younger generation are discovering Elvis and they are probably downloading his stuff of the net.
Oh I think people realize what a talent Elvis was. He probably gets a lot more respect now than he used to. By this I mean he was never taken seriously in Hollywood circles. It's amazing how you'll find an Elvis song featured in some movie or commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TESb7AC_lXg

I think we can make a difference. I think that Elvis isn't doin' as good as we would want is because more and more people have an entirely wrong image of Elvis, built up through the years by (for example) the media. Especially the younger generation, who never known Elvis in life, are raised with the stories they hear from media. They don't know the difference of true stories and half thruth or blown up stories. They even don't realise that Elvis was a great human being with great talents and human faults. They have an entirely different music influence today (As far as you can call it still music.) . So they think Elvis is passee. (I heard that say some folks now and then.) I really believe that there has to be a way to change that image. If the media would play doc's like: he touched me, Elvis in Vegas etc and not always the same onces: On tour, That's the way it is etc. Don't get me wrong those are great performances, but no real doc's where you can see the realy man behind the music. Why not playing movies like: Flaming star, King Creole, Charro etc. Maybe we can start by asking more Elvis on the radio. There are some real good remixes that fit into this days music.


Christel (TCE)

You can not force respect, nor recognition of any person or thing.
Elvis has been given little respect for the last 20 years by the bulk of the younger generations and they are influenced by people who now write the pop music and rock music magazines who do not seem to hold Elvis in the same esteem and standing as the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton etc.......they see him as more performer than real true creative artist-because IMO he did not write songs and was not a total master of the guitar. He is seen as having wasted his talents from 1961-62 into 1968 by way of concentrating on his movie career which let his musical career languish as new artists took over.
They do see his rebirth in 68-69 but then see decline after 1973 and unfortunately see him as a parody until his death.
It is so hard to make unseeing people realise the impact of Elvis in 1954, see the world before his explosion and the consequences of that explosion which were worldwide in all forms of culture and art.
Some of this is Elvis's fault for not being more attentive to his growth, but Parker did not encourage artist growth he encouraged profit growth and Elvis trusted the Colonels show business savvy for the bulk of his career-toward the end he was starting to see that Colonel may not always have the correct answer and approach to his career-IMO
But instead of understanding how Elvis was manipulated-todays young see him as weak and uncaring about what he did..........so respect does not come forth.
Before Elvis the music was so middle of the road, in the main-yet many young people today think Elvis was just that- "in the main.... in the middle of the road"
The young ones who see and hear the magic of Elvis....get it right away......the others will probably never get it...IMO it can not be forced.

unfortunately, Elvis' 'Image' is more popular to the mainstream market today.............

There are so many times the radio play his songs and it's always the same selective few................In the Ghetto, Suspicious Minds, Burning Love and maybe 'Always on my Mind. It's no wonder the general public know so little of the songs he sung, they play the same ones over and over again..........

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Originally Posted by debtdbruno

unfortunately, Elvis' 'Image' is more popular to the mainstream market today.............

There are so many times the radio play his songs and it's always the same selective few................In the Ghetto, Suspicious Minds, Burning Love and maybe 'Always on my Mind. It's no wonder the general public know so little of the songs he sung, they play the same ones over and over again..........

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A local St Louis oldies station said that In the Ghetto, Suspicious Minds, Burning Love and Kentucky Rain were the only Elvis songs they would play because they still got requests for those- they said the hundreds of other major and minor hits did not resonate with todays listeners. They admitted he had a vast number of hits but would not play them.

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Originally Posted by TCE

I think we can make a difference. I think that Elvis isn't doin' as good as we would want is because more and more people have an entirely wrong image of Elvis, built up through the years by (for example) the media. Especially the younger generation, who never known Elvis in life, are raised with the stories they hear from media. They don't know the difference of true stories and half thruth or blown up stories. They even don't realise that Elvis was a great human being with great talents and human faults. They have an entirely different music influence today (As far as you can call it still music.) . So they think Elvis is passee. (I heard that say some folks now and then.) I really believe that there has to be a way to change that image. If the media would play doc's like: he touched me, Elvis in Vegas etc and not always the same onces: On tour, That's the way it is etc. Don't get me wrong those are great performances, but no real doc's where you can see the realy man behind the music. Why not playing movies like: Flaming star, King Creole, Charro etc. Maybe we can start by asking more Elvis on the radio. There are some real good remixes that fit into this days music.


Christel (TCE)

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Cristel, what [U]is[U]the tuth and what is the half truth. There have been so many conflicting stories over the years none of which is clear. I remember when Charlie Hodge was trying to get his book about he and Elvis published, no one would touch it because there was not enough dirt in it. So Charlie had to publish it himself. It is one of the best books I have read. It shows the real side of Elvis. A very loving, caring and generous man, with a fantastic sense of humour.
We must also remember that Col. Parker created a myth about Elvis. I saw one of these myths mentioned in a forum here recently. Some one said that the Presleys were dirt poor. They weren't. Sure, they weren't rich by any means, but Vernon had a job. They had enough money too own a car. I guess today they would be classed as middle income, but by no means poor.Something else that contradicts the 'truth' is that Vernon went to Memphis to set up a new home for Gladys and Elvis but did not return as promised to take Gladys and Elvis back there.So, after a period of time Gladys had to pack up and go looking for him. Now, with Vernon's record I'm inclined to believe this. But, as I say, what is the truth, and what is the half truth.I'd like to think that the person who told me this back in the sixties was a reliable source (she new some of the boys). My reason for saying this is that she also told me that the boys told her that Elvis had Indian blood in him. I have since read this in the many books that I have read when seeking the truth. At the time it was never mentioned.
I'm afraid Cristel, that years from now, when the older Elvis fans have long passed on there may not be that support for Elvis. Oh, it will still be there, but ifeel, not as strong.
I'm pleased that you say Elvis had his faults. There are still some who feel he was a Saint, or the new Messiah.My feeling is, that is why he was more accepted after his death, because people did see that he had feet of clay. You see, this is all due to the myth that Parker built around Elvis, that he was an All American Boy, who loved mom's apple pie. In many ways this was not a bad thing as it gave people of my generation a good role model to follow, and gave us good values that we carried into our latter years. Look at what the young kids of today have got.

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Originally Posted by Cliff

Cristel, what [U]is[U]the tuth and what is the half truth. There have been so many conflicting stories over the years none of which is clear. I remember when Charlie Hodge was trying to get his book about he and Elvis published, no one would touch it because there was not enough dirt in it. So Charlie had to publish it himself. It is one of the best books I have read. It shows the real side of Elvis. A very loving, caring and generous man, with a fantastic sense of humour.
We must also remember that Col. Parker created a myth about Elvis. I saw one of these myths mentioned in a forum here recently. Some one said that the Presleys were dirt poor. They weren't. Sure, they weren't rich by any means, but Vernon had a job. They had enough money too own a car. I guess today they would be classed as middle income, but by no means poor.Something else that contradicts the 'truth' is that Vernon went to Memphis to set up a new home for Gladys and Elvis but did not return as promised to take Gladys and Elvis back there.So, after a period of time Gladys had to pack up and go looking for him. Now, with Vernon's record I'm inclined to believe this. But, as I say, what is the truth, and what is the half truth.I'd like to think that the person who told me this back in the sixties was a reliable source (she new some of the boys). My reason for saying this is that she also told me that the boys told her that Elvis had Indian blood in him. I have since read this in the many books that I have read when seeking the truth. At the time it was never mentioned.
I'm afraid Cristel, that years from now, when the older Elvis fans have long passed on there may not be that support for Elvis. Oh, it will still be there, but ifeel, not as strong.
I'm pleased that you say Elvis had his faults. There are still some who feel he was a Saint, or the new Messiah.My feeling is, that is why he was more accepted after his death, because people did see that he had feet of clay. You see, this is all due to the myth that Parker built around Elvis, that he was an All American Boy, who loved mom's apple pie. In many ways this was not a bad thing as it gave people of my generation a good role model to follow, and gave us good values that we carried into our latter years. Look at what the young kids of today have got.

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Vernon "at times" had a job not always, and lets not forget he did go to jail for forging a check-because he needed the money.
I would say that from what I have read about the Presleys that they were indeed poor people in their time in Tupelo.
Tupelo Mississippi was a small poor community, if you were there you were not in the lap of luxury.
I grew up very poor in the 50s and 60s my family lived on less that 5-8 thousand a year for most of that time-yet we had a car which was by no means new or reliable.
Rich, middle income, and poor are all relative terms to the place, time and circumstance.
Tupelo was not a wealthy community by most all standards, individuals who knew the Presleys and lived near them in Tupelo state in the book "Elvis Up Close" that indeed the Presleys were poor from the poor side of Tupelo ........but that does not mean they were destitute with nothing.

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Originally Posted by TCE

I think we can make a difference. I think that Elvis isn't doin' as good as we would want is because more and more people have an entirely wrong image of Elvis, built up through the years by (for example) the media. Especially the younger generation, who never known Elvis in life, are raised with the stories they hear from media. They don't know the difference of true stories and half thruth or blown up stories. They even don't realise that Elvis was a great human being with great talents and human faults. They have an entirely different music influence today (As far as you can call it still music.) . So they think Elvis is passee. (I heard that say some folks now and then.) I really believe that there has to be a way to change that image. If the media would play doc's like: he touched me, Elvis in Vegas etc and not always the same onces: On tour, That's the way it is etc. Don't get me wrong those are great performances, but no real doc's where you can see the realy man behind the music. Why not playing movies like: Flaming star, King Creole, Charro etc. Maybe we can start by asking more Elvis on the radio. There are some real good remixes that fit into this days music.


Christel (TCE)

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You are so very right Christel! People do have the wrong image about Elvis and the way that they chose to market him is not helping this at all. I just found out that Krispy Kreme is giving away jelly donuts for Elvis' Birthday saying that was his favorite.That's a bad image right there.

Radio has made its mind up on Elvis and 95% in America just will not play him (not even the "new" remixes)-oldies stations are disappearing, or becoming hits of the 70s and 80s stations.
In St Louis-we have one station which still plays truely early rock which includes Elvis-they also have blocks of time which play, Frank Sinatra, Dean, Sammy, etc.....the rest of the stations are divided between country, rap, current pop and 70s to the 90s stations.
The Beatles by contrast are played regularly on many of these stations no matter the format even on the station I mentioned which still plays early rock and Elvis.
One final thought-the image of Elvis, while not being fair a lot of the time-actually started with Elvis himself if we look honestly at it......He did overeat, he did have a weight problem in the 60s and in the mid 70s, he did have a prescription problem with his "a pill or potion for every ill" attitude, he did let Parker call the bulk of the shots and signed the long term contracts which Parker negotiated (trusting Parker) he did allow the business of music publishing to interfere with picking songs for his musical career which gave him less than superior material at times...................he was human who made mistakes and those mistakes have a way of following you in life and even in death.
I know that the mistakes are given way more press, way more consideration than the things Elvis excelled at-the 70s are never seen from the perspective of the best years 70-74 they are seen as 76-77.....the worst years.
This is not fair-but 76-77 did happen, as did the bad songs, bad films, and all the negatives which are always pounced on and which seem to be overriding the best that was Elvis.
Its hard to overcome the negatives-because even though they are perhaps exaggerated, and used to unfairly describe all that was "Elvis" and his accomplishments.....they were sadly part of what he was. Its not like you can only show the good, because life is not like that........human nature for some unexplained reason sees the bad in spades while the good fights for light.

I don`t think that there is a way to force people into having more respect and more interest in Elvis.It`s a lot to expect to still have Elvis up there with the best selling artists of today as well...I think that,despite all the factors working against him,Elvis is is doing quite well today...considering he has been gone from this world since 1977,considering the lack of foresight and imagination by the people who own the rights to his music...even the willingness of EPE to as good as approve the whole insane ETA scene. It`s hard to know what the future holds...todays music-scene is not in a very strong position and will no doubt remain so until something new and exciting comes along...in many ways it is a case of "wait and see" before we can find out what Elvis` place will be in that. There have been worries and concerns for the future of Elvis for as long as I can remember...maybe we are worrying about nothing..he just keeps on coming back again!

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Originally Posted by SleepyJack

I don`t think that there is a way to force people into having more respect and more interest in Elvis.It`s a lot to expect to still have Elvis up there with the best selling artists of today as well...I think that,despite all the factors working against him,Elvis is is doing quite well today...considering he has been gone from this world since 1977,considering the lack of foresight and imagination by the people who own the rights to his music...even the willingness of EPE to as good as approve the whole insane ETA scene. It`s hard to know what the future holds...todays music-scene is not in a very strong position and will no doubt remain so until something new and exciting comes along...in many ways it is a case of "wait and see" before we can find out what Elvis` place will be in that. There have been worries and concerns for the future of Elvis for as long as I can remember...maybe we are worrying about nothing..he just keeps on coming back again!

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Excellent point-I agree, even though he has had little new music for 33 years and the amount of concert footage of him has been just as sparse-he is doing fantastic IMO.
He still is regarded near the top as a historical musical icon, he ranks in the top for sales worldwide, and his name is still known by young people today even if they do not fully understand his significance.

The way that music is at the moment..well,chart-music anyway I don`t think that there is really as much knowledge of the artists or of music in general as there was in previous generations.In times past there was an interest in influences and in how the music of the day came to be..not so much of that today...at least not by the people who are buying the music that is making the charts. If you step outside that there is still a strong music scene going on away from the "Top 20"...and it is there that I would like to see Elvis get the credit he deserves.Both Sony and EPE should be focusing on that and working to undo all the harm that has been done by the media jokes and all the people who have turned the image of Elvis into nothing more than an over-the-top cartoon figure who just ate burgers and played Las Vegas..all the while having nothing better to say than "Thankyaver`much"...that is the thing that needs to be undone somehow before Elvis will really be judged in the light that he should be...and seen for the talent and inspiration that he was/is.

It's all EPE's and RCA/BMG/Sony's fault. They still are re-selling the old 50s and 60s hit. Those songs, despite their historical value and greatness, won't win many new fans and won't give him much airplay on contemporary stations.

Sony should re-evaluate Elvis' catalogue and create albums that have a change to score (on iTunes/radio). During this process they should ignore hit positions of those songs/albums during the 50s/60s/70s. Same goes with the artwork. We all know that 'the mothers in the shopping malls' may pickup an Elvis CD with a cute Teddy Bear kinda picture of Elvis easier than one with a more modern look. But we need to get the new generation listen to Elvis. It's no wonder that among them Suspicious Minds is much better known than Hound Dog.

Get the new audience with these contemporary compilations and then sell them the (already widely available) greatest hits albums (or original albums)

I agree with Cliff. And I want to say yes yes Elvis was american cherokee indian, scot irish some jewish and welch. I emailed graceland along time ago on his geonology.( spelling). Anyway they have always answered anything I have asked. And I can see much indian. Cheekbones etc.

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Originally Posted by Albert

It's all EPE's and RCA/BMG/Sony's fault. They still are re-selling the old 50s and 60s hit. Those songs, despite their historical value and greatness, won't win many new fans and won't give him much airplay on contemporary stations.Sony should re-evaluate Elvis' catalogue and create albums that have a change to score (on iTunes/radio). During this process they should ignore hit positions of those songs/albums during the 50s/60s/70s. Same goes with the artwork. We all know that 'the mothers in the shopping malls' may pickup an Elvis CD with a cute Teddy Bear kinda picture of Elvis easier than one with a more modern look. But we need to get the new generation listen to Elvis. It's no wonder that among them Suspicious Minds is much better known than Hound Dog.

Get the new audience with these contemporary compilations and then sell them the (already widely available) greatest hits albums (or original albums)

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I see what you are saying-but its almost an unwritten rule at the stations in my area that I have e-mailed-they say they have no demand for Elvis music so they do not even consider playing his music.
ALLC got some play in 2001-2002 at a couple of the local contemporary stations, and the DJs said they were getting enough requests that they had to play it.....fastforeward to the release of Rubberneckin a while later and once again DJs I called and e-mailed said there was just no demand for the song.
In the US so many stations are now owned by the same corporations that "individual policy and playlists" are a thing of the past......I'm not sure what the answer is to this.
If radio will not play the songs...... you are up against a brick wall.