Elvis Outlives Himself On The UK Charts
Elvis Presley's records have featured in the UK charts for 47 years and two months - nearly five years longer than he was alive. Elvis died in 1977 aged 42.
The survey of both singles and albums charts by the Guinness Book of Hit Singles found Cliff Richard second.
The Beatles came in third place, with rock band Queen fourth and Madonna in fifth - the only woman in the top ten.
Phil Collins and Sir Paul McCartney are the only artists to appear in the top 50 list twice.
Sergeant Pepper takes
a back seat as Elvis and Cliff outshine the Beatles
Jim Mcbeth
The latest edition of British Hit Singles and Albums, published today, has compiled the definitive top-50 list of artists who have dominated the weekly singles and album charts since the "hit parade" was launched in 1952.
In its 52-year history, Presley has appeared in both for a staggering total of 47 years and two months - four years and six months longer than he lived.
The 17th edition of the "pop bible", published by Guinness World Records, analyses the album and singles success, to provide an overall picture of artists' sales performance over the half-century.
Following Presley, in second place, is Sir Cliff Richard in a top ten which features, in order, the Beatles, Queen, Madonna, Sir Elton John, the Shadows, David Bowie, Michael Jackson and U2.
Surprisingly, bands such as Dire Straits (14) and Simon and Garfunkel (15) have outshone the Rolling Stones (16) in total British record sales.
But the wrinkly rockers are still ahead of Abba, Fleetwood Mac, Phil Collins and Sir Paul McCartney, who occupy the final four places in the all-time top 20 chart.
The singles chart in Britain has varied in length over its history.
When Presley first appeared in 1956 with Heartbreak Hotel the hit parade listed 30 records.
In 1978, the year after he died, the chart stabilised at its present length of the top 75 singles.
But no matter the number, Presley is comfortably out in front in the all-time top-50 UK chart.
The list was compiled from data on every single act ever to have entered the UK single or album charts since 1952 and it has revealed a raft of pop trivia.
Madonna - at number five - is the only woman in the top ten.
Phil Collins (19 and 44) and Sir Paul McCartney (3 and 20) are the only performers to appear twice because of solo careers and as members of Genesis and the Beatles.
The British pop star Robbie Williams has sneaked in at number 50, while relative newcomers Oasis made it to number 27.
Williams and Oasis are the only two acts from the 1990s to have performed consistently well enough to be ranked.
British acts have also overshadowed their US counterparts with 26 of the top 50 being home grown. Four of the artists in the top 50 have been recognised by the Queen with knighthoods - Elton John, Cliff Richard, Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney.
To mark the "chart of charts", the publishers reworked the world's most iconic album cover, the Beatles' Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, as a tribute.
"Combining singles and albums charts for the first time allows us to accurately measure the greats," said David Roberts, the editor of British Hit Singles and Albums.
But even he was astonished at the amazing Presley statistic.
He added: "It's a massive performance from Elvis, who's notched up almost a decade's worth of extra chart life over his nearest rival, Sir Cliff.
"It also brings recognition for the great album bands, such as Dire Straits."
"However, Elvis is simply timeless; he just goes on and on forever, the fact of that being that he has been in the charts longer than he was on earth.
"He was 496 weeks clear of his nearest rival.
"Any album released with his name on it is guaranteed to get into the charts. He had old fans, and he gets new fans, because he is still cool.
"The Beatles are the same. They just don't become dated."
Mr Roberts said that apart from Presley's musical longevity, the top of the all-time chart had not thrown up too many surprises.
He added: But I like the fact that you now get groups and artists, who are much more famous for albums in a higher position.
"Pink Floyd is a great example - they are an album band and in at 21, which is far higher than the position they would have achieved in a singles-only charts.
"It's also staggering that Dire Straits are more popular than the Rolling Stones.
"I'm not sure what it says about the musical taste of the British public, but I guess they have a wider appeal.
"I think the Stones are still seen as slightly dangerous, not something you say of Dire Straits."
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Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD
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Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.
