CSPC: Elvis Presley Popularity Analysis

Physical Singles Sales – Part 1

As a reminder, the weighting is done with a 10 to 3 ratio between one album and one physical single.

Elvis Presley (1956) – 576,000 equivalent albums

Blue Suede Shoes – 910,000
I Got A Woman – 160,000
Tryin’ To Get To You – 120,000
I’ll Never Let You Go – 130,000
Blue Moon – 380,000
Money Honey – 220,000

Elvis (1956) – 49,000 equivalent albums

Rip It Up – 10,000
Love Me – 30,000
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again – 5,000
Paralyzed – 110,000
Old Shep – 5,000
Remaining Singles – 2,500

Loving You (1957) – 1,002,000 equivalent albums

Mean Woman Blues – 20,000
(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear – 3,030,000
Party – 280,000
I Need You So – 10,000

Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957) – 549,000 equivalent albums

Santa Claus Is Back In Town – 50,000
Blue Christmas – 1,590,000
Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) – 140,000
White Christmas – 50,000

King Creole (1958) – 630,000 equivalent albums

Hard Headed Woman – 1,650,000
King Creole – 410,000
Lovel Doll – 40,000

A Date with Elvis (1959) – 393,000 equivalent albums

(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care – 70,000
Baby Let’s Play House – 590,000
Good Rockin’ Tonight – 570,000
I Don’t Care if the Sun Don’t Shine – 80,000

If you heard about massive singles sales during the 50s by Presley, you may disappointed with these numbers. There is two things to consider though. The first is that with over 10 million units sold from songs listed on this page, the total is already fairly big. It is led by the massive hit Teddy Bear that sold upwards 3 million copies. The second, even more important thing to consider, is that back in the 50s big hits were left as stand-alone singles, they weren’t incorporated into albums. Teddy Bear is the only songs among Presley‘s Top 10 selling 50s singles that was part of a studio album. All remaining smashes like Don’t Be Cruel and Heartbreak Hotel will appear inside the orphan section, the list that merges all singles issued outside of proper studio LPs.