It's the age-old question ... Elvis or The Beatles? (Hey, I love them both ... but rock music purists always seem to want you to choose. Uma Thurman even asks John Travolta that question in a scene cut from Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction"!) Why can't it be Elvis AND The Beatles???
According to Billboard Magazine, Elvis had eighteen #1 Hits and The Beatles had twenty ... this makes The Beatles the chart champions, right?
Or does it?
The Beatles' #1 Records spent a total of 59 weeks on top of the charts ... while Elvis' eighteen chart-toppers stayed there for a total of 80 weeks ... so NOW who wins the battle?
For this special edition of SWEET 16 we rank their Biggest #1 Hits side by side. (By the way, Elvis and The Beatles also scored the most two-sided hits ... for a complete listing as to how THESE records rank, be sure to visit our other Forgotten Hits web page ...
http://forgottenhits.com/the_top_200_two-sided_hits_of_all-time
And now (he says in his best Casey Kasem voice), ON WITH THE COUNTDOWN!!!
#16 - LET IT BE - The Beatles (1970)
#15 - DON'T - Elvis Presley (1958)
#14 - STUCK ON YOU - Elvis Presley (1960)
#13 - CAN'T BUY ME LOVE - The Beatles (1964)
#12 - GET BACK - The Beatles (1969)
#11 - IT'S NOW OR NEVER - Elvis Presley (1960)
#10 - JAILHOUSE ROCK - Elvis Presley (1957)
# 9 - TEDDY BEAR - Elvis Presley (1957)
# 8 - ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT - Elvis Presley (1960)
# 7 - LOVE ME TENDER - Elvis Presley (1956)
# 6 - HOUND DOG - Elvis Presley (1956)
# 5 - I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND - The Beatles (1964)
# 4 - HEARTBREAK HOTEL - Elvis Presley (1956)
# 3 - ALL SHOOK UP - Elvis Presley (1957)
# 2 - HEY JUDE - The Beatles (1968)
# 1 - DON'T BE CRUEL - Elvis Presley (1956)
Hands-down winner: Elvis Presley, with 11 of the Top 16 #1 Hits. And just look at what's missing!!!
"Yesterday" ... "She Loves You" ... "Help!" ... "Suspicious Minds" ... "Something" ... "Return To Sender" ... "In The Ghetto" ... you won't find a stronger one-two punch in rock and roll, 1956 - 1970.
