Elvis Presley's Australian Golden Records

For Many years I have often wondered how many Elvis Presley records were accredited Gold record status in Australia. From 1967 to 1987 I was a member of the Air Force and put this project on hold. In 1988 I decided it was time to put the known facts on paper before they got lost.  During the past ten years I have met many Elvis fans, but only a few real die-hard research collectors. They have been most helpful in this research. But to find out exactly how a record became a Gold record in this country, I contacted Mr. Ron Wills who was in the music business all his working life. I have included the story below, that Ron told me some years ago.

'Bob, you ask how we set the figure for a Gold record Award. I must admit that I was the one who decided on the method of calculation. Slim Dusty's record 'A Pub With No Beer' went to the top of the Australian hit parade in June 1958 and by June 1964 it had sold 80,000 copies. We [EMI] decided that it merited an award which would be the equivalent of One Million sales in the U.S. So we figured that 60,000 units was a fair relationship when the population difference was considered. Slim's record at that stage had reached 80,000 and so we presented him with the first ever Gold record in Australia. From then on 60,000 was regarded as being The Gold Standard Record. It was decided that the figure for Long Play Albums would be 10,000.

Ron was working with EMI in those days, but not long after this he joined the RCA Australia stable, where he stayed until his retirement. In 1968 RCA Australia had reckonised the 'Elvis factor' in this country, and going through their sale figures, came up with some amazing statistics. Elvis had a total of thirty seven (37) records that had passed the Gold record requirments. These figures would eventually get lost in the 1980's, when BMG took over RCA. Ron also believes that it would be a miracle if anyone found anything in the current building.

So going on Ron's figures and calculations, Elvis sold in excess of 540,000 units for his nine (9) Gold singles up to 1968. Some of these singles were still available in the 70's. 'Return To Sender' was still available and re-issued in late 1979. 'Are You Lonesome Tonight' was re-issued twice in the 80's with new catelogue numbers and was still available in 1984/85. Overall Elvis had one hundred and four (104) singles released in Australia.

Elvis also sold in excess of 720,000 copies of his twelve (12) extended plays that passed the Gold record mark. In 1970 A Touch Of Gold - Vol. 2 was to become his next Gold record. These EP's were on sale right up to the mid eighties (Over 20 titles were available), when RCA were advised that no more would be pressed. Additional sales figures were not given, but I'm sure that there would have been about 20 Gold EP's in the end.

The Elvis Album statistics really get me wondering who was in charge of this department from 1969 thru to 1978. In 1968 Elvis was awarded fifteen (15) Gold Albums for sales in excess of 150,000 Albums. There were eight (8) additions to the list in 1970, bringing the total to twenty three (23) Albums that went Gold. That's 230,000 Album sales. But oddly enough, four Albums were not re-accredited, missing out were - For LP Fans Only, Kissin' Cousins, Girls, Girls, Girls and Girl Happy. Up to 1970 Elvis had thirty nine (39) Albums released and RCA Australia had credited twenty three (23) as reaching Gold status.

In 1978 RCA decided to present the Elvis Presley Estate with a supurb plaque highlighting his most recent Gold & Platinum awards. (I cannot remember how the fiqures came about because sometime in the mid 70's the method of calculating Gold & Platinum awards was changed from units sold to dollars.) The inscription on the plaque reads in part '22 Gold and 7 Platinum awards' From that list of 29 Albums only seven (7) had been previously awarded Gold status, so I assume that would be the seven (7) platinum mentioned.

This is an incomplete list, it is not possible to prove all certifications. Due to RCA no longer being in Business.

Title - Australian Gold Singles	Cat #	Release	Award	Source
Hound Dog / Don't Be Cruel	10186	1956		AARM
Jailhouse Rock / Treat Me Nice	10331	1957		AARM
A Fool Such As I / I Need Your Love Tonight	10677	1959		AARM
It's Now Or Never / Make Me Know It	10940	1960		AARM
Are You Lonesome Tonight / I Gotta Know	10982	1960		AARM
Tonight Is So Right For Love / Wooden Heart	101022	1961		AARM
Rock A Hula Baby / Can't Help Falling In Love	101190	1961		AARM
Return To Sender / Where Do You Come From	101394	1962		AARM
Crying In The Chapel / I Believe In The Man In The Sky	47-0643	1965		AARM
Edge Of Reality / If I Can Dream	47-9670	1968		#1 MELB
In The Ghetto / Any Day Now	47-9741	1969		GO-SET
Suspicious Minds / You'll Think Of Me	47-9764	1969		GO-SET
The Wonder Of You / Mama Liked The Roses	47-9835	1970		GO-SET
Burning Love / It's A Matter Of Time	?	1972	?	#3
Title - Australian Gold Extended Plays	Cat #	Release	Award	Source
Love Me Tender	20016	1956		AARM
Old Shep	20044	1956		AARM
Jailhouse Rock	20053	1957		AARM
Loving You : Volume 1	20101	1957		AARM
Loving You : Volume 2	20129	1957		AARM
King Creole : Volume 1	20146	1958		AARM
King Creole : Volume 2	20163	1958		AARM
Elvis By Request	20258	1961		AARM
Follow That Dream	20271	1962		AARM
Kid Galahad	20274	1962		AARM
Elvis Sings ... Kiss Me Quick	20277	1963		AARM
Love In Las Vegas	EPA-481	1964		AARM
A Touch Of Gold - Volume 2	EPA-5101	1967		AARM
Both 'In The Ghetto' & 'Suspicious Minds' are widely remembered as having qualified GOLD. 'Edge of Reality' [Number 1 in Melbourne according to 'Top 40 Research] is also strongly believed to have qualified / been certified GOLD. 'The Wonder Of You' was the number 8 song of the year in Melbourne [Top 40 research] 'Burning Love [National Top 10] was a major single for Elvis in Australia.
Title - Australian Gold & Platinum Albums	Cat #	Release	Award	Source
Elvis Presley	L-10254/LSP-1254	1956		AARM
Elvis	L-10278/LSP-1382	1956		AARM
Loving You	L-10289/LSP-1515	1957		AARM
King Creole	L-10539/LSP-1804	1958		AARM
For LP Fans Only	L-10664	1959		RCA
Elvis' Golden Records	L-10545/LSP-1707	1958		AARM
Elvis' Golden Records : Volume 2	L-10831/LSP-2075	1959		AARM
Elvis Is Back	L-10888/LSP-2231	1960		AARM
G.I. Blues	L/SL-1979/L-10979	1960		AARM
His Hand In Mine	L-10991/LSP-2328	1960		AARM
Something For Everybody	L-101102/SL101102	1961		AARM
Blue Hawaii	L-101174/SL-101174	1961		AARM
Girls, Girls, Girls	L-101400/SL-101400	1962		AARM
Fun In Acapulco	LPM-2756/LSP-2757	1963		AARM
Kissin' Cousins	LPM/LSP-2894	1963		RCA
Elvis' Golden Records : Volume 3	LPM-2765/LPM/LSP	1963		AARM
Roustabout	LPM-2999/LPM/LSP	1964		AARM
Girl Happy	LPM/LSP-3338	1965		RCA
Elvis For Everyone	LPM/LSP-3405	1965		AARM
Elvis : NBC TV Special	LPM-4088	1969		AARM
Elvis Sings 'Flaming Star'	CAS-3204	1969		AARM
Let's Be Friends	CAS-2408	1970		AARM
Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits : Vol 1	LPM-6401	1971		AARM
Aloha From Hawaii	VPSX-6089	1973		AARM
Rock 'N' On	TSP-135	1974		Graceland
Rock 'N' On 2	TSP-141	1974	?	?
Elvis In The 70's	TSP-167	1975	?	?
Love Songs	NA-531	1979	?	K-TEL
Insperations	NA-557	1980	?	K-TEL
All The Best [From Elvis]	TPR2-100	1982		Graceland
Elvis Blue	SPR-401	1984		BMG
Words And Music	SFL1-0159	1987		BMG
Elvis Ballads	JB-249	1987	?	J&B
17 Number One Hits	JB-328	1988	?	J&B
The Romantic	ENTCD9004	1990		BMG
Presley : All Time Greatest Hits	ND90100	1991	x 2	BMG / ARIA
From The Heart	PD90642	1992	?	BMG / ARIA
The Essential Collection	4321228712	1995		BMG / ARIA

(Platinum - Level 4, with sales exceeding 350,000) (Presley- All Time Greatest Hits: 9 x Gold; 4 x Platinum)

Compiled by Nigel Patterson, Wayne Hawthorne  David Troedson and Bob Hayden. Text by Bob Hayden.

Elvis Presley Single and Album Charts

Elvis Presley: Australian Singles Chart
Elvis Presley: Australian Album Chart

Elvis Presley: USA Billboard Singles Chart
Elvis Presley: USA Billboard Album Chart
Elvis Presley's UK No. 1 Singles
Elvis Presley's UK No.1 Albums

   Elvis Presley' Gold Records in the USA
Elvis Presleys Australian Gold Records

Elvis Presley Family History : 1669-1935
 Elvis Presley Biography
 Gladys and Vernon Presley : Elvis Presley's Mother and Father
 Jessie D. McDowell (J.D.) Presley : Elvis Presleys Grandfather

 For a more (very) detailed history of Elvis Presley see our pages; starting at Elvis Presley 1935-1953

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