Exactly What Was Elvis Presley’s Biggest Hit Record?

Was it “Heartbreak Hotel” or “Hound Dog” or something else?

RCA Victor 47–6604, “Hound Dog” / “Don’t Be Cruel,” was the first Elvis 45 issued commercially with a picture sleeve. In its penny-pinching wisdom, RCA made the sleeve on uncoated papers. The cheap paper aged quickly, obvious here in the border at the top, which should be starkly white. Finding a near mint copy of this sleeve is difficult and the ones most commonly found are counterfeits. (Image: personal collection)

WHAT WAS ELVIS PRESLEY’S BIGGEST HIT? The term “hit” almost always refers to one side of a single, whether it is an antiquated 45 rpm single (1949–1989) or a prehistoric 78 rpm single (1898–1958). The term is relative: A record that made it to #88 and stayed on the national…