Elvis Presley's Aloha from Hawaii reaches a global audience
On this day · 14 January 1973
In a jewel-studded jumpsuit, the King became the first solo artist to beam a full concert around the planet by satellite.
On 14 January 1973, Elvis Presley took the stage at the Honolulu International Center and sang into history. His Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite concert was the first full-length show by any musician beamed live around the world over communications satellites, reaching an estimated billion-plus television sets.
The broadcast went out live to audiences across Asia and Oceania, with delayed showings elsewhere. American viewers had to wait until April, when NBC aired it to avoid colliding with the Super Bowl.
Wearing his famous American Eagle jumpsuit and cape, Elvis turned a single performance into a planet-spanning event.
The technical ambition was the real headline. Satellite television was still a novelty, and the idea of one performer simultaneously entertaining dozens of countries felt like science fiction. The accompanying double album shot to number one, becoming the fastest-selling chart-topper of Presley’s career. For a few hours, an Mississippi-born singer in Hawaii was arguably the most-watched human alive.
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