Elvis Presley is the undisputed king of rock and roll, except in the UK, where a cartoon monkey has somehow managed the unfathomable feat of stealing his crown.
This is only said in a slightly tongue-in-cheek manner because it is true that Presley’s record of UK number one albums was usurped by an unsuspecting solo artist, albeit not quite a cartoon monkey in the truest sense of the word. Indeed, this was probably a record many thought would stand for the rest of time, but in 2022, this shining jewel in his legacy was shockingly displaced.
If it wasn’t already obvious, the traitorous artist in question, whose compilation record XXV gave him his 13th solo number one in the UK, and subsequently clinched him the title of the most albums to ever hit the top spot in the country’s charts, overtaking Presley’s previous personal best, is Robin Williams.
With Williams having released albums pretty consistently ever since he broke free from Take That in the late 1990s, it’s no surprise that his popularity mainly among middle-aged women has served him well, as he now holds the enviable record that any other artist will be hard-pressed to ever beat, especially given the context of overtaking the king.
Of course, the most ironic factor in all of this is that, unlike Williams, Presley held a gleaming global appeal—adored as the pinnacle of rock and roll all over the world, this was a major factor in making him one of the most successful musicians to have ever lived. By comparison, Williams has a far more limited continental reach, with most Americans only having become familiar with him relatively recently through his bizarre monkey-fronted biopic Better Man. But as much as we may not like it, the record still stands, and in these isles, Williams is the new king of rock and roll.
What are Elvis Presley’s other records?
In the true spirit of generosity, the record may as well stay in Williams’ rightful ownership, because it’s not as if Presley didn’t already have enough to go around. Holding the title as the artist who has spent the most weeks in the UK charts, clocking in with 1,149 weeks for 111 songs, you can probably say with at least some certainty that Williams isn’t going to come anywhere near in that respect.
This is just one of the records stored in the Presley hall of fame, with the litany of others, including the fact that he had the most singles ever to hit the US Billboard chart, amassing 149 tunes in the time between 1956 and 1996. So, although Elvis may have long since left the building, his legacy is one thing that is never going to die.
You can’t dispute Williams’ power, for he overtook the king fair and square, and his popularity as a solo artist has endured over the decades for a special reason. But no matter what anyone says, you just can’t mess with the greats, and as far as rock and roll battles between Presley and Williams go, there’s only ever going to be one winner.