These Little-Known Facts About Elvis Presley Will Change How You See Him

“Heartbreak Hotel” cracked the charts in January. By December, he was everywhere—TV, radio, movie theaters, lunchboxes. Elvis sold 10 million records in one year, including five number-one singles. RCA signed him for an unheard-of $35,000. His gyrating silhouette lit up marquees and scandalized Southern parents.

He wore gold lamé suits and mascara, slathered his hair in pomade, and sneered through interviews. The nation was split—some saw the devil in a teen’s body; others saw freedom, future, frenzy. But even the haters couldn’t ignore him. In 1956, Elvis didn’t just break out—he exploded, and America would never be the same.