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More Precious Metal

March 08, 2018 | Other

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, and RCA Records acknowledge the astounding ongoing impact of the music and artistry of Elvis Presley, whose all time RIAA certified album awards in the US now top 146.5 million units. As Presley's catalog achieves new Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum sales awards as certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Elvis continues to inspire, inform and transform popular culture.

Elvis--the second most awarded solo performer and third most awarded act in RIAA history (after the Beatles at #1 and Garth Brooks at #2)--has racked up more Gold Records (101) than any other act and is the only artist still earning RIAA certifications whose connection to the association dates back to its founding. In 1958, the inaugural year of the RIAA Gold & Platinum program, Elvis' "Hard Headed Woman" became one of the RIAA's first three Gold singles and the very first in Elvis' ongoing string of Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum certifications.

Over the past year, 17 Elvis Presley catalog titles have been awarded RIAA certifications, with 11 of those albums reaching Gold (or Platinum) status for the very first time. 

*Elvis Presley Christmas Duets - Gold Album
(certified July 31, 2017)
*An Afternoon In The Garden - Gold Album
(certified July 31, 2017)
*Elvis' Greatest Jukebox Hits - Gold Album
(certified January 12, 2018)
*Elvis Rock - Gold Album
(certified January 12, 2018)
*The Great Performances - Gold Album
(certified January 12, 2018)
*White Christmas - Gold Album
(certified January 12, 2018)

*He Touched Me - Gold Multi-Disc Set
(certified September 13, 2017)
*Artist Of the Century - Gold Multi-Disc Set
(certified January 12, 2018)
*Peace in the Valley - Gold Multi-Disc Set
(certified January 12, 2018)
*Christmas Peace - Gold Multi-Disc Set (certified January 12, 2018)

*HITstory - Gold & Platinum Multi-Disc Set
(certified January 12, 2018)

Heart And Soul - Platinum Album
(certified September 13, 2017)
That's The Way It Is - Platinum Album
(certified September 13, 2017)
Elvis Ultimate Gospel - Platinum Album
(certified January 12, 2018)

Elvis: A Legendary Performer Vol. 1 - Multi-Platinum (3X) Album (certified July 31, 2017)
It's Christmas Time - Multi-Platinum (4X) Album
(certified September 13, 2017)
Elvis 30 #1 Hits - Multi-Platinum (6X) Album
(certified September 13, 2017)

*first time certification

Source:Legacy Recordings
Gorse wrote on March 09, 2018
I would imagine , to the chagrin of much of the youth today, Elvis and The Beatles are not leaving the stage completely, in the near future. Shame the awards never started in 1955/1956, not because of the numbers, but it would have made the story complete for us fans. Not to forget there was/is an Elvis world of impressive awards still accumulating outside of the US e.g. If I Can Dream - RPO album.
Gladyslove wrote on March 09, 2018
Good, but ... The Beatles and Brooks sold more records than Elvis in America. . There was a time when Elvis was #1.
FM wrote on March 09, 2018
First of all Garth selling more than Elvis in the USA I don't buy that for one bit as far as the Beatles go, I don't buy that either, it all comes down to if RCA would have documented everything and they are working on it for the US and the rest of the world you would have seen that just in the US alone, Elvis would have sold at least 400 million +
jean michel wrote on March 10, 2018
That is a great news ! BROOKS ( who is barely known outside of the States) is far from having sold more records than Elvis. Remember the total only implies certified sales but not the numbers sold in between : if Elvis sells 999999 copies of one album/single , only 500000 will be certified and added to his total and the remaining 499999 not till «  plus 1 » is finally sold . One could argue it is the same « problem » with Brooks but Elvis has has at least 30 times more albums/singles « in between » than him. Also , the certification only started in 58 and Elvis had already sold tons of vinyls again not accounted for in the RIAA Total. As for the competition with the Fab Four , again Elvis has many more in between sales than they do . A few years back Mr Jorgensen wrote an interesting report about Elvis « real » sales in the States and the rest of the world ; Elvis was number 1 then , those new certifications and those to come come prove he is still now.
TheMemphisFan wrote on March 11, 2018
Examples of just how inaccurate the bookkeeping was by RCA --- Elvis' 1st and 2nd albums are only certified as "Platinum". That's ridiculous! Elvis' first two albums have been available for almost 62 years and have sold in numerous forms... LPs in Mono, LPs later in Reprocessed Stereo Effect, 8-track tapes, Cassette tapes, CDs ... and some albums from the 1960s and early 1970s were available in Reel-to-Reel tapes. --- Realistically, Elvis' 1st album "Elvis Presley" has probably sold more than 5 million copies in the U.S. alone.
circleG wrote on March 11, 2018
Not only is there a lack of historical information but current records are inaccurate too, but Garth Brooks? It therefore becomes important to have the Elvis catalogue available at decent prices to the public at all times. If I go to HMV I'm told the public are always asking for (official) Elvis vinyl but can't find any, the CD section has stuff dated from the 90s in there! One time I saw release by the Doxy label available on vinyl. This is wrong. The Beatles catalogue is constantly available in many formats at all times. Ernst and Roger who have made a good living from Elvis need to keep the curious public in mind as well as the fans. Stop deleting the albums and keep them available.
Gorse wrote on March 12, 2018
Much as the Elvis numbers eem very suspect I am also surprised that The Beatles and the 'doubtful' MJ are on 178million and 81million repectively.
Gladyslove wrote on March 12, 2018
Gorse, " Thriller " alone sold in America over 30 Million copies. The most sold Album of Elvis is one of his Christmas Albums, 10 millions. And the Beatles sold millions of there Albums alone in US. But that doesn´t mean to me that they sold that much they proclaimed not even Brooks. I think Elvis is still #1. As someone mention the Beatles cataloge ist still available but what about Elvis ? Sony should better think twice. The original Albums should be available the way they did with the " twofer " CDs as axemple. I couldn´t find them in the record stores. The last one I saw was the Madison Square but that is weeks ago.
Torments my heart wrote on March 17, 2018
I once saw an interview where even Garth laughed at the figures... he acknowledged that he hasn't' sold anywhere near the numbers of the King... Garth seemed like a great bloke (and Elvis fan).