Had Elvis Presley lived, he would have turned 80 years old in 2015. While imagining him performing concerts today alongside contemporaries like Leonard Cohen or Chuck Berry might be difficult, he remains the undisputed King of Rock & Roll. If he had managed to maintain his health, there’s no reason he couldn’t still be captivating audiences. Sadly, that wasn’t his path. But his legacy endures, and to celebrate his birthday, Shock Naue asked its readers to vote for their favorite Presley songs. We polled our audience to discover their picks for the Elvis Presley Biggest Songs. Here are the top results from that reader survey.
list of elvis songs in alphabetical order
“Mystery Train”
Just months before Sam Phillips and Colonel Tom Parker sold Presley’s contract to RCA for $40,000, Elvis returned to Sun Studios and recorded this cover of a 1953 Junior Parker song. Backed by guitarist Scotty Moore, bassist Bill Black, and drummer Johnny Bernero, Presley accelerated Parker’s original bluesy version. The new take peaked at Number 11 on the Billboard Country Chart, but within a few months, RCA would release “Heartbreak Hotel,” which would completely eclipse everything Presley had released previously. Still, “Mystery Train” endures as one of Elvis’s most beloved early songs.
Elvis Presley in an early recording setting
“Kentucky Rain”
Elvis began the 1970s on very strong footing when he released Eddie Rabbit and Dick Heard’s mournful “Kentucky Rain” as a single in January 1970. The song hit Number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold more than a million copies, though it only stayed in his live show for a few weeks.Elvis Presley in an early recording settingelvis famous songs list
“An American Trilogy”
The Civil War was over 100 years in the past when Elvis began singing “An American Trilogy” in 1972, but the scars still ran deep throughout America. The song was the work of Nashville pro Mickey Newbury, who tried to unite the two sides of the country by combining “Dixie,” “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and “All My Trials” into a grand patriotic medley. Somehow, he pulled it off in a mere four-and-a-half minutes, and the resulting tune became a highlight of Presley’s concerts during the last five years of his life.Elvis Presley in an early recording setting
“Heartbreak Hotel”
Many Americans first learned of Elvis Presley when “Heartbreak Hotel” came across their radios in early 1956. Presley’s previous success was mostly regional, but with the help of his new label RCA, he recorded a song that would stay on top of the Hot 100 for seven straight weeks. It even got him invited onto TV, kicking off a nationwide Elvis hysteria that, in many ways, has yet to die down.
Young Elvis Presley performing “Heartbreak Hotel”elvis presley top 20 songs
“Love Me Tender”
Few entertainers have ever had a year like Elvis Presley’s 1956. Single after single flew up the charts, massive crowds of screaming girls followed him wherever he went, and parents became convinced he was corrupting the young. His final Number One of the year was “Love Me Tender,” a ballad written by Ken Darby. He performed the song on The Ed Sullivan Show shortly before a movie of the same name hit theaters.Young Elvis Presley performing “Heartbreak Hotel”
“Can’t Help Falling in Love”
Fans at the final Elvis concerts knew the opening notes of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” meant it was time to prepare to leave. The dreamy song, which was written for his 1961 movie Blue Hawaii, ended every single one of his post-comeback shows. The sweet ode to true love was the perfect way to wrap up the evening. It has since been covered by everybody from Bob Dylan to U2 to UB40, who turned it into a huge hit in 1993.
Elvis Presley performing a ballad on stage
“Jailhouse Rock”
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller wrote “Jailhouse Rock” specifically for Elvis Presley’s 1957 movie of the same name. It’s unclear if Elvis realized exactly what they meant by lines like “You’re the cutest jailbird I ever did see/I sure would be delighted with your company,” but the suggestion of inter-inmate romance also flew by most listeners, and the song ended up knocking “Wake Up Little Susie” off the top of the charts.Elvis Presley performing a ballad on stage
“In the Ghetto”
Elvis spent much of the 1960s churning out cheesy B-movies and lifeless soundtracks while new acts like the Beatles and Bob Dylan made him seem like a relic. His brilliant 1968 comeback special shot him back to the forefront, and he took his newfound energy into the studio to record “In the Ghetto.” It’s a song about the vicious cycle of poverty and despair in America’s inner-cities, and it eventually hit Number Three, cementing the fact that Elvis was back.
Elvis Presley performing “In the Ghetto”elvis guitar man 68 comeback
“If I Can Dream”
Just two months after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Elvis Presley stepped into the Western Recorders studio and laid down this moving tribute to the civil rights hero. It was the stirring climax to his 1968 comeback special, and he belted it out with incredible passion. The song rose to Number 12 on the Hot 100, and today many see it as one of the greatest vocal performances of his career.
“Suspicious Minds”
Elvis was just two years into his marriage with Priscilla when he recorded “Suspicious Minds,” but things were already falling apart. It’s clear he poured some of that disappointment, particularly over his own failings as a husband, into the song. Written by Mark James, it became his first Number One hit in seven years and was a regular highlight of his live show.
This list, voted by Shock Naue readers, showcases the enduring power and variety of Elvis Presley Biggest Songs. From early rockabilly to powerful ballads and socially conscious tracks, these hits solidified his status as the King of Rock & Roll. Though he is gone, his music continues to resonate with fans across generations, proving the timeless impact of his incredible career.
