Genre of Elvis.

SammyIbanez · 11-05-2015, 10:21 PM

Elvis's early music, when he was very young in the 1950s, was rock n roll/rockabilly, and some blues. I don't think there's any question about that.

But his later music, especially at the time of his Comeback Special and afterwards until 1977, is hard to define.

I wouldn't consider him to be pure pop. Elvis sound "Pop" as in MJ, Prince, mariah carey, madonna genre of music. His ballads were definitley pop, though. Very few of his songs were country (a genre commonly mentioned as one of Elvis's main genres). Probably a lot of Elvis's more obscure songs are country, but I can't think of much.

Suspicious minds, Sweet Caroline, the later versions of hound dog, jailhouse rock, heartbreak hotel, seem almost like "rock" to me, but the guitar chordal structure or hook aren't the main aspect of this song like they were with Beatles songs, so it's hard to say.

I would argue songs like Suspcious Minds, even some of the 1950s songs he later did in the comeback special, were rock music, but I could be wrong. Pop rock like the Beatles.

Neapolitan · 11-05-2015, 10:57 PM

Elvis also did Gospel and R n B. His Hollywood years was mostly Pop. During the Vegas years his live band was imo a mix of Rock band and light music or pop orchestra (however you would call it).

SammyIbanez · 11-06-2015, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neapolitan

Elvis also did Gospel and R n B. His Hollywood years was mostly Pop. During the Vegas years his live band was imo a mix of Rock band and light music or pop orchestra (however you would call it).

You wouldn't consider Elvis's post 1968 music to be pop?

11-05-2015, 10:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
SammyIbanez Groupie Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 6	Genre of Elvis. Elvis's early music, when he was very young in the 1950s, was rock n roll/rockabilly, and some blues. I don't think there's any question about that. But his later music, especially at the time of his Comeback Special and afterwards until 1977, is hard to define. I wouldn't consider him to be pure pop. Elvis sound "Pop" as in MJ, Prince, mariah carey, madonna genre of music. His ballads were definitley pop, though. Very few of his songs were country (a genre commonly mentioned as one of Elvis's main genres). Probably a lot of Elvis's more obscure songs are country, but I can't think of much. Suspicious minds, Sweet Caroline, the later versions of hound dog, jailhouse rock, heartbreak hotel, seem almost like "rock" to me, but the guitar chordal structure or hook aren't the main aspect of this song like they were with Beatles songs, so it's hard to say. I would argue songs like Suspcious Minds, even some of the 1950s songs he later did in the comeback special, were rock music, but I could be wrong. Pop rock like the Beatles.