Listening to an Elvis Presley vinyl on your home player, you are often instantaneously reminded of the man’s standing. Rock and roll’s inception was in large part tied to him, and the music would not have taken hold as easily if not for him.

With his good looks, young ladies all over the United States were enamored with him, and the tough guy image that he put forth gave many males something to relate to. He was a very different artist from the showmen whom the older generation admired, which is a further reason why teenagers were drawn to him. He and his material were, to the young people of that time, a criticism of the older crowd and their outdated ways.

The newer generation’s fascination with Elvis was not a fluke. Music would indelibly be altered after he and fellow entertainers like Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and Chuck Berry had etched their mark. Backing bands, although certainly detectable in pop, took a backseat to voice; guitar, bass, and drums began making their presence more prominent in compositions. Another characteristic of this music was that the vocalists, Elvis included, made use of varied vocal ranges and syncopations that were in the past unheard of. This new concoction of unpredictable vocals and driving instruments captured the younger listener’s attention and constantly demanded it.

Since music like Elvis’ touched upon more elements than just the historically dominant traditional pop, it worked to modify the whole outlook of popular music. The big cities of the Northeast and the culture of the white citizens within them were intimately tied to the old pop and big band sounds that had prevailed. Black communities, however, had created the very dissimilar styles of R&B, blues, and gospel, and these majorly influenced the rock sound. The regional association for these genres was also not as prominent; they were popular both inside and outside the Northeast, in places both urban and rural. Country, with its roots in the rural white culture of the South and West, was also utilized by certain rock artists like Elvis. Elvis himself was the consummate Southerner, having been born in Mississippi and living his teen years in Memphis, which ensured that he was a perfect vehicle for these stylistic leanings. In the grand scheme, with Elvis’ music and that of contemporary rock musicians, a wide range of national sub-cultures was being acknowledged, producing what could be seen as a truly “American” variety of art form.

Even in Elvis’ later career, he had a large following, mainly consisting of the same listeners who had grown up with his music in the 1950’s; his hold on them was continual. Quite a few who lived through those eras still have vinyl records of his albums and hits. Years after his passing, Elvis remains highly celebrated, and widely acknowledged as one of America’s greatest and most pioneering musicians.

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