Counting Down Elvis

Mark Duffett is Reader in media and cultural studies at the University of Chester. He is widely recognized as an expert on popular music and media fandom, a role cemented by the publication of his book Understanding Fandom (2013). He has edited two books and various journal special issues in his research area and published many academic chapters and articles. His expert comments have been featured in Rolling Stone, the New York Times, TalkSport Radio, and on BBC World Service.

In this recent release in the “Counting Down” series, Duffett (Univ. of Chester, UK) offers his personal list of Elvis Presley’s 100 greatest recordings, with a short essay accompanying each song in the countdown. . . Duffett’s passion as a fan comes through in every entry as he provides insight into Elvis’s great musical creativity, which (Duffett argues) is frequently overlooked. Emphasizing Elvis's interpretive prowess, Duffett observes, for example, that the 1956 hit “Don’t Be Cruel” resonates so strongly “because Elvis makes a plea for fidelity in a performance that is at once both lighthearted and swelteringly erotic.” Such observations fill this attractive volume, which is complete with extensive notes, a bibliography, a thorough index, and a list of “100 More” songs worth mentioning. . . Elvis fans old and new will welcome Duffett’s insights and enjoy comparing his rankings to theirs.Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.