2002 saw a rush of releases to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. A remix of his 1968 single 'A Little Less Conversation' by Dutch DJ Junkie XL gave Presley his eighteenth No.1 hit in UK, while a collection of his chart-topping singles, 'Elvis 30 #1 Hits' topped the charts worldwide. There is no doubt that Elvis Presley still remains the "King" of rock & roll and he is not only the most innovative and influential artist in rock, but in American culture.

Elvis Aaron Presley was born 8 January, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi to a poor but very religious couple. His family settled down in Memphis, Tennessee by the time he entered a high school. He loved to listen to country and blues rooted in the South by radio and gospel songs at a nearby church. His unique musical background gave Presley an original sense of music, mixing white country music with black R&B, which resulted in the birth of rock & roll.

Presley was a truck drive for several months after graduation from high school until he, at his own expense, recorded a few songs at Sun Studios, when the studio owner then Presley's manager, Sam Phillips was impressed by his singing. He had been searching for a white boy who can sing like a Negro, and Elvis fit like a glove. He recorded his Sun debut single 'That's All Right Mama' with local country musicians Bill Black (bass) and Scotty Moore (guitar). Thought it became a local hit, the song was not allowed airplay at many radio outlets because it sounded "too black". White people would not listen to black music at the time.

After scoring a number of country hits, Presley met Colonel Tom Parker, who was known as a tough manager in the music industry. He took over Presley's management and signed him a major deal with RCA. His 1956 major debut 'Heartbreak Hotel' immediately reached No.1 in US and became the first song by white singer to rule the pop, country and R&B charts at the same time. It propelled Presley to international superstardom in a short time, followed by a series of chart-topping hits, including 'Hound Dog', 'Don't Be Cruel', 'Blue Suede Shoes', 'All Shook Up' and 'Love Me Tender'. He appeared on such famous TV shows as 'Ed Sullivan' and 'Steve Allen', and believe it or not, Presley was only shown from the waist up because his trademark hip gyrations were considered too sexually stimulating. Presley went on to star on countless movies including blockbusters 'Love Me Tender', 'Loving you' and 'Jailhouse Rock', the title tracks of which also became big hits. By that time, Presley moved from a Memphis house to the famous Graceland, which is now his monument visited by millions of people every year.

In 1958 Presley was inducted into the U.S. Army and stationed in Germany for two years. Some fans and critics cried that rock & roll was dead, but Presley in 1960 returned to U.S. where he continued to have such hits as 'It's Now Or Never' and 'Are You Lonsesome Tonight?' and starring movies like 'Blue Hawaii' until the Beatles stormed the world in 1964. For the next few years, Presley was busy starring on a string of so-so films and stayed away from recording of original albums. Presley married his longtime girlfriend Priscilla and later had a daughter, Lisa-Marie.

It was 1968 that Presley made a sensational comeback with the legendary NBC TV special on which he sang his old hits dressed in a black leather suit. It was followed by successful live performances at Las Vegas and such smashes as 'In The Ghetto' and 'Suspicious Minds'. In '70s, though, Presley's popularity began waning and he gradually spent much time eating too much and depending on drugs, which resulted in the end of his marriage with Priscilla in 1973. On August 16, 1977, Presley was found dead in a bathroom at Graceland. There was a rumor that he died of an overdose of cocaine, but the true cause of death is still unknown.

Elvis Presley is definitely the most successful and influential artist, both commercially and artistically, only to be rivaled by the Beatles, who were inspired by him. Chartwise, Presley is the artist to have the most Top 10 singles and Top 100 albums on the U.S. charts, while he is only second to the Beatles in the number of No.1 singles and albums stakes. His most recent remix 'Rubberneckin' by DJ Paul Oakenfold gave the singer his 15th No.1 single on the U.S. chart.

The craze is not over yet. The sequel to 'Elvis 30 #1 Hits', 'Second To None - Elvis 30 Essential Hits' will be released this October, while his daughter Lisa-Maire made a successful solo debut, which debuted on the Top 20 of the U.S. chart. Presley's recording career was short, but his influence is still felt in singers young and old. No one can unseat the "King" of rock & roll.