The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters is a five-disc box set compilation of the complete known studio master recordings by American singer and musician Elvis Presley during the decade of the 1950s. Issued in 1992 by RCA Records, catalog number 66050-2, it was soon followed by similar box sets covering Presley's musical output in the 1960s and 1970s. This set's initial long-box release included a set of collectible stamps duplicating the record jackets from every Presley LP on RCA Victor, every single that had a picture sleeve, and most of his EP releases. The set includes a booklet with an extensive session list and discography, and a lengthy essay by Peter Guralnick. It peaked at #159 on the album chart and was certified a gold record on August 7, 1992, by the RIAA. Further certifications were for platinum on November 20, 1992, and for double platinum on July 30, 2002.

Contents The first four discs present the Elvis masters in chronological session order. Disc one commences with "My Happiness", a private test demo from the summer of 1953 at Sun Studio and the first recording ever made by Presley, and continues with the complete Sun Records masters through track 19. The remainder of disc one, and discs two through four, comprise the entirety of his output for RCA Victor during the decade. Disc four ends with an interview by Presley prior to his departure overseas to serve in the army in 1958, released on the EP Elvis Sails. Included as well are the officially released recordings on RCA Victor for each one of Elvis' four feature films of the 1950s: Love Me Tender, Loving You, Jailhouse Rock, and King Creole.

The fifth disc compiles rare outtakes and unreleased recordings, starting off with the companion acetate to "My Happiness" in an early version of "That's When Your Heartaches Begin". Tracks two and five are more acetates recorded by the standard Presley trio of Elvis, Scotty Moore on guitar, and Bill Black on bass, at an unknown location in Lubbock, Texas, during January 1955, presumably around the time when Buddy Holly converted to rock and roll after seeing Presley in concert. Tracks three and four present live recordings from the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1955, again with the trio. Tracks thirteen through sixteen present live recordings from the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1956, with the trio plus drummer D.J. Fontana. An outtake from the Million Dollar Quartet sessions appears on track nine, with the following personnel: Presley, Carl Perkins on guitar, his brother Clayton on bass, Jerry Lee Lewis on piano, and W.S. Holland on drums. Although Johnny Cash is billed as the fourth of the headlining quartet and his presence is corroborated by anecdotal evidence, aural evidence of his participation on record is difficult to discern. The remainder of disc five contains alternate takes of released masters.

Collecting every master recording made in the 1950s, The King of Rock 'n' Roll encapsulates the era for which Presley remains most revered, that of the young international phenomenon at the forefront of the rock and roll explosion. RCA issued three similarly configured box set companions for the subsequent decades of his career. The 1960s output was collected in two releases: From Nashville to Memphis, consisting of everything he did not record for film and television soundtracks; these were collected in Command Performances. Walk a Mile in My Shoes compiled his "essential" 1970s recordings.

Professional recordings were made at Sun Studio, RCA Studios in New York and Nashville, Radio Recorders in Hollywood, and at the studio soundstages of 20th Century Fox, Paramount, and MGM in Hollywood. The furlough recording session of June 10, 1958, took place in RCA's newly constructed studio in Nashville, where Presley would continue to record through 1971. Original recordings produced by Sam Phillips or Steve Sholes.

This compilation received a 1992 Grammy nomination for Best Historical Album, only to lose that award to the boxed set The Complete Capitol Recordings of The Nat King Cole Trio.

Track listing Chart positions for LPs and EPs from Billboard Top Pop Albums chart; peak positions for EPA 4114 and EPA 4325 from EP chart commenced October 1957; positions for singles from Billboard Pop Singles chart. Certain recordings derive from acetates or from primitive recording equipment, and are not of professional sound quality; these are marked with an asterisk.

Disc one Track Song title Writer(s) Time Recorded Release date Catalogue Original LP Issue Chart peak 1. My Happiness* Betty Peterson Blasco and Borney Bergantine 2:31 1953-07-18 1990 2227-2 Elvis: The Great Performances 2. That's All Right Arthur Crudup 1:55 1954-07-05 1954-07-19 Sun 209 For LP Fans Only 3. I Love You BecauseLeon Payne 2:42 1954-07-05 1956-03-23 LPM 1254 Elvis Presley #1 4. Harbor Lights Jimmy Kennedy and Hugh Williams 2:35 1954-07-05 1976-01-08 CPL1 1349 Elvis: A Legendary PerformerVol. 2 #46 5. Blue Moon of Kentucky Bill Monroe 2:02 1954-07-05 1954-07-19 Sun 209b A Date with Elvis 6. Blue Moon Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart 2:31 1954-08-19 1956-03-23 LPM 1254 Elvis Presley #1 7. Tomorrow Night+ Sam Coslow and Hugh Williams 2:58 1954-09-10 1965-08-10 LSP 3450 Elvis for Everyone #10 8. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') Jimmy Wakely 2:24 1954-09-10 1956-03-23 LPM 1254 Elvis Presley #1 9. I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine Mack David 2:27 1954-09-10 1955-03-05 Sun 210b 10. Just Because Sydney Robin, Bob Shelton, Joe Shelton 2:32 1954-09-10 1956-03-23 LPM 1254 Elvis Presley #1 11. Good Rockin' Tonight Roy Brown 2:12 1954-09-10 1954-09-25 Sun 210 12. Milkcow Blues Boogie Kokomo Arnold 2:38 1954-11-12 1954-12-28 Sun 215 13. You're a Heartbreaker Jack Sallee 2:12 1954-11-12 1954-12-28 Sun 215b #74 14. Baby Let's Play House Arthur Gunter 2:15 1955-02-05 1955-04-10 Sun 217 C&W #5 15. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone Stan Kesler and William E. Taylor 2:36 1955-03-05 1955-04-10 Sun 217b 16. Mystery Train Herman Parker Jr. and Sam Phillips 2:24 1955-07-11 1955-08-06 Sun 223 17. I Forgot to Remember to Forget Stan Kesler and Charlie Feathers 2:28 1955-07-11 1955-08-06 Sun 223b C&W #1 18. Tryin' to Get to You Rose Marie McCoy and Charles Singleton 2:31 1955-07-11 1956-03-23 LPM 1254 Elvis Presley #1 19. When It Rains It Really Pours William Emerson 2:01 1955-11-20 1983 6414-2 Elvis: A Legendary Performer Vol. 4 20. I Got a Woman Ray Charles and Renald Richard 2:23 1956-01-10 1956-03-23 LPM 1254 Elvis Presley #1 21. Heartbreak Hotel Mae Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis Presley 2:08 1956-01-10 1956-01-27 47-6420 #1 22. Money Honey Jesse Stone 2:34 1956-01-10 1956-03-23 LPM 1254 Elvis Presley #1 23. I'm Counting on You Don Robertson 2:24 1956-01-11 1956-03-23 LPM 1254 Elvis Presley #1 24. I Was the One Aaron Schroeder, Claude DeMetrius, Hal Blair, Bill Peppers 2:33 1956-01-11 1956-01-27 47-6420b #19 25. Blue Suede Shoes Carl Perkins 1:58 1956-01-30 1956-03-23 LPM 1254 Elvis Presley #1 26. My Baby Left Me Arthur Crudup 2:11 1956-01-30 1956-05-04 47-6540b #31 27. One-Sided Love Affair Bill Campbell 2:09 1956-01-30 1956-03-23 LPM 1254 Elvis Presley #1 28. So Glad You're Mine Arthur Crudup 2:20 1956-01-30 1956-10-19 LPM 1382 Elvis #1 29. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) Howard Biggs and Joe Thomas 2:01 1956-01-31 1956-03-23 LPM 1254 Elvis Presley #1 30. Tutti Frutti Dorothy LaBostrie and Richard Penniman 1:58 1956-01-31 1956-03-23 LPM 1254 Elvis Presley #1 + overdubs added prior to release on LSP 3450

Disc two Track Song title Writer(s) Time Recorded Release date Catalogue Original LP/EP Issue Chart peak 1. Lawdy Miss Clawdy Lloyd Price 2:08 1956-02-03 1956-08-31 47-6642b 2. Shake, Rattle & Roll Charles E. Calhoun 2:37 1956-02-03 1956-08-31 47-6642 3. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You Lou Kosloff and George Mysels 2:40 1956-04-14 1956-05-04 47-6540 #1 4. Hound Dog Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller 2:16 1956-07-02 1956-07-13 47-6604b The Real Elvis #1 5. Don't Be Cruel Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley 2:02 1956-07-02 1956-07-13 47-6604 The Real Elvis #1 6. Any Way You Want Me (That's How I Will Be) Cliff Owens and Aaron Schroeder 2:13 1956-07-02 1956-09-28 47-6643b #20 7. We're Gonna Move Vera Matson and Elvis Presley 2:30 1956-08-24 1956–11 EPA 4006 Love Me Tender #22 8. Love Me Tender Vera Matson and Elvis Presley 2:41 1956-08-24 1956-09-28 47-6643 #1 9. Poor Boy Vera Matson and Elvis Presley 2:13 1956-08-24 1956–11 EPA 4006 Love Me Tender #22 10. Let Me Vera Matson and Elvis Presley 2:08 1956-08-24 1956–11 EPA 4006 Love Me Tender #22 11. Playing for Keeps Stan Kesler 2:50 1956-09-01 1957-01-04 47-6800b #21 12. Love Me Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller 2:43 1956-09-01 1956-10-19 LPM 1382 Elvis #1 13. Paralyzed Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley 2:23 1956-09-02 1956-10-19 LPM 1382 Elvis #1 14. How Do You Think I Feel Webb Pierce and Wiley Walker 2:10 1956-09-01 1956-10-19 LPM 1382 Elvis #1 15. How's the World Treating You? Chet Atkins and Boudleaux Bryant 2:23 1956-09-01 1956-10-19 LPM 1382 Elvis #1 16. When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again Gene Sullivan and Wiley Walker 2:20 1956-09-02 1956-10-19 LPM 1382 Elvis #1 17. Long Tall Sally Robert Blackwell, Enotris Johnson, Richard Penniman 1:51 1956-09-02 1956-10-19 LPM 1382 Elvis #1 18. Old Shep Red Foley and Arthur Williams 4:10 1956-09-02 1956-10-19 LPM 1382 Elvis #1 19. Too Much Lee Rosenberg and Bernard Weinman 2:31 1956-09-02 1957-01-04 47-6800 #1 20. Anyplace Is Paradise Joe Thomas 2:26 1956-09-02 1956-10-19 LPM 1382 Elvis #1 21. Ready Teddy Robert Blackwell and John Marascalco 1:56 1956-09-03 1956-10-19 LPM 1382 Elvis #1 22. First in Line Aaron Schroeder and Ben Weisman 3:22 1956-09-03 1956-10-19 LPM 1382 Elvis #1 23. Rip It Up Robert Blackwell and John Marascalco 1:53 1956-09-03 1956-10-19 LPM 1382 Elvis #1 24. I Believe Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, Al Stillman 2:05 1957-01-12 1957–04 EPA 4054 Peace in the Valley #3 25. Tell Me Why Titus Turner 2:05 1957-01-12 1965-12-03 47-8740 #33 26. Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do Aaron Schroeder and Ben Weisman 2:31 1957-01-12 1957-07-01 LPM 1515 Loving You #1 27. All Shook Up Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley 1:56 1957-01-12 1957-03-22 47-6870 #1 28. Mean Woman Blues Claude DeMetrius 2:15 1957-01-13 1957-07-01 LPM 1515 Loving You #1 29. (There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me) Thomas A. Dorsey 3:22 1957-01-13 1957–04 EPA 4054 Peace in the Valley #3

Disc three