The Killers and the Manic Street Preachers are battling it out with Elvis Presley for the 1,000th UK Number One hit.
The King’s classic "Jailhouse Rock" is currently holding on to the top spot, and midweek sales of his latest single "One Night" suggest that he will soar to the top of the charts yet again this weekend.
The legendary singer is currently outselling Manic Street Preachers' latest single ‘Empty Souls’, which is at Number Two, and the re-release of The Killers' former hit ‘Somebody Told Me’, at Number Three, by around 5,000 copies.
If he reclaims the top spot again, that will take the singer’s total chart topping hits to 20 – three more than The Beatles.
HMV chart expert Gennaro Castaldosaid: "It's looking pretty certain that Elvis will claim the UK charts 1,000th Number One single, which is fantastic news given that the honour could have fallen to an unknown artist or a pretty bland single.
"With the obvious exception of The Beatles, there is no other act in the history of popular music which has the iconic, enduring and collectible appeal of Elvis. Who else could keep breaking chart records some 50 years after his first Number One and nearly 30 years after his death? The key to Elvis' continuing chart success is that he has a massively loyal following, whilst also appealing to a new generation of music fans, who think he's pretty cool."
King Of The Charts?
January 11, 2005 | Music
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Pedro Nuno wrote on
January 11, 2005
I do not know if Presley is the King of Charts.
He is for sure the King of Rock'nRoll music and a milestone in Pop, Country, R&B and Gospel music.
He is so great that his Music is Pure Art From.
And is something wonderfull what is happening again!
Just a few years ago, with my 30 years old, and 20 years of beeing a fan, i never dreamed to see Elvis Presley toping the charts.
In this new millenium Elvis Presley returned to the British Charts with such a power that put everybody K.O.
Frist, it came Suspicious Minds (live version) and the # 15, i gess, in the charts.
And then the magic moment that Elvis and JXL gave us with ALLC....
Just a year ago That's all right mama was # 3.
Now we have this dream came true.
Let us just live this pure momento of Joy.
Just "cape diem".
Thak you, Elvis Presley for all the magic you've put in our lives, with your music!
Thank you very much!
RobIreland wrote on
January 11, 2005
Pedro you forgot about Rubberneckin mix which reached number 5 in the UK summer of 2004.
Elvis does desreve the 1000th single but i dont believe he is the only one that does. There are numerous outstanding pop rock and whatever else style of singers and musicans out there that would deserve the title too. M Jackson, Beyonce, and others such as Madonna, The Doors etc , i could go on .
Elvis is a way of life with me and the rest of you im sure but dont get obssessed with Elvis bieng the only perforer there was.
Johnny wrote on
January 11, 2005
Well said Pedro! We should enjoy this moment, it will bring Elvis into the spotlight once again, and there is no one more deserving of this accolade. However, Rob_Irish, I can't believe how you could put Michael Jackson and Beyonce in the same league! We are talking a major milestone here, the 1000th No.1 and this belongs to The King only, congratulations to BMG for your perfect timing. Let's hope that other artists can have a number one hit 30 years after they die!!
jean michel wrote on
January 11, 2005
I agree with you Johnny . Elvis is a league of his own and deserve the achievment more than any other artists.Even Lennon said "before Elvis there was nothing". He is , & will remain forever , the ultimate reference.
circleG wrote on
January 12, 2005
well said johnny. i hope El gats to no.1 instead of the Manic Street Preachers. Especially after their song 'Elvis impersonator' from the 'everything must go' cd. they were basically calling elvis rubbish and of no relevance to places like blackpool (?). Excuse me but aren't they the ones trying to break America ? how relevant are they to say... california? Go for it Elvis !! lets see you get the 1000th !!!!
Eddie White wrote on
January 12, 2005
Of course Elvis is king of the charts. This is fact not fiction.
Jefffirmin wrote on
January 12, 2005
King of the charts - indeed!! I have just checked out the top selling cd singles on Amazon uk and Elvis holds the top 16 positions!! Say no more.
RobIreland wrote on
January 12, 2005
just to explain my last posting a bit better. I didnt say that anyone was in the same league as Elvis. Ok, we all know Elvis had got something unique but there is other music out there, I mean U2 are phenomenal ! their latest CD is amazing. What im saying is that we all know what Elvis had and the magic he left behind for us all to enjoy but even Elvis had his favourites, who would he vote in today ?
I 100 percent hope Elvis gets the top spot this week, I have supported and defended him all my life , and if he dosent it dosent make him any less of the King of music that he always will be.
Jefffirmin wrote on
January 12, 2005
I have just checked out Amazon uk - Elvis holds the top 16 singles positions in the chart.
Given the current performance of the singles in the Amazon chart, surely we can expect a few more No. 1's and all others to be top 5's at least. I look forward to an interesting few months ahead.
The whole idea of the box set is great but my only wish is that all No. 1's on ELV1S had been included. That would have given us 31 singles! What a chart run that would have been, including possibly some No. 1's from the USA that weren't No.1 in the UK first time around but could have been this time around. Has anyone heard what videos will be shown on the TV chart shows?
RobIreland wrote on
January 12, 2005
Jeffirminn I agree with you that they should have included the USA number ones too giving Elvis new UK number ones. What if they had included world wide number ones? we would have had the likes of "Do the Clam" and "Mexico". Could you imagine "Do the Clam" at number one in Britain in 2005, lol.
As for videos on chart shows, so far all iv seen is chart shows ending with some other song not the number one this time, sure thats typical of how these younger know it all wipper snapper TV presenters treat Elvis.
FJE wrote on
January 12, 2005
Well, there is another option. In the UK Elvis has had 9 singles that reached #2, all deserving to be #1. Perhaps these should be released too and make sure this time they reach the coveted #1 position. These are: Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog/Don't Be Cruel, Party, Don't, Hard Headed Woman, King Creole, A Mess Of Blues, In The Ghetto and Suspicious Minds - all Elvis classics and most of them highly regarded by non-fans and critics alike.
joemin wrote on
January 12, 2005
The idea of re-issuing all the #2's is one I would strongly agree with. Heartbreak Hotel is scheduled to come out anyway next year for the 50th anniversary of ELV1S in the uk. The rest of them should be issued at the same time. Elvis would break every record imaginable, and a few we wouldn't even dream of.
RobIreland wrote on
January 12, 2005
Heartbreak Hotel? at this rate the public will never realize that Elvis has 100s more gems to hear. The hits have been hits!! how about trying to make new ones.
Wouldent we all buy singles of "Find out whats happening", Clean up your own backyard ", remix of "If you talk in your sleep" , "Thinking about you " etc etc and so on... with an unreleased track or mix on singles like these, this should be the future not another release of Heartbreak Hotel!
FJE wrote on
January 12, 2005
Rob_Irish, yes I know everyone has heard or own a copy of Heartbreak Hotel twice over. But the same can be said of Jailhouse Rock and all the #1 singles just released. But that didn't stop it from getting to #1 again. My point is that just like these 18 #1 singles it would make sense to have those that "only" made it to the #2 position but which deserve to have been at the top. In my opinion H.H. is a better song than Wooden Heart! In any case, I would also like to see lesser known songs like the ones you mention make it to the top. Anything can happen - if we all pull together as a team, to coin a phrase.
RobIreland wrote on
January 13, 2005
The idea of number twos (so to speak) bieng released as singles ofcourse sounds good to us fans, but dosent it have echos of 2nd to none when compared to its predeseser? although i thought 2nd to none was really good.
My point is simple, singles that havent been singles before or havent been in the top ten before. Just sounds like much more fun.
King Of Western Bop wrote on
January 13, 2005
If the current singles get the younger generation listening to him then does it matter? Most of them don't even know any of his stuff, including the current releases. The only thing they've probably seen or heard in regards to Elvis is some crappy impersonator who gets wheeled out every time there's an anniversary, and the crap that most uniformed idiots spout about him, etc. Who knows, maybe it'll get them listening to his other stuff.
Royal County wrote on
January 14, 2005
Very dissappointed that Elvis was not on Top of The Pops to-night.It just confirms the true cynical nature of this latest singles promotion.As a fan of his music for over 30 years I fail to see any advantage in releasing music in this way it merely serves to underline the depressed state of the singles market and as for breaking records who cares whether Elvis or The Beatles have the most.....if you enjoy both?Congrats on this website by the way!