Elvis Presley

Ok

elvis famously cribbed his entire thing from black artists and then got more famous than them because it was easier to sell rock & roll records if they were done by a white person. he brings nothing new or unique to most of these recordings and so i can’t think of any real reason to listen to Any of these songs over the originals. this is most clear on his versions of tutti frutti and i’ve got a woman which are both miles beneath the classic originals. his greatest contribution to music history was his stage presence and dance moves or whatever which he also cribbed. nothing i’ve said just now is anything new. not a good album

Headspace Radio Broadcasting. Thank you for tuning in. Today, the topic for all our show is: Elvis Presley. *radio static, switching to another station* the familiar synth jingle of the Weather Station rang from the radio. "This is London Calling: there's a big storm happening today evening in somewhere. Beware of possible deaths that may occur during childbirth, especially if the child is a firstborn." the station was switched again. eerie music slowly unravelled itself. "Now reporting from Supernatural FM. Today, the debut album of Elvis has left the building... and entered my listening challenge. What do you have to say, Mr. Joe Strummer... oh, there's no answer from the afterlife? im a pretty terrible psychic." Sound and Legacy, everybody's favourite talk show, follows a brief heavy metal riff. "And let us reach the 3rd time where i quote a line from my "The Chronic" review: 'Shite Politics'. I mean, S-H-I-T-E P-O-L-I-T-I-C-S. DO NOT underestimate some music's cultural influence just because it whitewashed things. Without Elvis we won't be able to have the Beatles and everything else. You know, only Little Richard and Chuck Berry is not enough..." with betting adverts, came SKY Radio Sports. "Manchester City scores! Phil Foden, what a pretty shot! The citizens probably are singing 'Blue Moon' on the terrance now!" it's now Legacies, where people discuss music, mainly classic rock. "It's pretty useless to underrate the importance of a cover song just because the original have 'passion' and 'soul', as you heard in the versions of Hallelujah, Jeff did this beautifully rendition and has more emotion oozing from his voices but WHY STILL VALUE LEONARD COHEN?" The radio switched back to the Main station. "Admit it, its of course not as good as radiohead. So give it a 3 and end the whole headspace thing." 3/5

1. Blue Suede Shoes - 9 Great sound. This is Elvis' debut album and this is about as strong track you could open the album with. There's a few times where a band or artist who reaches the highest heights start with an absolute classic. "Rock and Roll Star" by Oasis comes to mind as an example but this song is one as well. Really great tempo and all around excellent sound. For the era, it is without little doubt as to why Elvis was so popular and I do believe this has stood the test of time quite well. 2. I'm Counting On You - 5 Much slower song. Not really my style and I'm not very fond of his vocals on the chorus. The background singers makes this feel too much like The Pops as opposed to rock and roll. 3. I Got a Woman - 9 Classic track. My favourite version of this song is the one Ray Charles did, but this is just a great sound to an absolute old time classic of a song. Sound is great and drum is the star of the show here. Really enjoyable track. 4. One-Sided Love Affair - 8 Reminds me of boogie woogie piano style music at the beginning. Really solid swing music which Elvis really became known for. Lyrically it is very good. You will find yourself tapping your foot subconsciously to this. 5. I Love You Because - 6 Pretty sweet love song. Really slower tone, even more so than I Got a Woman. Still, Elvis' vocals are a lot better on this track than on I Got a Woman. All around a solid song. 6. Just Because - 7 Pretty strong opening verse. Instrumentally this is a very enjoyable listen as the instruments are given a good amount of space to have a small jam session for 20-30 seconds between the two verses. Choruses aren't even separated by a tone or shift in a drumline like modern songs. Good track. 7. Tutti Frutti - 7 Great swing to the song but the chorus is a bit strange lyrically. Puts a lot of stress on the instrumentals to deliver but of course they do in spectacular fashion. If there were an unserious track on the album, this would be that track. 8. Trying to Get You - 8 Elvis sounds incredible on this track. Really get a true understanding of his true vocal on this track and it's such an enjoyment. This might be the best thing on the album that actually showcases the full scale of how talented he was. 9. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) - 7 Overall a good song. Another one of these blues inspired love songs that Elvis really became famous for. The guitars between the verses and choruses sounds fantastic. 10. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') - 6 Real slower song. You get small hint of Elvis right at the end but the song is way to melancholic for the album. If there was a track on the album that really struggled to highlight Elvis' talent then this would be that track. 11. Blue Moon (Take 9/M) - 4 The octave and pitch changes are too extreme on this track to really enjoy the slower pace of it. Lyrics are fine and there's not much in terms of instrumentals to pick at, which is fine, but when coupled with the constant peaks and valleys of Elvis here it just makes the track seem like a wash over. 12. Money Honey - 7 Lyrically a good tack and pretty much exactly what the album needed in terms of how it should have ended. The guitar really highlights what that instrument is even capable of doing. It's a great chord that really highlights the change that music was undergoing with an artist like Elvis. Solid track. Average Rating: 6.9 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 3.45 Rounded Down: 3 stars

As a certified Elvis hater, I didn't hate this. The Tutti Frutti cover is abysmal and I despise Elvis's slow songs, but the rest was alright.

I felt my arteries clogging with peanut butter, jelly and bacon sandwiches.

4.5

Debütalbum (EP?) bis auf den ersten Track nichts was mich aus den Schuhen hebt. Hauptsächlich ein Kind seiner Zeit. Elvis musste seinen Sound erst finden.

This man stole songs and fucked a 13 year old. Overrated.

Gostei deste álbum, não o conhecia na totalidade. Descobri com este álbum que uma música que adoro teve como base a I Got a Woman. Depois fui procurar e percebi que não era original do Elvis mas sim do Ray Charles.

I have a real soft spot for EP but this album doesn't do much for me

The King will live on FOREVER!!!

Пока не очень понимаю, почему Элвиса считают мега-крутым, но этот альбом слушается определённо хорошо. 7,5 из 10.

I’ve always loved Elvis. The old school rockabilly vibes are amazing. I had never really heard much slow Elvis from this era until this. Some of those songs shine as well. The one drawback for me is in the covers of “I’ve got a woman” and “tutti frutti” just left me wanting to listen to the original versions

Favorites: Blue Suede Shoes, I Got A Woman, Blue Moon Ehhhh. Nothing was bad (except Tutti Frutti got on my nerves some), but I just didn’t find this very interesting. I’m also pretty anti-Elvis as a concept so that doesn’t help much. Eh.

2/5

I've been a bit soured on Elvis ever since I understood that most of his music was appropriating that of black artists. It is evident here in "Tutti Frutti" and "I Got A Woman" amongst others. Elvis' singing is undoubtedly great, like a stuttered tremolo. It does get a bit tiring after a while, with many of the songs a similar tempo. It probably would have been better as dance/background music rather than sitting and listening intently as I did. As immensely important as this first Elvis record is, it didn't leave a lasting impression on me. An exception is "Blue Moon" which remains one of my favorite songs ever.

Obviously a massive album. Doesn't have the raw excitement it had in it's day but still holds up as a fun listen

You can do what you want but don't heeurgh huuuh give me a 2 star review. Don't worry Elvis, it's 4!

love it! If only the songs are longer - although, maybe the effect will not be the same

I think this suffers the same problem as the Crickets album - both very stuck in their time, a time so far removed from pop of the modern day. Though this is more enjoyable than the Crickets album and it should definitely be on this list, not sure I'll listen to this again.

A mix of very up tempo songs (such as the iconic Blue Suede Shoes) with slower ballads (such as the iconic Blue Moon) - all well-performed, although the sound recording quality varies. Includes a mix of covers and originals. This album was therefore not very cohesive, which makes sense since the record company threw together songs trying to capitalize on Elvis' rapidly growing fame. It was an enjoyable album but probably not one I would buy or listen to again.

He’s not great

I know I look like a barbarian giving this review. I'm sure to the 1950s ear this was incredible, but I suppose in the 20s it no longer dazzles. No songs stood out to me. Still good, of course. (Addendum: I looked at some of the other reviews after writing mine and apparently about 80% of people have the same sort of opinion as mine. Not a barbarian after all!)

Gros classique à matin, j'ai cru pendant une seconde qu'on m'avait généré London Calling de Clash une deuxième fois. Je m'attendais à ce que ça swing plus que ça, mais tu retrouve quand même Blue Swede Shoes et Tutti Frutti. Mention spéciale à la magnifique reprise de Blue Moon, j'adore le vocal éthérée et mystique. - Re-salut! J'en étais où, déjà? Ah, oui! C'est vrai que moi aussi j'ai de la misère à définir un âge aux utilisateurs du site, j'ai l'impression que c'est tous des jeunots de mon âge! Je travaille pour Uniselect, une sorte de conglomérat de plusieurs entreprises qui produisent/distribuent/offrent des pièces/produits/services en lien avec les automobiles. Présentement, je bosse sur la refonte graphique de Bumper to Bumper, une des plus grosse chaîne de garages au Canada, donc AUCUN stress là-dessus! Sinon, j'ai appris la basse un peu après la Covid, me cherchant un hobby sans écran et loin du graphisme. Mon grand ami Hugo (on a commencé la liste des 1001 albums ensemble, il n'a pas duré bien longtemps) m'a suivi en apprenant le drum, pis on jam ensemble de temps en temps. On a même créé un band, Morbèse Orbide, mais on a jamais fais le moindre show. Ok, je vois le topo concernant Radiohead, peut-être que l'alliénation post-moderne n'a pas fait racine assez creux dans mon cœur d'enfant. Ce qui m'aide vraiment pas, c'est la voix de Thom Yorke qui me fait le même effet que des ongles grattant un tableau à craie (j'imagine que la voix de Geddy Lee doit te faire un effet similaire 😉). Bon, Nardwuar est pour moi un journaliste et interviewer musical de qualité, qui applique une très grande rigueur au niveau de la recherche derrière chaque interview. Selon moi, son personnage permet de déstabiliser l'artiste, obtenant des réactions beaucoup plus authentiques et sincères de leurs parts. Pis en plus de ça, le gars il fait ça depuis 1986!Il a su garder son style propre à lui pendant presque 40 ans, lui permettant de propager un fun chaotique dans le monde de la musique. Donc, quand je le vois se faire manquer de respect par une bande de macaques douchebag tout droit sortis de l'équipe de football d'une mauvaise comédie romantique américaine, ça me laisse un goût amer en bouche! Je sais qu'il faut séparer l'artiste de l'oeuvre, mais dans le cas des Sonic Youth, j'ai l'impression que l’œuvre est l'artiste! (si ça fait sens?) C'est bruyant pour déranger, c'est hargneux, c'est très aigre; bref, j'aime vraiment pas leur vibe en entier! Bon, je sais que t'as dis de faire plus court cette fois-ci, mais on avais beaucoup de points à aborder! (Oublie pas d'aller voir la première partie de ma réponse sur No Other!) Donc, je te relance deux balles: Quelle matière enseigne-tu (j'hésite entre prof de français ou de musique, mais ça pourrais être histoire dût aux voyages?) et quels albums/bands des dernières années me conseillerais-tu d'écouter? Ok, à la prochaine!

What a schizophrenic album. A bunch of different sounding tunes. Some good tunes, some less good.

Que Álbum! O impacto sonoro e visual no ano do lançamento deve ter sido estupendo! Celest Wyvern Qing.

Итс окэй. Остин Батлер молодец, что снимается в хорошем кино, а не во всякой позороной залупе. Мне кажется, я *шутил* такое в прошлый раз, но мне все равно очень весело. Музыкально очень важный альбом для поп-музыки, несомненно, и если подходить к вопросу в контексте, то это изи файф аута файф, но я этого не делал до сих пор, и странно начинать в середине. Лучшая песня - Blue Suede Shoes.

Classic Elvis

Alr, so like it started off amazing, but then kinda devolved into not really rock n roll. Like, I wanted the energy to continue and it kinda just faded. 3/5 for the non-boring songs tho

Good. Classic. Mellower than I expected.

Revered by many, this remains (to me) about as palatable as eating turd. It’s fucking awful

bof

Great album, signs of things to come. I loved the production values. An album definitely made for airplay. The King in every sense.

i dont usually enjoy blues/country/rock and roll/rockabilly (idc, however you wanna call it) but this album surprised me for good (given the fact that it’s from the 1950’s)! i thought it was gonna be super boring but not at all; it’s so catchy and funny, even unhinged sometimes. i’ll have to say, though, that some lyrics were a bit misogynistic: “she knows a woman’s place is at home”. anyway, it was to be expected since it’s written in 1956 but it gave the ick, not gonna lie. also, i read all the horrible things that Elvis Presley has done throughout his life (i mean who doesn’t know who is THE Elvis Presley?), so maybe that influenced badly on the way i see his music but OH WELL. overall i enjoyed it so much more than i thought and i can see myself listening to it on my way to university. my favourite ones were I’m Counting On You and One-Sided Love Affair

The King! First time with the album that started his legacy, and this is great listening. Totally reminds me of my father.

Skal ikke kimse av the king men det blir nok en doiser! Nå veit jeg hva den skal brukes til!

Min Elvis begynner i 1968. Litt mye trå rockabilly for meg på denne. Blue moon🩷

Elvis landhandleri.

sabia que me iba a gustar porque elvis me encanta. me he guardado “I’m gonna sit right down and cry”. este album ha hecho que me den ganas de ver la peli elvis otra vez!!!!!!!

Dit album heeft echt de Elvis sound van destijds, inclusief een paar grote hits. Ik vind zo'n heel album rock'n roll wel een beetje veel van het goede, maar het is te luisteren. De liefhebber zal het prachtig vinden!

Sorry to say it but I found this album not very interesting and honestly kinda boring, nothing really stood out to me at all. I’m sure this was good for its time but it hasn’t aged well to me.

"Elvis didn't die, he just went home."-Agent K, MIB. When Elvis came out I'm sure some thought his music was from another planet. The tunes are catchy, and I don't hate it. But I wouldn't run out and buy it either. 2.5 rounded up to 3, in respect for the king.

This Clash album kind of sucks.

You can definitely feel the age of this album, but it could have been worse.

Pretty solid and fun, I probably won't be returning to it, but it definitely has earned its place in history (1956!). A lot of lovely little songs.

Great debut.

Highlights: Blue Suede Shoes, Tutti Frutti.

as with most other royalty, i don't really care for this king

RnR, 1956 ->3

The songs I know are good, the versions of others are often terrible, and the less well known stuff is a waste of time

A full album of Elvis is too much Elvis for me. I didn't hate it, but I enjoy his songs in shorter bursts.

I feel like I need to be in a specific mood for Elvis. Unfortunately today, I was not.

This sounds basic by today’s standards, but the impact and influence for the time cannot be understated. The delivery and style of his performance was so cutting edge and set a new tone and standard for what we now know as Rock and Roll.

As a major supporter of other African American artists, Elvis was known for citing the importance of black artists on the foundation of rock n roll while openly recording many of their songs to help promote a colorless world of music. And while majority of songs here were indeed written by other artists, I decided to go all in based on unique style all his own, not to mention legacy and influence.

What a debut. There are probably later albums with more “hits” but I really like this era of the King and how he approached his vocals. Rounding up for influence and the fact that this is what he brought to the world out of the gates.

Loved this and even the analog-ness (is that a word?) you can here in the recording. Like you can hear the reverb in the room the recorded. Lots of musics can credit their roots to this. 4.5 but just doesn’t get that 5 for me.

I'm a bit torn on this one... feels like it should be highly rated given the impact on rock and roll and music generally... but also he's mostly just covering other people's tunes. I dunno, I enjoyed it and guess I shall reluctantly give it a 4th star. 3.5/5

The fact that this album is of huge historical significance doesn't mean that music in it is good by today's standards. I don’t believe that good art is timeless since any idea can be built up upon, improved, or evolved; and after some changes, the original iteration usually wouldn’t feel that good in hindsight. That is how I feel about this album. Sure, he basically invented rock, which has been my favorite genre by far since the start of my musical journey. But 70 years later, the genre has changed and evolved so much that the “original” rock album seems incredibly underwhelming. That’s definitely not entirely Elvis’s fault, of course. He didn’t have the decades of output to draw inspiration from (although, of course, he used other genres), and he had no access to the slew of technological advancements musicians have right now. The culture in the 50s was also entirely different. What today feels tame and basically sterile back then was seen as rebellion, and it certainly didn’t translate well. I don’t really like this album. It’s not awful, but it’s a relic of its time that today feels uninspiring. Both vocals and instruments are not very fun, and in terms of energy, it basically has nothing even on a lot of rock albums I would consider to be on the slower side. I wouldn’t say that Elvis is a bad artist or whatever. It’s just that he was treading on new ground of a genre that hadn’t been studied before him. The only reason I didn’t rate it lower is because it’s short. 5/10

Slightly better than "Elvis Is Back," but only because more songs have more energy.

Still don’t get the hype.

Austin Butler isn’t half bad here.

It felt dull and dated—more than I expected from an Elvis album. But the groove of rock ‘n’ roll really hooks you. At the same time, Elvis’s vocal tricks—reminiscent of Michael Jackson—make listening all the more enjoyable.

The perfect pop rock album of the 50s.

“Before Elvis there was nothing” - John Lennon The King of Rock N Roll. His debut album. The start of it all. Second to none son.

Well, here we go. Elvis Presley was a popular white southern ephebophile in the 1950s. Need I say more? However, he also had one of the greatest singing voices of all time, his music is generally good, and he's dead, meaning he clearly can't monetize off anything. Damn, it's the Michael Jackson situation again. Regarding the music, and only the music, it was his mid album anyway, and it was a bit too short. Favorite Track: "Blue Suede Shoes".

I like Elvis in small doses

Very good debut, early Elvis with its break out songs that anyone can listen. Influences are noted and the structure and vibe of the record is undeniable. Loved it.

A treasure chest of greatness

Classic Elvis. I don’t love everything here but most of it’s very good.

Great. But way more "covers" than I expected.

I mean it's elvis

My least favourite from the rock and roll era.

I see why people love him, but it just didn’t appeal to me that much.. some songs were good though!

Elvis is, obviously, absolutely huge. Everyone has heard of him. He is one of a very small number of globally dominating artists. Before The Beatles for a large chunk of the planet, he was music. I find it strange then that only 70 years later I know absolutely no one who listens to him. And I don't mean in a kind of RYM sense of someone checking an album out and rating it, I mean genuinely sitting at home on a weekend and listening to a couple of Elvis records for the sheer pleasure of it. All of The Beatles' albums pass this test after 60 years, but growing up I've only seen Elvis as an iconic image rather than a musician. If I was to guess why, it would be because of the value we place post-1963 on musicians writing their own songs. We struggle to look at someone who is an amazing performer and give them the same kind of plaudits as a singer songwriter. Back in 1956 that would be like expecting your favourite actor to have written all their lines but now, to me at least, it seems reasonable. This debut does a great job of showcasing Elvis "the performer." The sheer force of personality that made him a wild sensation in a mostly grey world. He can get quite weird and freaky on the mic, which I like. He can also be sentimental and soulful. A legend.

It was good I’m just not super into rockabilly

Never cared about Elvis.

Great early album from Elvis and his rockabilly band. Lays the foundation for so much that followed. A classic.

Elvis is okay, the people who influenced him are better.

Dare I say his singing is overrated? His vibrato at times almost seems clown like. I appreciate the cultural significance of Elvis but I’ve never been a fan. There was better music made back then by other artists. I regard him as a 1950’s Justin Bieber.

Very fun to actually listen to the first Elvis album. As a kid I was obsessed with the idea of Elvis and didn't know a single song lol.

Never really listened to him but my family love him. I liked the album and you can’t go wrong at 28 mins.

Not a fan. Sounds like a country white boy to me even when I studied him in school. I get it or whatever.

Iconic album cover. Decent listen.

Fun I think

7/10 Bit of a controversial one for me, obvs we all know & admire elvis (this was the first rock & roll album to go to no1 and be endlessly influential to getting rock into mainstream) I'm aware that the tracks are a whitewashed version to be more palatable to the wider demographic. That being said - I enjoy it, great bluesy voice & obvs a great performer. Songs added to playlist: - I got a woman (ray charles will always do it best imo) - Trying to get to you - Blue moon - Money Honey

I was familiar with a few of these songs, because of Elvis's popularity, but I don't know if I have ever actually listened to any of them until now. They were decent. I definitely liked the faster songs better. I enjoy the walking basslines on some of the tracks and the vibes and feels, however I don't see myself going out of my way to listen to this album again. It was fine....just not very compelling for me.

Pre-Listen: I am not a real big Elvis fan, but I am in for the listen. I know he is the so-called “King of Rock and Roll,” and is a cultural icon whose influence on music and popular culture is immense. However, I struggle to get past his problematic social, cultural, and musical history. As Ray Charles said, “He was a person who came along at the right time when he was a white kid that could do his rock ‘n’ roll and rhythm and blues, and the girls could swoon over him. Nat Cole got in trouble in Alabama when the women swooned over him, got put out of town.” Post-Listen: Better than I was gearing myself up for. Still not my cup of tea but it was a pleasant enough listen.

Well ah well ah well ah its rick and morty tiiiiimmmmmmeeeee. Good easy listening. Elvis' debut full length is chock full of great talented song writing and performance. Before the commercialization of him destroyed it.

straight up og country rock w a velvet voice.

Nope. Never been an Elvis fan. He does have a song or two that I don't mind, like Suspicious Minds.

An absolute snore. It just isn't very interesting in this day and age, I'm afraid, and classic rock and roll never interested me much to begin with.

Always thought I didn’t like Elvis, but this swings fo sho!

Clearly groundbreaking but a bit of a mishmash of songs that do sound pretty hastily thrown together just to get something out there (as I read to be the case). Interesting that the Clash modelled London Calling on this cover!

Fun album, but not The King’s greatest. Interesting as a transition between the music of the time and rock’n’roll.

This is an interesting one. While I love Elvis in general I think this album doesn't illustrate his later best when he stepped into his own music. The tunes here are that classic kind of rock n roll which are usually a fun listen, but he hasn't refined his vocal style yet... And something has to be said about the context from which an album of a white guy making (imo worse) covers of music that originated from Black artists is considered so culturally groundbreaking. His version of tutti frutti is the definition of phoning it in... I'm sorry Elvis!

There's a reason he's called the king

There are some classic covers on this album but also some bad ones. While it's a bit unfair to criticize an album from 1956 for bad production, the echo or reverb in some of the songs is a bit much (and clearly intentional). 50s rock and roll/rockabilly is a fun genre though and I did enjoy listening to it.

Hard to escape the miasma of the entire Presley existence, but I think I'm channeling the Liverpool boys, greeting the sound like an acolyte receiving a vision from the ethereum. Despite the all the mellow, here comes the history of rock 'n' roll.

I love The Clash London Calling album cover which is a tribute to this cover (but more edgy). The music and lyrics here feel so very dated. And the fact that they’re all covers - and not as good as the originals - is quite sad. I’m sure to a very vanilla audience in the 50s, this was groundbreaking. But that’s because people don’t remember or gloss over people like Sister Rosetta Tharpe who was plugging guitars into amps and singing rock n roll 20 years before Elvis. Not something I’d choose to listen to. But back then he was viewed as a man ahead of his time.

I definately enjoy early Elvis versus later Elvis. Many familar tunes on this album. Yes, he's a bit over the top and bit exagerated, but this is what seperated him from the other crooners of the time. This is a fun album.

I'm definitely overthinking this. I've never been able to rectify the eccentric, indulgent, hypocritical, statutory rapist with the icon that John Lennon revered and Keith Richards credits as being the reason he picked up a guitar — not to mention the other 90,000 artists influenced by Elvis. I simply cannot hear him as they did from my perch in history. But I tried, and spun this record with as fresh an attitude as I could. More than anything, I'm amazed that I didn't know more of these songs. Indeed, I would not have been able to guess that some of these performances were Elvis if given a blind listen. There was a good amount of variety, Presley sounds like he's trying every trick in his repertoire as a vocalist... OK, not bad. I guess I'm at a 4. Then I played it again, wondering if that might push me over the ledge to really embrace this artist for the first time. Alas, the opposite happened. With a more critical ear, I had a hard time with Presley's patented delivery on the rock tracks, couldn't get behind some of the sentiments of the tunes, was turned off by the heavy reverb on a number of tracks, and was frankly unimpressed with the musical performances. Another era, I know. A set of standards that couldn't be applied at the time of its release. But I guess I really just don't give a damn about Elvis. I am grateful his influence resulted in what it did. I'll leave it at that.

Blue Suede Shoes has to be one of the most baller openings ever. It's so damn fantastic it overshadows the rest of the record. In terms of influence, it would be hard to find a more important album than this one, so it definitely belongs on this list. As an album to listen to, though, it's uneven to say the least. The best tracks are the unreleased cuts from the Sun sessions (his ethereal take on Blue Moon being on of my faves). The newer tracks (Aside from Blue Suede Shoes) are, frankly, pretty bad. If you want to hear the birth of R&R and an album that is all-killer-no-filler and a totally magical experience, check out The Sun Sessions. I get why they didn't include that album, seeing as it's a compilation, but it's so much better than this one. Killer album art, though.

I was jazzed to listen to this. I absolutely love the idea of Elvis. I was a huge fan of his beach movies when I was a kid. Though I wonder if I'd still feel the same today. Starts off great with Blue Suede Shoes but I was totally bored until Blue Moon. So I guess the takeaway here is the nostalgic idea of Elvis along with his dreamy 1950s looks are what I like. And that adds up to 3.

I guess this was maybe groundbreaking for a white person to sing these songs, but there's nothing special about it to me. 3/10

Well, well, well. If it isn't the real Elvis. I'm sorry Costello, but when it comes to musicians of the past 100 years with cultural impact, it's damn near impossible to top Elvis Presley. I'm not saying it hasn't been done. I'd argue the Beatles and Michael Jackson are just as, if not more, significant than Elvis, but it's a close race. Speaking of race, 50s rock and roll, am I right? Yeah, let's get this part out of the way. Elvis Presley did not write any of his own songs. Many of them were taken from black artists. However, in regards to Elvis specifically I'd say this was a net positive overall. Not the whole "not writing his own songs" thing but specifically the part where you look at the history and realize that Elvis was partially responsible for African-American music styles reaching a broader audience, which is good. Of course, this could've been anyone, but I think Elvis specifically was the one who managed to do this because of his respect for African-American culture. This isn't a Jerry Lee Lewis situation. From my research, Elvis had a genuine care to see this kind of music succeed, largely because he grew up with it. So, to sum up my thoughts on the whole "was Elvis good" debate, I think he was, relatively speaking. Oh yeah, the album! I got so caught up talking about Elvis Presley, the guy, that I forgot I was writing a review for Elvis Presley, the album! To be honest, it's hard not to seeing how influential Elvis was on culture at large. The album's good. Generally speaking, I'm not huge on 50s rock and roll, but this is a pretty solid album as far as those are concerned. My big problem with 50s rock and roll is how repetitive it is. Fortunately, while the lyrical themes are a tad repetitive, the sound is not. These songs feel different from one another! You could categorize them into categories like upbeat songs and slow songs, but I don't think that matters much. I'd say it's more so the constrictions of the time and genre rather than Elvis himself lacking the ability to do other music things. Speaking of Elvis, his performance on this album is solid! There's a reason why he became such an icon. I'm not huge on the singing for some songs, but it's mostly good. The instrumentation is nice. None of the songs are particularly offensive. At most, they're vaguely questionable. Overall, this is a solid package of songs. However, this is definitely one of those "I respect it more than I actually like it" albums. The impact of this album is hard to deny, but I also can't say I loved it. It's good though. Solid 3/5.

Not my style, not my vibe. 50's rock'n'roll is absolutely not my thing.

Not my favorite Elvis - sun studio recordings have a special place in my heart - but still full of cool bangers and covers that show off his vocal range and the great studio session musicians. My main issue is that a lot of time I like the original of the famous covers more. The formulaic structure gets overwhelming after a while. There are highlight singles on the album and then full snoozers.

I’ve been a fan of Elvis for almost my whole life so it’s not a shocker I liked this one, but it was so interesting to me to notice the quality of the recording and visualize how it was made.

I appreciate and understand it's impact of popular music but I just didn't enjoy it. Too old for my ears.

i’ll be honest. i got beef with elvis. all he does is covers and it’s frustrating for me. oh you can sing, good job but like do you have to go oh i can sing this song better than you can and do it? like that’s just annoying behavior to me. what’s most frustrating is that the songs aren’t bad. i just have beef with him specifically as an artist.

Dad- 7.5 Mom- 7 Mike- 6 Lori- 6 Michael- 8 Miles- 4 Cole- 1 Avg- 5.64

I understand Elvis's place in music history & I love him but alot of these hits are done better by other people. He kills the vast majority of them. Still loved the album.

I'm not much of an Elvis fan, but I do love his early work, especially the songs he recorded for Sun Records. This is an iconic record. It's not just the music, the album cover inspired my favorite Clash record, London Calling. "Blue Suede Shoes", "I Got A Woman", "I Love You Because", "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You)", and "Blue Moon" are my standouts.

Rock'n'roll classico, che dire nulla di più.

I don't think I ever need to listen to this again.

Meh

I have just never been much of an Elvis fan. But I didn’t mind this, and certainly understand why it’s on the list. 3 stars.

Sin comentarios, pero su valía supera muy ampliamente a mucha de la "música" sugerida en esta lista

Elvis is a part of my childhood. Can't get enough of his voice

elvis presley é ruim e esse álbum só confirma isso

acho essa capa mto foda. e aprecio que o album seja curtinho. só isso mesmo.

Fav: I Love You Because Least Fav: Blue Moon Revolutionary in the 50s and only in the 50s

of course i like “blue suede shoes” (a popular classic), but the next track (“i’m counting on you”) was arguably better imo, very sweet! the rest of the album was SO CUTE. shout out to the bass line. 3/5.

Earned a point for only being 29 minutes

Classic. You know every song, or at least think you do.

7/10

Nice uptempo but still a bit monotonous

I never was and never will be a fan of Elvis. 2 stars or D.

Classic Elvis. Hard to go wrong.

Excellent album from Elvis.

If you don’t give this album a 5 star you really shouldn’t be on this site.

Fun but nothing id listen to again. Bluesy

Blue Suede Shoes is great but the rest of the album, while not bad doesn’t feel very standout. A lot of the songs sound very samey and Elvis is mostly covering songs here rather than coming up with his own original work. That being said it’s fine but not something I’d come back to.

Classic songs, catchy

Interesting listen. What stood out to me was the variance of styles, clearly trying to either play to the trendy sounds or find his voice. I don't think it stands well on its own.

Elvis's backing band doesn't get enough credit. While he clearly isn't yet the best version of himself as a singer on this album, their version of rock and roll still sounds raucous all these years later - especially on the more uptempo songs. The frenetic energy of the bass player is especially notable, it sounds like its chasing the drumbeat around, and half the time it feels like the whole song is about to spin out of control. The only thing keeping them all together is the smooth, calm and often surprisingly wry tone of this young Elvis, who is just having a blast out there. Less interested in the ballads on this album, because Elvis doesn't yet have the gravitas or melancholy to pull them off.

I can see how this becomes the start of the legend. For a debut album, its pretty damn hip. One thing I noticed is that his trademark vibrato isnt over the top here.. its actually fits and doesnt sound corny even to my ears ~70 years later. I got a woman was the perfect of example of that. Later in his career, that shit got out of hand Genuinely great songs: Blue Moon, I Love You Because, Ill Never Let You Go Controversial take: I Love You Because doesnt sound like the rest of the album. They mustve sped that track up because the vocals do not sound genuine 3.5 stars to my ears. Rounding up because its Elvis.

Nice as an origin story but this is not yet the King. I honestly felt anxious the whole time just wanting to go listen to From Elvis in Memphis - I would argue one of the most replayable album from our journey so far. Also, I think it’s been mentioned already, but Return of the King is an absolute must watch on Netflix.

Interesting to hear his difference voice on various tracks. He has a higher, not-so-low voice that's nice, but he def puts it on

I'm an elvis apologist most days but it's Self Esteem day so 'I've got a woman across town who knows her place is in the home' ain't cutting it today mate sorry. Thinking my favourite elvises are on later albums or singles or we bc this is mostly bringing to mind that tumblr audio of him rolling down a bowling alley.. this is kinda bland. Yeah I'm reading the background this is a compilation of covers the record company didn't think would sell? Understandable. Sorry Elvis I thought I'd enjoy this but it's kinda nothing. Listening again before I rate bc its short and i can. His voice sounds really immature here, like it could honestly be anyone singing a lot of these. Couple of decent tracks like obviously blue suede shoes goes and i liked trying to get to you and his version of blue moon but ultimately uninteresting as an album beyond its status as a museum piece :/

First time I've listened to an Elvis album. There was some pretty cheesy songs on this one. But overall not bad.

The King sure can sing, but when I know the original he's covering ("I Got a Woman," "Tutti Frutti") his cover is always a step down.

Better than Coldplay.

Being historically important can only get you so far, kid. ⭐⭐1/2

Two years before Johnny B. Goode. That’s all I gotta say.

increible la verdad, especialmente pensando que es del año 56

He's a great performer. I understand why he was huge, especially considering the era, and I have no problem with covers per se. But, it's an album of standards, and of the ones I know, his version of Blue Suede Shoes is the only one that is the first in my mind of all the versions of the era. It's good throughout, but I'd rather have Little Richard, Ray Charles, Jim Reeves, or either Sinatra or the Marcels in the case of Blue Moon. Also, this doesn't really matter, but ending the A side with "I Love You Because" followed by "Just Because" seems like something you'd want to rethink.

This was not as bad as I expected, but mostly because I was appreciating the instrumentation (some of it quite novel even for today) rather then Elvis' irritating voice.

It turns out I can only enjoy elvis if it's played in a film soundtrack, ideally lilo and stitch or charlie's angels. Just such a bland album. Middle of the road and boring to listen to. It's the music equivalent of those toasties you can get on trains: it'll fill you and technically the cheese is melt but you're not happy and you didn't enjoy it and you know that it could have been made so much better. I've lost the plot of this metaphor, but this album was so uninspiring I couldn't think of anything better. 1.5

I tried. I tried twice. Blue suede shoes was a fun start, but it's such a damp squib. Like a floppy nothing record. I got bored. I got bored twice.

I've never really been into Elvis, but I definitely see the appeal. There's not a single song on this album I would even call as low as mediocre

Good greatest hits but this album is pretty meh

Some decent rockabilly here

There are like 5 distinct guys singing on this album.

Elvis might be the King of Rock and Roll, but let’s be honest — he was more of a singles guy than an album artist. This debut has its moments, sure, but most of it doesn’t hold up all that well today. That said, “Tutti Frutti” and “Blue Suede Shoes” still pack a punch, and his version of “Blue Moon” is surprisingly solid. Credit where it’s due — he helped bring Black music to a wider (and whiter) audience, even if that’s a complicated legacy. At the time, this might’ve been groundbreaking. Now, it’s mostly a history lesson

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Great album. Never listened to it all the way through but you can see why it caused a stir -- and great cover, too!

Got me tapping my foot

Very good classic rock album

Blue Moon is such a good song

6/10

Really enjoyed, kinda surprised I only really knew Blue Suede Shoes as a bunch of other songs were really fun, really did not like his rendition of Blue Moon

I've always enjoyed Elvis.

Tasapaksu levy jolla hassun kuuloinen laulaja.

Couldn't find it to listen to but I know what Elvis sounds like

Elvis Presley 5/10 'Blue Suede Shoes' is a great opener and an example of Elvis at his best, beyond that this just feels too repetitive to be listened to as an album. Quite interesting to read the assessments on here of Elvis's popularity as a product of him being the 'acceptable' white face of blues and rock and roll - kind of explains why this doesn't really hold up compared to other artists of the same era such as Muddy Waters (who I've already reviewed on this list). Similarly, while listening to 'Tutti Frutti' I was thinking I could see how this would have been a revelation on the dancehalls of the 1950s, but it turns out to be a cover of a Little Richard song anyway. All in all tough to rate this album in a way that doesn't feel disrespectful to Elvis so I'm just rating based on my enjoyment of the music sitting in my bedroom in 2025. Listens: 2

I'm a fan of Elvis , have been since I was a kid in the 70s. I understand why this is an important album but listening to it now it's hard to understand why Elvis became the superstar that he was. Blue Suede Shoes is a great first track but after that it's just a lot of bad covers of songs that had been done much better by other artists. This hasn't aged well.

Lovely

Try as I might, I simply cannot get into or appreciate Elvis Presley. I've never fully gotten the appeal. I understand his importance to rock history...but weren't there like tons of other, better and more original artists out there?

Elvis - you know what you are getting.

I've always loved Elvis Presley, his music makes me think of when I was a kid and mum used to listen to him, and cos I thought he was really cute when he was young (I was a young teen mkay). Also his music is overall pretty upbeat and I can't help but bump my hips to it

Where it all started. Singularly great voice, his guitar player is great too. Feels hard to rate this objectively; you have to give it 5 because without it there is no rock n roll etc. But also, in the subsequent years music was made that quickly made some of these songs seem middle of the road, which would have been an insane thought at the time.

Ca swing, c'est certain. Est-ce que ca sauvera l'économie mondiale ? Difficile à dire, je dirais que non cela dit

short classic rock-n-roll from the 50's. generic PG fun

A few songs with good melodies and choruses but a lot of boring filles

I realise having read some of the reviews how poorly informed(my fault) I am about the origins, motives and background of certain albums and artists I am. The motive behind Elvis was he was white and so the great songs that the black music community had written could now be sold to the white world. I feel the same happened much later with Eminem when the record industry thought we have a rapper here we can sell world wide

The King!! What a fun listen.

Quintessential 50's sound, beautiful rockabilly and ballads

Some classic hits. Noticed some of the backing vocals having the same vibe as the cover of 'Someone' by RHCP.

Elvis is a legend but this album doesn’t really have any of my favorite songs of his and doesn’t flow very well.

fuck elvis hes a thief didnt listen i refuse worse than r kelly or chris brown or p diddy

Didn’t really do much for me. Blue moon is the one here for me. It’s a little haunting and spooky and chill too.

It's nearly impossible to escape the influence that Elvis had on the American zeitgeist of the 50s and 60s. Despite never having specifically tried to listen to any Elvis music before, I found myself recognizing many songs on this album, simply due to their ubiquity in movie and TV show soundtracks (especially Blue Suede Shoes, Tutti Frutti, and Blue Moon). The album has good energy and I can understand why it would have been popular in 1956, but nearly every song on the album simply feels too short--no song is longer than 2:45. It's as though he had an idea for hook for a song, but never developed it past that. I could see this as a sort of demo for a longer album, but it's hard to see it as a full-length album in its own right. He breaks out a merely okay falsetto on several tracks that I feel genuinely pull the songs down. It feels clumsily jammed into the songs to satisfy some musical trend of the times, perhaps trying to channel the crooners of the 40s and early 50s.

Undeniably a highly influential album in the history of rock 'n' roll and popular music. Elvis presents in his debut album a mosaic of rockabilly, rhythm and blues, and pop. His voice is not yet fully mature, but I think it fits with his unrefined, short tunes intended for a young audience. His characteristic halting, erratic vocal inflection is most exaggerated on One-Sided Love Affair, and I had to skip that track on my second listen—to me, it's just annoying. The circumstances of this release were the perfect storm: a generation of youths with more free time than ever, ripe to be the first "teenagers" with a shared youth culture; and the rise of television, among other things. Elvis likely could have been replaced with another handsome white boy that could sing and was willing to look a little silly on stage, and they would've done well. All that said, I can appreciate the floodgates that were opened by Elvis for the wider adoption of historically Black musical idioms into the popular culture. I'd choose almost anything else to listen to over Elvis, influential though he may be.

custom_rating: 6

I know Elvis Presley already so I knew I'd enjoy this album. I don't love his covers though. Ray Charles and Little Richard do I've Got a Woman and Tutti Frutti a million times better than Elvis does.

Nope. 2/5

Not fussed. 2/5

I've liked so much that it's unreal. He had a badass aura.

Histórico. Diga o que quiser sobre Elvis, o talento do cara é inegável. Apropriação aquilo, tensão racial isso, ok ok, mas ouve a voz dele bicho. Absurdo. Album de estreia, maluco com 19 anos de idade, com toda essa energia e vigor. Abaixa o punho e escuta o som. Viciante. 4/5

Meh. I honestly think most people will have absorbed enough Elvis songs by the time they’re of age that no Elvis album is truly a “must-listen.” I suppose this one is the closest, because it’s got a really killer and iconic album cover, and it’s pretty cool to hear him in the early days, cutting a debut, sounding hungry. But yeah, still not a must-listen.

worst one yet. His band is tight! But he would be better if he stopped the vibrato and weird owlwolwowowow stuff.

What a debut! Such a great album. Not everything Presley did was superb, but this one is excellent in all the right ways.

This was enjoyable. Much better than 70's Elvis. Young, energetic, fun.

I have really not enjoyed the other Elvis albums that I've heard in this challenge so far. But clearly the place to look was this debut album. In terms of significance, this is the point where rock n roll first broke through to general audiences. It coincided with the post-war rise in youth culture, when for the first time, the young Baby Boomers had enough disposable income to help shape the cultural landscape. Rock n roll had obviously existed already, but primarily within African American communities. It was daring (and maybe controversial) for a white artist to take on these styles but it was also the catalyst for change. Let's be clear, Elvis was not the first or best of his kind. But he had a unique quality and sure could sell records. The album works better than his later work, possibly because it's still a bit rough around the edges, like rock stars should be. I still can't exactly call myself an Elvis fan, but respect where respect is due for this one. It's a solid album that opened things up for so many artists to come, including the later recognition of those that came before him.

Pretty great to hear Elvis like this but not something I would listen to again.

The king still reigns over Rock and roll.

The album is alright, but it's definitely whitewashed music. I guess it did bring Rock and Roll into the mainstream, and well, Elvis has a great voice.

Classic album. While Elvis now has received a to of flack for his "stealing" of black music, I mostly blame the music industry for putting him to that. In all fairness, he could have said more though. It was an industry completely built on this formula. No doubt his career was built on the style and songs of black musicians, but i'm not sure how much control he had in that. his later years he held a lot more way but he collapsed mentally and physically. With all that being said, sonically, this is a good album. People today cannot really understand how this sound shook things in mainstream white culture. The songs are solid, but his ballads and slow songs are where he really stands out. That is true for all his music.

brabo

His voice was really interesting throughout - at times entertaining, at other times a little too much (accent wise), but very much like an instrument that added texture. Nice listen.

There’s maybe two songs I actually like and the rest I’ll live without ever hearing again.

good

You can’t go wrong with The King. Great album

There’s something I’ve always found quite warming and cosy about Elvis’ music. It’s generally quite simple rock and roll, and rarely strays too far from a twelve bar blues, but it still doesn’t tend to get old. His self titled album is more of the same. Blue Suede Shoes might be one of his biggest hits, and there are a couple of covers here too (at least I think they’re covers - maybe Elvis did it first? I’m not actually sure…) in Tutti Frutti and Blue Moon. It’s probably not my favourite Elvis album, but I enjoyed it all the same.

It was fine.

I’m conflicted on this one. Elvis is undoubtedly one of the most influential artists of all time, but all he really did was make black music palatable to white people. His renditions aren’t bad, just lacking a bit of what made the originals so great. Still, we probably don’t have rock as we know it without Elvis.

Ik ben al EP fan vanaf 1972.. 10 sterren Er is maar 1 king. Met dit album is het begonnen bij RCA.

Might be a controversial opinion but three stars is my rating. While Elvis' voice is famous and you know instantly who it is, I think the music is fairly simple. I like more complex arrangements musically. The cultural significance is second to none however.

Is this the original album art that London Calling was parodying or does it go further back? I know some of the songs from the album but have never invested in an entire Elvis production that wasn't a greatest hits. Some bops on this one. I get the cultural impact but am not blown away. I have no idea how to give credit to Elvis for performing songs as I don't believe he wrote a lot of them and it loses some authenticity for me.

Classic blues Americana. Blue moon was solid. Interesting to hear.

I like some of this, and can hear how it’s permeated some of my favourite music. I’m not fussed on a fair bit of it though and i’m yet to properly learn about Elvis and his cultural impact, as well as the more modern discussion of Elvis as either a representative of a deeply racist system or/and a bridge between musical cultures. This would be a light 3, but I deduct 1 for these not being his own songs. ⭐️⭐️

Elvis is whatever. Another Little Richard cover not half as good. Certainly not a must listen.

Loved this

Meh, it's Elvis. Fun but not great. High historical value.

I know some elvis songs but this def my first album of his, it was okay. Nice to have this as an addition to my growing 50s music library

This is iconic, and it really gives me the dancing itch. My feet are tapping along with the tunes.

Talentless chancer with a penchant for hamburgers and 14 year old girls releases collection of other people's songs and covers and inadvertently helps kick off rock and roll as well as a stream of fat Elvis impersonators and wedding chapels. The king? Fuck off. Alvin Stardust, Stray Cats and Mrs Mills did a better job.

Not my style but it’s pretty good

Enjoyed it but not really my style. Changed my perception of Elvis though and has made me open to listening to more of his music.

I love the swing element to it, it would be fun to dance to. And in a lot of the songs he truly is crooning. I can see why people went wild for him. 'I'm gonna sit right down and cry' was a highlight.

69/100

Шик. Разве что несколько утомляет концентрация хитов.

3/4

welllll it’s rick n morty time

Nothing interesting about this album.

Good 'ole music

I think simply having this album on the list is out of necessity because of his impact, but like what made Presley Presley was his performance right? So this feels like it’s missing an important part of the context of the importance of the album to be looking back on it instead of living in its time. Also it seems he was just like the palatable white cover for black music cause of the racism of the time which is why he was successful which is kinda lame. But aside from that, and actually relevant to the album as a package, it has a fun mix of dancy vibe music and quiet love songs (sometimes cute and sometimes misogynistic). His voice is iconic and the mood was fun, I felt like I was going back in time, which of course I was I mean this album is pretty dang old, but it was in a good way instead of how some albums just feel like they were meant for a different person at a different time. Good but I could do without the misogyny.

I don’t think words could express the amount of joy and pride my grandparents would have knowing that this album holds up for a 19 year old male 69 years after its release in 1956 (TO THE DATE WILD COINCIDENCE). This album’s sound is emblematic of the hopelessly unattainable romantic American ideal. It’s hopeless romanticism (and blatant misogyny) is endlessly captivating and terribly idyllic. Nothing can seem to go wrong listening to this record. Call it ignorance, call it naivety, or call it that sense of childlike carelessness we long for from the day we lose it, either way the tunnel vision caused by this album is so narrow the listener is left nearly blind. But it is in blindness where beauty is found. Sorry I’m waxing poetic, I think the album is getting to me. Brilliant album and a true classic. Edit: (5->4) yeah I must’ve been on some kind of trip writing that review because I mean yeah this album was great but sheeeeesh that great? I don’t know… honestly amazingly written review though not to toot my own horn or anything haha.

Today, Marlais received his first pair of proper shoes. And so it’s a divine cosmic coincidence that today’s record starts with “Blue suede shoes” (a reasonable description of his baby New Balance trainers). We spend the first spin of this record largely talking over it; it’s Elvis, we get it. We’ve been getting it since before his millennial revival, even. Cool. We let the thing spin down, then we talk a little about it. What was it that made this the biggest thing on the planet? How much can we say we meaningfully owe to Elvis Presley. A second listen through starts, and things begin to click into place. The bass finds its focus; the guitars spring suddenly to life; the caterwauling – so charged with energy that it cycles between states of wobbling, then teetering, then feels temporarily back under control, until… – becomes a cry through time; but this doesn’t feel the stuff of a hedonistic death drive, but rather its opposite. Something's being born here, it’s completely undeniable. This shift in perspective is not, as you might expect, because we’re listening to the record any more closely; instead, it’s come about purely because we’ve had a minute to reflect on Elvis in history, so to speak – everything from his music’s largely ignored antecedents, to the enormity of his fame, which then must have been totally without precedent. And from that vantage, we’ve imagined ourselves, for a minute, still closer in thought to turn of the century Victorians than we ever possibly could be to mid-70s punks. In that moment we’re caught, anxiously and with trepidation, between youth and young adulthood, between wartime regimes of thought and peacetime motions toward liberalism, and we’re looking for an outlet, or more accurately perhaps a lightening rod – something, whatever it is, that we’re grateful to find Elvis offering us. The significance of that moment can’t be – isn’t, really! – overstated. Hearing Elvis in these songs give shape to adolescent hankering is to feel yourself being thrown back in time – not to the 1950s, but to your own brief spring of limitless potential. And that’s what this Elvis record is, really. An invitation to experience an emotional immediacy you’re encouraged, as an adult, to dull; and a nice reminder that to find the magic in something, sometimes all it takes is to let yourself walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.

Blue suede shoes - 10 I'm counting in you - 8 I got a woman - 7.5 One sided love affair - 7.5

I see the cover and think of London Calling haha Welcome to Elvis Presley - this is so dated it's hard to get excited about, but we all know how pivotal this moment was in music - thank you Elvis for getting it started

Really interesting contrast, listening to this next to Sinatra‘s Songs for Swingin’ Lovers which came out the same year. I understand how groundbreaking and popular Elvis was, but I just don’t like his style. It comes across very forced and cheesy. He was meant to be experienced live because he was an electric performer, but The music in my opinion doesn’t stand solidly on its own.

Meh. I appreciate the music and transition it ushered in, but not my thing.

One epically great track followed by a bunch of perfectly fine takes.  He would do better much better to say the least though never a master of the album. I did totally dig Blue Moon though. 

Did not offend, nor wow me. I understand its musical significance, but compared to music today, its not something I'd be adding to any playlists.

Not a big fan but an Icon

As legendary as Elvis is, and while I do have to give props to the man, it's remarkably lukewarm due to it being dated to hell.

Another one of those that is mandatory listening for any music enthusiast, but perhaps more for the context than its contents. By today's standards, these covers of country and blues songs are rather tame but have often become the default. I would encourage anyone liking this to also look into the many original versions of these songs. The story of Elvis' rise to fame is also a reminder that those who loudly protest or object to new musical worlds forming or intermingling will look rather silly in the future. Keep that in mind, this is happening even today.

The importance of the album cannot be downplayed, but its foot in Country is still a bit off putting and a bit boring for me. When you listen to the actual Rock and Roll happening at the time (ex. Little Richard), the feel here is a bit too basic and safe. Plus, Elvis is not a songwriter and I count it against him a bit. I would probably say 2.5, but bumping for iconic status!

Can't go wrong with Elvis (until you can)

His voice sounds quite different early on in his career, almost sounds like someone else. Not his best work by any means but good nonetheless. Not my go to genre can’t say much about the development at all, just seems very blues as jazzy

3.5

Simple and pure, mostly powerful and awfully haunting in places (the eerie "Blue Moon" especially [as Jarmusch recognized and made more haunting still] and "I'll Never Let You Go"). But it is uneven sounding – some distant/hollow/eerie warehouse/abandoned church vibes, some warmer, small club vibes – no surprise given the record was assembled from multiple recording sessions. One can hear so many possible futures are embedded -- he coulda been Roy Orbison (or Buck Owens or Ernest Tubbs), or a country-novelty act in the one-hit wonder category, or a generic pop-music celebrity, or wholesome gospel-adjacent prosperity. He was of course by the all of these potentialities and more, and a self-parody besides. "I'm Counting On You" is excellent and holds up extremely well. I Got a Woman" works well enough, but it ain't Ray Charles now, is it? But some corniness, too, and poor choices (e.g., "Tutti Frutti" and "Money Honey"). One feels all the threads – skiffle and rockabilly, country and blues, with more than a dash of the roadhouse and the old, weird America and our savvy now that it all sounds like David Lynch soundtrack. But the posturing, however authentic and well-intentioned at the time, also comes through, all that was going to lead to the worst excesses of celebrity culture – from the movies, to the jungle room at Graceland and white tux revues in Vegas, and ultimately to American Idol and the Kardashians. One finds it difficult to ignore those uncomfortable implications when aiming to take this on its own terms, in the hope of neutralizing the natural condescension of the backward look. In a similar vein, one must be careful not overrate this for its innocence and seeming simplicity, or even just because the Clash liked the cover (which is merely another form of retrospective condescension). Point is, Elvis (and Peter Guralnick and Greil Marcus) have given us a lot to think about and that's why it's still worth listening of course.

Loved it

suu kii poika.. iLEIPÖÄLÄPI.. KIIINNI. rock it guys.. bliip blop bliip blopada blop.. joo noh.. mitä vittua tästä sanoa mitä ei ole sanottu, en mikään viisastelija ole.. mikään filosofi ole.. jos oisin syntynyt samaan aikaan kun elvis olisin niin vitun varmasti elvis... show respec for black music. respect guys... lemme cover guyz... ja suu aukeaa niin avoimeksi täälläkin päion.. kyllä täälläkinpäin osataan.. wabbabaluabamsmba tutti fryittu tutti froodt tottu frutti tutti fruttia bwabaaladasabaalabaulbulm... now hit it guys.. bliip blop bliip blopada blop.. joo noh.. bilue suedde sshoes

норм, но мне никогда особо не нравился.

Repeat listen

I think sometimes a few too many songs aimed at the screaming girls that are going to be changing his life, but did find some gems that I have not heard before like Money Honey. But some really solid songs and solid album of classic 1950's rock and roll. 4 out of 5

I cannot seperate this from Austin Butler's God awful fake accent but to be fair, that's not the fault of this album. It was decent. Unbelievably, I had never listened to a full Elvis album and was only familiar with the hits. It was short and sweet, less than 30 minutes long with songs that were inoffensive and easy. I mean, it was the 50's. You're not going to get award winning lyrics or complex musical arrangements. It's just a shame that all the tracks were stolen off black artists with shed loads more talent and it'd hard to forget that when you listen to it. Little Richard owns Tutti Frutti, unfortunately for this album. But I can't be too mad at it. It's Elvis. It is what it is. I literally don't have any strong thoughts about any of this album. I don't dislike it enough to give it a 1 but nor did I like it enough to give it any higher than a 3, so a 3 it is.

This album exemplifies why I didn't really like Elvis until I found the Sun Sessions. His older rockabilly stuff was great, and there's traces of that here, but it's mostly the softer ballads that emphasise his voice over the music. And I can't really be doing with that.

When he does the high energy, rock and roll numbers, Elvis can really hit it out of the park. But this album felt a lot like he wanted to do these songs, but kept being told to do a slow soulful number to keep his radio friendly persona that sells records. Also, he's one of the most egregious song stealers I think I've ever heard, and this version of Tutti Frutti was an abomination.

3/5 and that’s me being nice. Totally overrated. I prefer his comeback er a, and Vegas era much more

Bon, culturellement plus significatif que d'autre chose

Je suis un gars simple, j'aime le rock'n'roll. La moitié des chansons de cet album sont légendaires, l'autre moitié l'est pas mal moins. C'est une excellent album de cover!

C'est le King. La voix de miel qui coule et qui charme l'ours. L'alternance approximative entre pièces rythmées et ballades rehausse le plaisir de l'une et de l'autre. Metallica a copié cette approche sur l'album noir. Le band fait opérer la magie. Ça n'a pas de bon sens comment il est bon.

C'est bon mais c'est quand même un peu plate.

Heard it before. It's a charming little album. 3/5

Some good tracks, including the original line that sampled for Kanye’s gold digger. Probably worth another listen when more in the headspace

Elvis is Elvis of course, just not really my kind of music!

-this felt like staring directly down the barrel of rock n roll history…. Elvis’s debut was definitely Seminal and Impactful, and it sure as hell wasn’t bad so I’m not gonna rag on it or anything -that being said it really did not feel like it had too many highlights from what I’ve heard, his best work was definitely yet to come -Favorites are Blue Suede Shoes and Blue Moon

I had an Elvis wedding. I can’t rate this fairly.

It’s fun to listen to Elvis’s debut album and the reason I am doing this list. It’s definitely boppy and fun, but it’s not much more than that.

I’ve never intentionally listen to Elvis, but I knew most of these songs.

Just not a fan of that voice. Respect it but didn't like it.

Yeah this is what elvis sounded like

"Blue Suede Shoes" has great energy. "Blue Moon" is Elvis doing ballads well. Some of the other tracks sound pretty schmaltzy. Interesting that Elvis did a version of "I Got a Woman" just a couple of years after Ray Charles. Ray's version is way better and I'm glad that version was more successful/popular. Elvis does a little better with "Tutti Fruti" but it's still not an improvement on Little Richard.

The hits we all know, the also rans are frequently forgettable and the covers are often not as good as the originals, but it ends strong with a few songs (including Blue Moon) in that warbling, tin-can style I appreciate.

Better than Pat Boone, but still mostly a curio relic from a phase of music that really should stay in the past.

I like Elvis, but I prefer some of his later stuff, honestly -- even though it can be a little more cheesy and indulgent. This album was simple and very "fundamentals of early rock and roll", which is good, but can be a little grating after a while. That said, I think this shows Elvis's raw talent very well, and his versatile singing voice and musicianship is easy to see. Three stars.

It’s not bad, but I don’t get how he was so hyped

8/10

I love that ‘50s Memphis sound. I’m pretty sure every producer and manager was a villain (if biopics are to be believed ) but I do want to do a deep dive some day.

28 minutes to change popular culture forever.

I know many of these are cover songs by superior black artists, but this is the first rock n roll album to hit number one on the charts and paved the way for many of the other albums on this list. That by itself is worthy of five stars. Iconic cover art, too.

Deus que bagulho sem sal

Younger Elvis is still growing his giddy cheeky sexiness. Found this album really serious. But appreciate the perfectionism.

Not as good as the other album but nice

Amazingly, less white than London Calling.

Icon

Short and sweet, some classic recognisable tunes in there. Great for its time period, 6.2/10.

My goodness he's always left me cold and this album has done nothing to change that. Such an annoying voice. What an EARTH is going on with the goofy singing on One-Sided Love Affair specifically? Insufferable. Tutti Frutti is alright because of the nostalgia for Brave Little Toaster it evokes. Did really like Blue Moon - Take 9/M though. Really cool and psychedelic/modern-sounding? Had only heard the Chromatics cover before and liked it a lot/thought I'd massively prefer it but here we are liking original.

BEST SONGS: - I'm Counting on You - I Love You Because - I'll Never Let You Go - Blue Moon

Could be maybe a 3.5. The album is fine but it doesn't really stand out from other 50s music. I feel like Elvis big innovation of music was sex appeal

Elvis clearly belongs on this list, and as his debut, it really hits. I always find "Blue Moon" such an interesting sound, and the other songs are pretty solid and exemplify the time period.

I can say my opinion of Elvis has changed since learning how much he stole or copied his style after Black Americans who never got their flowers. Ray Charles rendition of "I've Got a Woman" is far superior to Elvis' cover in my opinion. I will say that his guitar skills are very unique and always caught my attention. Overall, it was okay. Would I listen to it again? Probably not.

how did this start rock and roll

It's hard to listen to without wanting to shake your tail feathers.

More historically important than it is a good record. Elvis's vocals are obviously great and full of charisma, but the songs themselves are just basically the same old 12-bar blues thing over bad over again. There are classic tracks here, of course, but we wouldn't lose out on not hearing every single one of them. Key tracks: Blue Suede Shoes

Principios del rock,n,roll. Algún clásico genial.

Elvis certainly has his own voice and presence. It's rockabilly blues and it's not my favorite, but it can be fun at times. Not something I'd revisit intentionally, but Elvis has his place in music.

Elvis is who my mum played in the kitchen when I was younger. I enjoy his more uptempo songs but I wouldn’t choose to listen to him. However, I can very much appreciate that the bands I love & grew up listening to, were influenced by Elvis. Such as The Clash & their homage to him with the London Calling album cover. So although he’s not a preference of mine, I understand his importance. And I did enjoy the majority of the tracks on this album.

This is Elvis Presley as we know him. There are many important and good songs on the album. And although it's quite short, it still felt long to me. 3/5

This is great, Tutti Frutti is my fave

Good music. Too short of an album

It’s Elvis baby

okay

# Elvis Presley's Debut Album: A Foundational Pillar of Rock 'n' Roll Elvis Presley's self-titled debut album, released in March 1956, stands as a seismic shift in popular music. Combining rockabilly, rhythm and blues, and country into a volatile new formula, *Elvis Presley* became the first rock and roll album to top the *Billboard* charts, holding the position for ten weeks[3]. Its cultural impact reverberated far beyond its 28-minute runtime, cementing Presley as a generational icon while reshaping the trajectory of American music. Though its patchwork of covers and lack of original material reveal the era’s single-driven industry norms, the album’s raw energy, genre-blurring ambition, and Presley’s electrifying charisma make it an indispensable artifact of 20th-century art. --- ## Lyricism: Bridging Boundaries Through Borrowed Words The lyrical content of *Elvis Presley* reflects both the album’s revolutionary spirit and its commercial caution. Of its 12 tracks, only two ballads (“I’ll Never Let You Go” and “I’m Counting on You”) were written specifically for Presley, with the majority repurposing songs popularized by Black artists like Ray Charles (“I Got a Woman”), Little Richard (“Tutti Frutti”), and Carl Perkins (“Blue Suede Shoes”)[1][3]. This curation served dual purposes: introducing white audiences to rhythm and blues while softening its edges for mainstream palatability. On “I Got a Woman,” Presley excises Charles’ gospel-infused declarations of devotion, instead emphasizing the song’s swing with playful vocal hiccups and a shuffling tempo. Similarly, “Tutti Frutti” strips away Little Richard’s bawdy double entendres (e.g., replacing “good booty” with “aw rooty”) yet retains the track’s anarchic energy through Scotty Moore’s frenetic guitar licks and Presley’s guttural ad-libs[1][3]. The album’s ballads, meanwhile, showcase Presley’s vulnerability. “I’m Counting on You” pairs his quivering baritone with sparse acoustic accompaniment, its lyrics (“If you should ever leave me / My life would fade away”) balancing teenage melodrama with genuine pathos. These quieter moments contrast sharply with the raucous covers, revealing Presley’s ability to oscillate between tenderness and rebellion—a duality that would define his career. However, the lack of lyrical originality underscores the album’s role as a transitional work, bridging the gap between postwar pop’s formulaic structures and rock’s insurgent individualism. --- ## Musical Innovation: The Birth of Rockabilly Musically, *Elvis Presley* codified the rockabilly sound—a fusion of country twang, blues rhythms, and punkish aggression. Scotty Moore’s guitar work acts as the album’s backbone, merging Chet Atkins’ fingerpicking precision with distorted, proto-rock riffs. On “Blue Suede Shoes,” Moore’s opening riff—a descending chromatic line punctuated by palm-muted chords—creates a tension that Presley’s swaggering delivery amplifies[1][3]. Bill Black’s slapped upright bass and D.J. Fontana’s snare-heavy drumming further ground the track in rhythmic urgency, a stark departure from the era’s polished studio productions. The album’s ballads, however, reveal Presley’s debt to country and gospel. “I’m Counting on You” features a lilting 6/8 time signature and Nashville-style chord progressions, while “Blue Moon” reimagines the Rodgers and Hart standard as a haunting dirge, with Presley’s overdubbed harmonies evoking the spectral longing of Appalachian folk[1]. This genre fluidity allowed the album to cross demographic lines, topping not only the pop charts but also reaching No. 1 on *Billboard*’s nascent Country & Western chart. Yet the record’s most radical innovation lies in its vocal performances: Presley’s melismatic phrasing on “Tutti Frutti” and throaty growls on “One-Sided Love Affair” prefigure the visceral intensity of 1960s soul and punk[3]. --- ## Production: Raw Energy Over Polish Recorded primarily at Sun Studio in Memphis, the album’s production embodies the DIY ethos of Sam Phillips’ “rockabilly laboratory.” Phillips’ signature slap-back echo—achieved by routing Presley’s vocals through a tape delay—lends the tracks a cavernous, live-in-studio immediacy. On “I Got a Woman,” the effect transforms Presley’s voice into a spectral presence, hovering above Moore’s jagged guitar lines[3]. However, the lo-fi aesthetic occasionally undermines the material: “I’ll Never Let You Go” suffers from muddy mixing, burying Floyd Cramer’s piano beneath a wash of reverb. The album’s pacing also reflects its origins as a collection of singles rather than a cohesive statement. Clocking in at just 28 minutes, it juxtaposes barnburners like “Tutti Frutti” with plodding ballads like “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You),” creating a disjointed listening experience by modern standards[1]. Yet this erratic structure inadvertently mirrors the restless energy of early rock ‘n’ roll—a genre still defining its boundaries. --- ## Themes: Rebellion, Romance, and Racial Cross-Pollination Thematically, *Elvis Presley* oscillates between adolescent rebellion and earnest romanticism. Tracks like “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Tutti Frutti” celebrate youthful defiance, with Presley embodying the “outsider” persona that would later inspire punk and metal[3]. Conversely, ballads like “I’m Counting on You” and “I’ll Never Let You Go” explore vulnerability, their lyrics framing love as both salvation and torment. This dichotomy appealed to teenagers navigating postwar America’s shifting social mores, offering a soundtrack for both rebellion and introspection. Beneath the surface, however, lies a more complex narrative of racial cross-pollination. By covering songs by Black artists, Presley and producer Sam Phillips sought to “sanitize” rhythm and blues for white audiences—a strategy that amplified the genre’s reach while perpetuating systemic inequities in the music industry[1][7]. Carl Perkins’ original “Blue Suede Shoes” peaked at No. 2 on the *Billboard* R&B chart, but Presley’s version dominated the pop charts, illustrating how white artists often reaped the commercial benefits of Black innovation[3]. This tension between cultural appropriation and integration remains central to the album’s legacy, encapsulating rock ‘n’ roll’s paradoxical roots in both Black artistry and white entrepreneurship. --- ## Influence: Redefining Popular Music The album’s influence extends far beyond its chart success. By positioning the electric guitar as rock’s lead instrument—evidenced by the iconic cover photo of Presley mid-strum—it inspired countless aspiring musicians, from Keith Richards to Jack White[3]. The LP’s eclectic tracklist also demonstrated the commercial viability of albums as artistic statements, paving the way for concept records like *Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band*. Even its shortcomings proved prophetic: the reliance on covers and fragmented pacing foreshadowed the music industry’s ongoing tension between artistic ambition and marketability[1]. Presley’s vocal techniques, particularly his fusion of gospel fervor and country twang, became a blueprint for future rock and soul singers. Otis Redding, for instance, cited Presley’s impassioned delivery on “I Got a Woman” as a direct influence on his own style[7]. Conversely, the album’s sanitization of Black music sparked debates about cultural ownership that persist in contemporary discussions of genres like hip-hop and EDM. --- ## Pros and Cons: A Legacy of Contradictions **Pros**: - **Groundbreaking Fusion**: The album’s synthesis of country, blues, and gospel created a template for rock ‘n’ roll, expanding the genre’s commercial and creative possibilities[3][7]. - **Vocal Dynamism**: Presley’s performances—ranging from whispered croons to guttural howls—set a new standard for emotional expressiveness in popular music[1][3]. - **Cultural Bridge**: By introducing white audiences to Black musical traditions, it played a (flawed) role in dismantling racial barriers in the entertainment industry[7]. **Cons**: - **Lack of Originality**: With only two original compositions, the album leans heavily on covers, limiting its narrative cohesion[1][3]. - **Uneven Pacing**: The abrupt shifts between rockers and ballads disrupt the album’s flow, a byproduct of its single-driven conception[1]. - **Dated Production**: While the raw sound captures Presley’s live energy, the murky mixing and excessive reverb undermine quieter moments like “I’ll Never Let You Go”[3]. --- ## Conclusion: A Cornerstone of Modern Music *Elvis Presley* is less a polished masterpiece than a lightning-in-a-bottle document of cultural upheaval. Its contradictions—between innovation and appropriation, cohesion and chaos—mirror the tumult of 1950s America, offering a sonic snapshot of a genre (and a nation) in transition. Though later albums like *From Elvis in Memphis* would showcase greater artistic maturity, this debut remains indispensable, not only for its historical significance but for its unvarnished exuberance. As both a time capsule and a catalyst, it reminds us that revolution often begins not with perfection, but with raw, unbridled passion.

It's ELVIS! How can you rate down Elvis?!? He's foundational to American musical culture??? Actually, quite easily. It's not banger after banger. It's good. I'd listen to it again. It's memorable. But I don't like it enough to flag the entire album in my favorites. My Rating: 3/5