Unfortunately, he’s left the building, but Elvis Presley’s discography lives on.
During his illustrious career, Elvis put out a stunning volume of media, including several movies, live recordings, and nearly two dozen studio albums. T
here’s no shortage of material from Elvis Presley, and here’s our top five picks. Thank you… thank you very much.
Elvis Presley’s Albums Ranked
- Elvis Presley (1956)
- Elvis is Back! (1960)
- Blue Hawaii (1961)
- He Touched Me (1972)
- Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957)
Elvis Presley (1956)
His debut album is a great introduction if you’re looking for where to start with Elvis Presley.
“Elvis Presley” is an album that has the range. Elvis’s voice isn’t consistent across the record, but that simply offers the opportunity to hear and appreciate him in all his forms.
Elvis evokes a more nasally sound on certain tracks like “I Love You Because”
On other songs, like ‘Tutti Fruitty,” he clearly had the time of his life in the studio making an upbeat, joyful noise.
The most popular track from “Elvis Presley” is: “Blue Suede Shoes”
Elvis is Back! (1960)
Elvis was drafted into the army in 1957. Now a singing soldier, Elvis continued to jam out with comrades and companions until his discharge from the military.
“Elvis is Back!” was Elvis’s attempt to break out of his teen idol mold and establish himself as a mature artist.
Elvis preserves his fun, classic rock and roll sound with tracks like “Dirty, Dirty Feeling.” Yet he also comes through with a more sensual vibe on “Fever.”
Songs like “Reconsider Baby” flaunt a raspier Elvis exploring themes of love, loss, and desperation.
The most popular track from “Elvis is Back!” is: “Like a Baby”
Blue Hawaii (1961)
Blue Hawaii is the soundtrack to the movie of the same name that starred Elvis.
This album has several well-known songs, including “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” which became one of Elvis’s signature songs.
The track “Blue Hawaii” is slow and calls to mind the image of two lovers on a white sand beach with a volcano behind them.
Other songs, like “Aloha Oe” infuse the sounds of the island for an authentic Hawiian listening experience.
The most popular track from “Blue Hawaii” is: “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You”
He Touched Me (1972)
Gospel music was an integral part of Elvis’s career and personal life. “He Touched Me” was Elvis’s final gospel album, and
Elvis weaves together slower and faster-paced songs to give the album a sense of variety, similar to how he did his other gospel album, “How Great Thou Art.”
He also shows off his impressive vocal range, particularly in songs such as “I, John,” which is a fairly uptempo track that takes Elvis’s voice on an up-and-down journey against a catchy backbeat.
The most popular track from “He Touched Me” is: “Amazing Grace”
Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957)
An all-season crooner, Elvis gave his take on some holiday classics with “Elvis’ Christmas Album” in 1957.
For “White Christmas,” Elvis gets in the Bing Crosby bag and pulls out a sound that’s similar, but also fairly whimsical with loose annunciation and unrestricted vocals.
“Santa Claus is Back in Town” retains Elvis’s signature rock vibe and makes use of the keys with faded background vocals to let the instrumentals shine.
The most popular track from “Elvis’ Christmas Album” is: “White Christmas”
Conclusion
Elvis Presley’s discography is filled with a stunning volume of albums. The above five records were picked as the best of his collection, each showcasing a different aspect of Elvis’ music.
From his debut album, “Elvis Presley” to his final gospel album, “He Touched Me” and the holiday classic, “Elvis’ Christmas Album”.