If you’re a fan of Elvis Presley, January 6 is a very important date. It was this day in 1962 that the “King of Rock” topped the charts with his hit album, ‘Blue Hawaii’.
It was Presley’s 14th album and also acted as the soundtrack to his hit film of the same name. The album first hit stores in October of 1961 and it didn’t take long for it to become a a global phenomenon.
Like almost anything that Presley touched, the album sales went through the roof. It became his third album to top the UK charts and it spent an incredible 18 weeks there.
In America, the album was even more popular. It held the top spot for 20 weeks and remained in the top ten for nearly 40 weeks. When was the last time a modern artist has done that?
The album was so popular that it is also considered one of the highest-selling soundtracks of the 1960s. In fact, West Side Story is the only other film soundtrack of the 1960s to sell more copies.
It included some of the biggest hits for Elvis including ‘Blue Hawaii’, ‘Rock-A-Hula Baby’ and ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’. The record was released again as a CD in 1997 so a new generation could enjoy the sweet sounds of Elvis.
The film Blue Hawaii also proved a hit. While critics were divided with the movie, it went on to become 1961’s tenth highest-grossing film. It’s success was also seen in 1962, possibly due to Elvis’ album, and became the 14th biggest film of that year.
You may remember Elvis playing Chadwick Gates. His character had just gotten out of the army and was excited to be back in Hawaii. There was a hint of romance in the film, as Elvis had to choose whether he wanted to work for his father or become a tour guide with his girlfriend.
Just last year, Elvis fans celebrated 59 years since ‘Hound Dog’ was released. He may have passed away in 1977, but he’ll never be forgotten.
He’s sold over a billion records and regularly remains one of the highest-selling artists, even in death. His ex-wife Priscilla Presley continues to tour the world with stories of her husband and the importance that his music had on the world.