The SONY/RIAA Dilemma

EPE show Elvis as having 90 Albums that have achieved either Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum or Diamond with the Recording Industry Association Of America. Out of that 90 only 45 (half) are currently available on CD from Amazon.com (and presumably other retailers) that could possibly help Elvis further increase his Awards. Some of those not available on CD are available on MP3 and some from private sellers but very few.

The RIAA ruling is that if an original album is re-released with more than four additional tracks then it is given a new Catalog Number and sales cannot be added to the original. This is what has been happening to many of Elvis' original albums with the Legacy Releases and others. Further, two soundtracks or two different albums on one disc are again treated as a new release whose sales cannot be added to the originals. Whilst SONY are doing the fans and general public proud with these new releases by giving them better value for money they are also depriving Elvis from increasing his RIAA tally. From SONY's perspective such awards are not important as they do not increase record sales but from the fan's perspective many want Elvis to get his due.

Suffice it to say that the following albums (in their ORIGINAL format) are not now generally available on CD:

Elvis Presley

Elvis

Loving You

King Creole

Elvis' Golden Records (Vol.1

Elvis Is Back

Something For Everybody

Blue Hawaii

Elvis' Gold Records (Vol.4)

From Elvis In Memphis

Elvis - From Memphis To Vegas - From Vegas To Memphis

Elvis' Christmas Album (1970 Package)

Elvis, That's The Way It Is

Elvis Country

Elvis: The Other Sides - 50 Gold Award Hits (Vol.2)

Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas

Aloha From Hawaii

Elvis: A Legendary Performer (Vol.1)

Elvis Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis

Pure Gold

Elvis: A Legendary Performer (Vol.2)

Welcome To My World

Moody Blue

He Walks Beside Me

Elvis: A Legendary Performer (Vol.3)

Our Memories Of Elvis

This Is Elvis

Elvis Aron Presley

Memories Of Christmas

Elvis: The King Of Rock 'n' Roll - The Complete 50's Masters

Elvis: His Greatest Hits (Readers Digest Compilation)

Amazing Grace

Elvis: Walk A Mile In My Shoes: The Essential 70's Masters

50 Years - 50 Hits

The Elvis Presley Story

Elvis Gospel Treasury

The Complete Sun Sessions

The Rock 'n' Roll Era

The Legend Lives On

Double Dynamite

Love Me Tender (1987 Compilation)

C'mon Everybody

Elvis In Hollywood

Elvis - Brookville Marketing (1973)

Mahalo From Elvis.

Some fans will say that the Awards do not really matter and that SONY's policy of giving value for money is paramount. Others will disagree and wish Elvis to get his due from the RIAA. It is strongly rumoured that the CD format will disappear within the next few years and give way to downloading. This may then provide the opportunity for all of Elvis' albums to be re-released in their original format, albeit digitally, as well as the new formats. In this way Elvis could increase his RIAA Award tally. Of course I feel that SONY, in such a scenario, should have a major digital launch of the Presley back catalog, which in my opinion is well overdue.

Brian