When Elvis Presley first came onto the scene in 1954 with the performance of “That’s All Right”, he was shot out of a cannon. Presley’s early, mid, and late career formed the face of pop culture we are all so familiar with. Without a doubt, he is one of the most important musicians of all time. Today marks a major anniversary in his journey to become such a renowned musician, as on this day, July 16, 1955, Elvis Presley entered the national charts for the very first time.
Elvis Presley’s time in front of the limelight lasted for roughly 23 years. Between 1954 and 1977, Presley garnered three Grammys, captured the hearts of Americans, and procured 18 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Before the Billboard Hot 100 became the premier musical ranking list in 1958, Presley appeared on several different charts. And he did so for the very first time with his 1955 single, “Baby, Let’s Play House.”
The First of Many Elvis Presley Hits
In 1955, Elvis Presley wasn’t the rhinestone-studded, karate-chopping, grandiose performer the masses remember him as. Rather, he was merely a 19-year-old kid trying to make it in the music business. He surely did not know what in the world would come of his name. Though, when “Baby, Let’s Play House” became his first ever national chart appearance, he surely started to get an idea as to what his future would look like.
Originally recorded by Arthur Gunter, Elvis Presley recorded his rendition of the single at Sun Records. Subsequently, Presley’s cover of the song peaked at No. 15 on Cash Box magazine’s country chart. Now, this was not a Billboard chart placement, but it was a start, and Presley’s first Billboard chart placement came just about a year after “Baby, Let’s Play House”. Specifically, in 1956, Presley’s infamous single, “Heartbreak Hotel”, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100. It was his first-ever No. 1 hit.
Following Presley’s No. 15 single and No. 1 single, The King went on to have 24 consecutive top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1956 and 1962. Needless to say, this moment marked a crucial moment in his career. As it seemingly showed Elvis Presley that he and his talents had the legs to go the distance. And he not only went the distance, but also set a precedent for people to surpass.