Applying Durkheim to Elvis

Abstract

Elvis Presley has always had a very prominent and loyal fan following. In this article I argue that although Elvis fans are not substituting him for a deity, we can use one mechanism from Emile Durkheim’s theory of totemic religion to understand the human chemistry of his phenomenon. Specifically, I argue that fans offer their collective attention to Elvis in exchange for the thrill of a real or imagined individual encounter with him as a star of such magnitude. In other words, Elvis’s popularity is not incidental to his phenomenon, but has always been the medium through which his music talent has actualized itself. This does not make Elvis “sacred,” like a “god” or an object of worship. His entertainment is so thrilling because he, as an individual, adeptly channels the “buzz” of meeting someone so famous. His myth as a humble country boy also intensifies the thrill, making Elvis the ultimate popular icon.