They paid him just $5 for his first performance—but today, Elvis Presley’s empire is worth over $1 billion. When he signed his first record deal with Sun Records in 1954, he had no idea he was launching the most profitable solo career in history. By the time he passed in 1977, he’d earned over $100 million—equivalent to nearly half a billion today. But that was just the beginning. Graceland became a pilgrimage site, generating millions annually. Licensing deals, merchandise, and posthumous music