70 Years Ago, This Over-the-Top Ad Launched the Biggest Rock Star of All Time
Exactly 70 years ago today, on March 10, 1956, a major recording company took out a screaming half-page ad in Billboard Magazine to promote a young performer. The ad called the arist, "THE NEW SINGING RAGE!!!!" This over-the-top attempt at promotion turned out to be spot on.
An Over-The-Top 1956 Billboard Ad Announced Elvis Presley to the World
"The new singing rage!!!" Elvis Presley in Billboard, on March 10, 1956 pic.twitter.com/qEcXJ6GDVk
— Darrell Epp (@DarrellEpp) March 11, 2025
When 1956 began, Elvis Presley was still largely unknown beyond some regional markets. His big breakthrough came when "Heartbreak Hotel" became his first hit after it entered the Billboard charts on March 3, 1956. That month marked a major turning point for the singer in more ways than one, with another astonishing moment coming a week later.
On March 10, 1956, RCA Records, which was known as RCA Victor at the time, took a big swing to promote the singer's then-rising music career. The company ran a half-page ad in Billboard Magazine that labeled Presley as "THE NEW SINGING RAGE!!!!" The ad also touted that the singer was an "exclusive RCA-Victor recording star" who was "currently on a record-breaking tour," but it didn't specify the record that was being broken.
It is certainly fair to say that the ad wasn't responsible for turning Presley into the icon he became. Still, it was clearly designed to make him a national star. Not long after it ran, his superstardom became impossible to deny.
What Makes Elvis Presley the Biggest Rock Star of All Time
Photo by: Frank Carroll/Gary Null/NBC via Getty Images
Rock music has produced some absolute legends, like John Lennon, Freddie Mercury, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix, Ozzy Osbourne, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and Bob Dylan. Still, it is easy to argue that Elvis Presley stands above everyone else as the biggest rock star of all time.
When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was launched, Presley was among the inaugural class of inductees. He was first nicknamed the King of Rock and Roll decades ago, and he is still recognized by that title long after he passed away. Presley had such an immense effect on music in general that the website for the Grammys even published a list naming five ways he changed the industry. Those are just some of the many reasons why Presley deserves to be called the biggest rock star ever.
Ultimately, the argument boils down to two factors that, when combined, are virtually undeniable. Presley recorded rock music, and he holds the Guinness World Record for being the best-selling solo artist ever, with more than one billion units sold worldwide.