Elvis Presley didn’t just break down barriers for rock n’ roll. He wasn’t just the first superstar of the genre. I’m not talking about him just because he ushered in youth culture to the U.S.A. and the world. Play the right Elvis song at the right volume, and most of them still pack a serious punch.

A great many of the rock bands I’ve covered on Alt77 owe a great debt to the one dubbed The King of Rock n’ Roll. That’s why today I am ranking down the 10 best songs by Elvis Presley.

Greatest 10 Songs by Elvis Presley

10. “Little Sister”

I first heard “Little Sister” being covered by Robert Plant. It all made perfect sense. A tongue-in-cheek, naughty 50s rocker that Led Zeppelin could’ve easily played in their live medleys throughout their early career.

“Little Sister” shows that Elvis could go toe-to-toe against any rockers from any era. It also shows that far from a momma’s boy or America’s angel, Elvis had a mean street going whenever he was double-crossed.

9. “Baby, Let’s Play House”

Who invented rock n’ roll, really? It’s true that Elvis Presley covered “Baby, Let’s Play House” one year after Arthur Gunter wrote it. I suppose that it is true that Elvis was rivalled by Chuck Berry, Jerry Lewis, and Little Richard throughout the 1950s.

But as far as most teenagers across the world were concerned, Presley had brought rock ‘n roll into their lives in 1955. All these years later, there’s a mischievous energy about “Baby, Let’s Play House” still.

8. “Treat Me Nice”

Elvis Presley was a character created by a Mississippi singer. He was just as much fantasy as he was real. This character was both charming as he was confident.

“Treat Me Nice” is one of the early 50s rock n’ rollers from Elvis. To parents, this sounds like a nice boy who could take their daughters out. To kids, Elvis sounds cool as ice.

7. “Burning Love”

Elvis epitomized confidence. He was a performer who demanded that all eyes be on him. All the other rock acts that followed him copied his stage presence and many of his antics, I hear.

“Burning Love” came out in the 1970s, during Elvis’ sequin stage wardrobe phase. But it calls back to the confident, slightly nasty energy of his earliest records. More importantly, dedicated fans still believed.

6. “All Shook Up”

“All Shook Up” is one of the first great pop-rock singles. Supposedly written so that it could eventually be paired with a Pepsi sponsorship, the song’s hook is undeniable.

So is Scotty Moore’s guitar playing. Moore was a massive inspiration to players like The Rolling Stones‘ Keith Richard and, in fact, inadvertently helped start the modern guitar revolution. Wish I could play those lines as smoothly and confidently as Moore.

5. “Don’t Be Cruel”

“Don’t Be Cruel” was released in 1956. Elvis had been a star for a whole year and could pick and choose the very best songs that he wished to cover.

“Don’t Be Cruel” perfectly captures his and his band’s strengths. It sounds either like a comic gospel number or a cute rocking number. It was the kind of sound that the whole of the U.S. could get behind. Consequently, it was a big hit.

4. “A Little Less Conversation”

When the Junkie XL remix for “A Little Less Conversation” came out in 2002, it proved one thing beyond doubt – Elvis songs still packed a punch and made people dance. This wasn’t pure nostalgia driving the success. It was a modern party anthem.

But JXL had plenty to work with here. “A Little Less Conversation” is a rocking number that sees Presley expertly use his signature baritone delivery. It was a party jam when it was released, when it was remixed, and still today.

3. “Blue Suede Shoes”

Black Sabbath used to cover “Blue Suede Shoes” and numerous other heavy rock groups. That’s because if you strip down the patented 1950s production, Presley’s vocals over the intro acoustic guitar chords still sound magnetic.

The rest of the short song sees Presley’s band, once more led by Scotty Moore, tear it up. It’s a sound that aged well and, given a bit more power, was even taken up by punks for the beloved psychobilly genre. I just wish we knew what Presley made of metalheads and punks. Supposedly, he liked Led Zeppelin and met them once.

2. “Jailhouse Rock”

Elvis Presley was the first global superstar. His brand was carefully constructed and sold through nearly every product imaginable. Selling records was just the tip of the iceberg. Of course, Elvis got into movies (most of them terrible). And, of course, merchandise of all sorts was created.

“Jailhouse Rock” was the soundtrack of one of those silly movies. But it’s also a mighty rocking song. Queen and countless other bands covered it. And, many rock bands were formed as a result of it.

1. “Heartbreak Hotel”

A mournful blues-rocker that makes Elvis sound like the coolest man to have ever gotten behind a microphone, “Heartbreak Hotel” is a standard, sure. But unpack and play it back, and the song still has bite.

Elvis Presley’s early career exposed the U.S. and the rest of the world to the charm of rock’ n’ roll. No other song contributed more to its success than “Heartbreak Hotel.”