Focusing on those released during his lifetime, below is a countdown of Elvis Presley’s 15 greatest albums.
#15 Elvis’ Christmas Album (recorded 1957)
A strong mix of Christmas and gospel songs make this album a seasonal favorite.
Best track: “Santa Claus Is Back In Town”
#14 Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas (1971)
Though recorded nearly 15 years later, this one is a perfect follow-up to his first Christmas album.
Best track: “I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day”
#13 Moody Blue (1974, 1976-1977)
Recorded in the two places Elvis felt most comfortable, Graceland and on stage, this would prove to be his final album and a strong finish.
Best track: “Pledging My Love”
#12 Almost In Love (1966, 1968-1969)
Easily the best of the Camden budget albums, this one can even hold its own against his regular releases.
Best track: “Clean Up Your Own Backyard”
#11 Elvis Is Back! (1960)
People who claim Elvis died in the Army must have missed this spectacular album, featuring a mix of blues, pop, and rock ‘n’ roll. This one feels like it should be in the top ten, but I could not find a slot for it.
Best track: “Reconsider Baby”
#10 Promised Land (1973)
Elvis made only weak albums in the 1970s? Bet me! Promised Land offers a perfect Elvis blend.
Best track: “Promised Land”
[Though I’ve had it in my hands for a month now, I’ve managed to hold off on listening to the FTD version of this album. I won’t have much of an Elvis budget this year, so I’m trying to string out a few FTDs I bought late last year to make them last. Check out Thomas Melin’s top-notch Promised Land FTD review over on Elvis Today Blog.]
#9 Elvis’ Golden Records, Volume 3 (1960-1962)
Say what you will about the 1960s strategy of usually withholding Elvis’ single releases from his main albums, it did result in strong compilations in the Golden Records series – especially this album.
Best track: “Are You Lonesome Tonight”
#8 From Elvis In Memphis (1969)
Fresh off the success of his 1968 ELVIS “comeback” special, this album represented a new beginning for Elvis.
Best track: “Power Of My Love”
#7 ELVIS-TV Special (1968)
Finally, after years of movies and a seeming indifference to his music career, Elvis put himself back on the track with the ELVIS special and album.
Best track: “If I Can Dream”
#6 Elvis In Person At The International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada (1969)
After the TV special and From Elvis In Memphis album, the next crown jewel of the comeback was returning to live performances. Elvis sounds on fire in these recordings.
Best track: “Mystery Train/Tiger Man”
#5 Elvis’ Golden Records (1956-1957)
Elvis’ achievements in 1956 and 1957 are nothing short of astounding. This album compiles his greatest singles of the period and even throws in album cut “Love Me” as a bonus.
Best track: “Jailhouse Rock”
#4 How Great Thou Art (1960, 1966)
Though it provided the most fuel, the television special did not begin the comeback. Rather, it was the 1966 session that resulted in this Grammy-winning album where Elvis first began to claw his way back.
Best track: “Run On”
#3 Elvis Country (1970)
Nearly ruined by the inane decision to include snippets of “I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago” between each song, this album manages to rise above its concept due to the power of Elvis and the underlying recordings.
Best track: “Tomorrow Never Comes”
#2 On Stage-February 1970 (1969-1970)
This compilation of live songs demonstrates Elvis’ versatility while capturing the excitement of his show.
Best track: “Polk Salad Annie”
#1 That’s The Way It Is (1970)
I consider the overall That’s The Way It Is project (the studio recordings, the rehearsals, the concerts, the movie, and all of the associated releases) to be the greatest achievement of Elvis’ career, so this album has to be number one. I do cheat a bit here and recommend the studio singles of “I’ve Lost You” and “Patch It Up” over the live versions presented on the album. I also recommend the Walk A Mile In My Shoes: The Essential 70s Masters mix of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” rather than the album mix. Even without these substitutions, though, That’s The Way It Is shines.
Best track: “How The Web Was Woven”
Some of you share my enthusiasm for iPod playlists, so here is one featuring the 100 best songs from the above albums. This list does not necessarily represent my 100 favorite Elvis songs, though, as some of my favorites happen to be on releases that did not make the top 15 albums list (e.g., “Always On My Mind” and 1955’s “Mystery Train”).
- Heartbreak Hotel (1956)
- I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
- Hound Dog
- Don’t Be Cruel
- Love Me
- Too Much
- All Shook Up (1957)
- Peace In The Valley
- Jailhouse Rock
- Here Comes Santa Claus
- Silent Night
- Santa Bring My Baby Back
- Santa Claus Is Back In Town
- I’ll Be Home For Christmas
- Make Me Know It (1960)
- Stuck On You
- Like A Baby
- Thrill Of Your Love
- Such A Night
- Are You Lonesome Tonight
- Reconsider Baby
- I Feel So Bad (1961)
- His Latest Flame
- Little Sister
- Run On (1966)
- How Great Thou Art
- Where No One Stands Alone
- So High
- Farther Along
- By And By
- In The Garden
- Without Him
- If The Lord Wasn’t Walking By My Side
- US Male (1968)
- Edge Of Reality
- Trouble/Guitar Man
- Heartbreak Hotel/Hound Dog/All Shook Up (Live)
- Can’t Help Falling In Love (Live)
- Jailhouse Rock (Live)
- Love Me Tender (Live)
- If I Can Dream
- Charro
- Clean Up Your Own Backyard
- Long Black Limousine (1969)
- Wearin’ That Loved-On Look
- I’m Movin’ On
- Gentle On My Mind
- In The Ghetto
- Rubberneckin’
- Power Of My Love
- After Loving You
- Any Day Now
- Opening Riff/Blue Suede Shoes (Live)
- Johnny B. Goode (Live)
- Are You Lonesome Tonight (Live)
- Runaway (Live)
- Yesterday (Live)
- Hound Dog (Live)
- My Babe (Live)
- Mystery Train/Tiger Man (Live)
- Can’t Help Falling In Love (Live)
- Let It Be Me (Live-1970)
- The Wonder Of You (Live)
- Release Me (Live)
- See See Rider (Live)
- Polk Salad Annie (Live)
- Walk A Mile In My Shoes (Live)
- Twenty Days And Twenty Nights
- I’ve Lost You
- The Fool
- Little Cabin Home On The Hill
- Bridge Over Troubled Water
- How The Web Was Woven
- Stranger In The Crowd
- You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
- Just Pretend
- I Really Don’t Want To Know
- Tomorrow Never Comes
- Make The World Go Away
- Funny How Time Slips Away
- There Goes My Everything
- Patch It Up
- I Just Can’t Help Believin’ (Live)
- You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (Live)
- Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
- Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees (1971)
- Merry Christmas Baby
- I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day
- Winter Wonderland
- It’s Midnight (1973)
- You Asked Me To
- Thinking About You
- Promised Land
- Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming
- She Thinks I Still Care (1976)
- Moody Blue
- Way Down
- Pledging My Love
- He’ll Have To Go
- Unchained Melody (Live-1977)
The Mystery Train Blog 
You know what I love? Here’s what I love: your “Best Track” selections: “SC is Back”, “I’ll Be Home on Christmas Day”, “Run On”, “Promised Land”, “Power of My Love” and “How the Web Was Woven”. Those are acceptable picks for his best recordings ever, really. I also love that you included “Almost in Love”: I love (and grew up) with this and “I Got Lucky” on cassette. I also have a special place in my heart for “That’s the Way It Is”. I was surprised at first at it’s being your number one pick but, y’know what? There certainly is no album that is necessarily ‘better’ than that: “Twenty Days…”, “Just Pretend”, etc.
You are BANG ON all over this post – good job.
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Thanks so much, Wellsy. That’s The Way It Is has been number one for me for quite some time. It was ranking #2 through #15 that I found challenging.
I only recently discovered the greatness of Almost In Love (as an album) within the last two or three years. In iTunes, I organize my songs via their first album of release – so Almost In Love came together on its own as I pulled in the various tracks that I had actually sourced from subsequent releases (i.e., Double Features, etc.). Definitely a fantastic album, and from Camden at that!
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Great list!! Got em’ all, love em’ all! And best tracks on the album nailed it, especially Run On, LOVE that song! And incidentaly my favorite album is Thats The Way it Is, the movie made me a Complete Elvis fan! He Touched Me album is also a favorite of mine, absolutley brilliant! Thanks Troy! Talk to you soon!! TCB!
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Thanks for stoppin’ by, George. That’s The Way It Is , The Lost Performances, and That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition display Elvis at his best. Out of all of his projects, the That’s The Way It Is releases are the ones that most highlight him as an artist.
Most “uninitiated” people I’ve ever shown them to or played them for have been pleasantly surprised – because it blows up the myths they have been misled to believe.
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I don’t know about the ipod, i will simply stick ALL the albums on my iphone or Toshiba tablet and re-visit these glorious moments in time. As for #14 i would have chosen “If Every Day Was Like Christmas” as best track, but each to their own. Good blog and great Albums all round. Thanks Troy.
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Thanks, Ray! I didn’t consider “If Every Day Was Like Christmas” because the original pressing of Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas did not include it. I’m pretty sure it has shown up on at least one re-release of that album, though.
The song made its album debut on the 1970 edition of Elvis’ Christmas Album. While it wouldn’t have pushed aside “I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day” for me, it is nevertheless a favorite.
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I totally agree on TTWII as the number one Elvis album. I grew up on Almost in Love. The songs on both of these albums are seared in my brain. Nice idea to include the 100 best songs. Great post. Thanks Troy
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Thanks, Fred. I enjoyed putting this one together.
Now, I should admit something… when I was a kid, I thought the That’s The Way It Is album was boring! Especially after I finally saw (and loved) the movie. It wasn’t until about the time of The Lost Performances that I started to “get” the album.
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Hi Troy, I always enjoy seeing other fans top choices. We share eight out of fifteen, not bad at all. My number one album has a lot of great Elvis songs but “Heartbreak Hotel” is my all time favorite. When I first heard it back in ’64 I was only nine years old while listening to a local radio show in Chicago. DJ said he received an album called “Meet the Beatles” but before playing it, he wanted to play Elvis’ “Heartbreak Hotel.” I was thinking who are “The Beetles” (not a typo) then I heard “Heartbreak Hotel” and that was it for me. My number fifteen album may surprise some. It’s like you said in another topic, it’s “A Tale of Two Albums.” Although I’d say “How Great Thou Art” was the turning point in Elvis’ career because he involved himself like he did no other album, I believe it was the “Guitar Man Sessions” that put Elvis back on track again.
#15 Clambake (1967)
Best Track “Guitar Man”
#14 A Date With Elvis (recorded 1954-1958)
Best Track “Good Rockin’ Tonight”
#13 For LP Fans Only (recorded 1954-1958)
Best Track “Mystery Train”
#12 Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas (1971)
Best Song “Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees”
#11 How Great Thou Art (recorded 1960, 1966)
Best Track “Run On”
#10 Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957)
Best Track “Santa Clause Is Back In Town”
#9 Elvis Country (1970)
Best Track “Tomorrow Never Comes”
#8 Elvis Back In Memphis (1969)
Best Track “Stranger In My Home Town”
#7 From Elvis In Memphis (1969)
Best Track “Gentle on My Mind”
#6 Elvis’ Golden Records, Volume 3 (1960-1962)
Best Track “I Feel So Bad”
#5 Elvis Is Back (1960)
Best Track “Reconsider Baby”
#4 Elvis Presley (1956)
Best Track “Blue Suede Shoes”
#3 Elvis’ Gold Records, Volume 2 (1957-1959)
Best Track “A Big Hunk O’ Love”
#2 Elvis (1956)
Best Track “So Glad Your Mine”
#1 Elvis’ Golden Records (recorded 1956-1957)
Best Track “Heartbreak Hotel”
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What a great story, Joe! You discovered Elvis just as the British invasion began. So, if the DJ had went straight to the Beatles, rather than playing Elvis first, your entire musical journey may have been set to a completely different course.
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I am not a great seventies fan as you know but I think you could have also included the Rock and Roll Number 2 album and the King Creole soundtrack. It is also worth saying that there is an incredible number of classic tracks not included on these albums. Three as an example – It Hurts Me, Is It So Strange, That’s All Right. There is a lot more. Maybe we need another list of the best of the rest.
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Thanks for commenting, Howard. Though Rock ‘n’ Roll No. 2 (AKA Elvis here in the US) and King Creole both contain some great songs (“Love Me,” “When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again,” “Ready Teddy,” “Hard Headed Woman,” “As Long As I Have You,” and “King Creole”), I do not consider them great albums.
Elvis is pulled down by “How Do You Think I Feel” and “First In Line,” while King Creole is quite a difficult listen on side 2, particularly with the likes of “Lover Doll,” “Steadfast, Loyal And True,” and “Crawfish.”
As mentioned in the post, the playlist is intended only as the “best of” the songs on those 15 albums. I’m already planning to tackle a more comprehensive song list and many other themes in subsequent lists. I try to space these things out a bit as to not get too repetitive, though. I don’t want any passengers falling asleep.
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What an OUTSTANDING list Troy!! The only thing I would have done differently is listed the PROMISED LAND album higher up on the list! I’ve been an Elvis fan for 35 years (since I was 5) and until this year, I have always listed the TODAY album as my favorite album. But after receiving the PROMISED LAND FTD CD late last year, I have officially named PROMISED LAND as my all-time favorite Elvis album!
Aside from that, I think your list is spot-on my friend!! Another FANTASTIC post and I look forward to many more of them in 2012!!
TCB!
Mike
P.S. You REALLY need to crack open that PROMISED LAND FTD and give it a spin…you don’t know what you’re missing!! (-:
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Thanks, Mike. I had a really tough time placing Promised Land and a couple of the others.
Conversationally, without giving it much thought, I would have placed Elvis Is Back! in the top ten, and both Promised Land and From Elvis In Memphis in the top five. Yet, once I had all of the albums before me and went through to analyze them for this list, there were just too many spectacular albums to make everything fit the way I wanted.
For a guy that some call “only a singles artist,” Elvis sure did have a ton of great albums from which to choose. It made this post really difficult. I arbitrarily chose 15 as the cutoff, but there were also several more that I consider “great” (listed alphabetically, because I don’t want to further injure my brain by continuing to rank):
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After reviewing Troy’s list and the ensuing comments, we know the “50,000,000 Fan’s Can’t Be Wrong”. Taking a retro perspective, imagine that you hadn’t heard anything past Loving You LP and the 57′ Christmas Album and then came into your audio world “King Creole” (Hard Headed Woman, New Orleans, Trouble, Dixiland Rock and then those great balads) and you would have rated this album as an incredible standout for not only Elvis’s power as a vocalist but for the compositions. Elvis did nothing but grow into a Rock n’ Roll icon and if any one of you have ever tried to sing these songs, you would know how hard it would be to light a candle to his performances.
One thing is clear, that Elvis left us with a tremendous volume of great hits, renowned and hidden jewels. I always wondered why Elvis did not draw from more of his rich trove of recordings for salting into his live performances. We know he practised for a short time “If I Can Dream” but never a chance for “Tomorow Never Comes” , or the cinematic choices such as “Viva Las Vegas”or at the end of the scale, the sweet “Home Is Where the Heart Is” which could so easily have been performed off the cuff. Maybe Elvis did not realize how many of his fans and concert attendees as well as those who came after, loved the movie music (I grew up with movies as they were released and each can be dialed into a time of my growht-time-place and emotions).
Elvis the enigma-Elvis the greatest. Thanks for the memories.
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Great comments, Ian, thanks. While he certainly varied his set list over the years, it would have been interesting to hear the ones you mentioned. To never do “Viva Las Vegas” in Las Vegas has always baffled me a bit. Perhaps he thought it was too obvious? It’s also one of those songs with a lot of lyrics, leading to potential confusion. Still, you would think a version would have surfaced by now.
A couple more songs that come to mind that should’ve made his 1969-1977 shows at some point are “Too Much” and “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin.” I suppose, had he lived and continued touring, he eventually would have broken into his old catalog more as he revamped the show in the 1980s and 1990s. If only…
Again, thanks for the comment. This subject perhaps warrants its own post.
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Elvis is my daughter’s idol. I love him too. I am following you from Rome, Italy. I left my email address.
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Francesca,
Welcome aboard The Mystery Train! That’s one of the wonderful things about the web, being able to connect with fellow Elvis fans all over the world.
I took a look at your blog and found the video of your daughter singing “Baby, Let’s Play House.” What a terrific rendition! She has a beautiful voice.
[Be sure to check it out, folks, over on YouTube.]
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