Elvis Presley's Legacy: Who Owns the King's Music and Estate?
The release of the new Elvis Presley box set, "Memphis," on 9th August, featuring 111 tracks spanning his recordings in the city, has reignited interest in the King's musical legacy. But who owns Elvis Presley's music today?
The rights to Elvis' recordings are held by RCA Records, a label he signed to in 1955 after his initial success with Memphis-based Sun Records. RCA also acquired all of Elvis' Sun recordings and assets. In the 1980s, RCA was purchased by German conglomerate BMG. Subsequently, in 2004, BMG merged with Sony Music Entertainment, forming Sony BMG. This entity currently owns Elvis' recordings and continues to use the RCA Records label for releasing new projects and reissues.
Beyond the music, Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc. (EPE) manages the King's business interests and assets. Originally wholly owned by the Elvis Presley Trust and Lisa Marie Presley, EPE now has Graceland Holdings LLC as its majority owner, led by managing partner Joel Weinshanker.
Following Lisa Marie Presley's passing in January 2023, the ownership of the Presley estate has been subject to legal proceedings. In June 2023, the Los Angeles Superior Court ruled that actress and filmmaker Riley Keough, Elvis' granddaughter and Lisa Marie's eldest daughter, is now the heir to the Presley estate and owner of Graceland, the iconic Memphis mansion purchased by Elvis in 1957. Lisa Marie's other surviving children, twins Harper and Finley Lockwood, are still minors and therefore unable to act as trustees.
The court's decision came after a settlement between Keough, her grandmother Priscilla Presley, and Michael Lockwood, the father and court-appointed guardian of the twins. This settlement solidifies Riley Keough's position as the primary inheritor of Elvis Presley's legacy, ensuring the continuation of his enduring impact on music and culture.
