Elvis Presley and Madonna are trending this Aug. 16, the day the King passed away and the Material Girl was born.
A generation apart, both were musical trend-setters and sexually provocative for their time. Elvis’ hip gyrations made Ed Sullivan so uncomfortable, he asked that cameramen film Presley as much as possible from the waist up, and Madonna was nearly arrested for simulated masturbation on her 1990 “Blonde Ambition” tour.
Both icons managed to use controversy to their advantage while increasing our tolerance for hip thrusting and oversized pointy bras, and paving the way for future pop idols.
As for their music, Elvis produced a record-setting number of Top 40 hits, while Madonna is the top-selling female recording artist of all time.
