In the Rolling Stone 35th Anniversary Issue the magazine calls Elvis "the big bang" in their "American Icons" cover story. To quote the opening of the article:
"Elvis Presley was the big bang. He was the most influential single figure in the history of American pop culture. He changed the way we looked, thought, dressed, held a guitar. He didn't invent rock & roll, but he defined it in a way that everyone who followed him owes him a debt. While parents were listening to Patti Page and Perry Como, Elvis was inspired by the raw sensuality of country and blues.
Click on the link to Rolling Stone magazine for the complete article.