The White House announced singer Elvis Presley, who died in 1977, will be awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom, Sky News reported. 

According to the source, the singer was one of the symbols of American culture for billions of fans all over the world.

He is awarded for "meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavours.”

Presley is joined by baseball great Babe Ruth and Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia in receiving the award posthumously.