View source for Elvis Costello

{{short description|English singer-songwriter (born 1954)}}
{{redirect|Declan MacManus|the Scottish footballer|Declan McManus}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox Person|<!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name              = Elvis Costello
| honorific_suffix  = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}}
| father             = [[Ross MacManus]]
| spouse            = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Mary Burgoyne|1974|1984|end=div.}}
* {{marriage|[[Diana Krall]]|2003}}
}}
| partner            = {{plainlist|
[[Cait O'Riordan]] (1985–2002)
}}
| image             = Elvis Costello (51409611378).jpg
| caption           = Costello in 2021
| image_size        = 
| birth_name        = Declan Patrick MacManus
| alias             = {{flatlist|
* Declan Costello
* D.P. Costello
* The Imposter
* Little Hands of Concrete
* Napoleon Dynamite
* Howard Coward<ref>{{cite web |last=Upchurch |first=Michael |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/diana-krall-takes-fresh-twist-on-forgotten-tunes-concert-review/ |title=Diana Krall takes fresh twist on forgotten tunes {{!}} Concert review |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |date=17 April 2014 |access-date=10 May 2020 |archive-date=10 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200510224007/https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/diana-krall-takes-fresh-twist-on-forgotten-tunes-concert-review/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
* MacManus
* Elvis MacManus
}}
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|1954|8|25|df=y}}
| birth_place       = London, England
| module             = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes
| instrument        = {{flatlist|
* Vocals
* guitar
*piano
}}
| genre             = {{flatlist|
*[[Rock music|Rock]]
*[[pop music|pop]]
*[[New wave music|new wave]]
*[[power pop]]<ref>{{cite book |author1=Michael Uslan |author2=Bruce Solomon |title=Dick Clark's First 25 Years of Rock and Roll |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kh86AQAAIAAJ |date=November 1981 |publisher=Dell Books |isbn=978-0-440-51763-4 |page=433 |access-date=28 May 2017 |archive-date=21 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721203527/https://books.google.com/books?id=Kh86AQAAIAAJ |url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[punk rock]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/09/elvis-costello-to-release-soundtrack-album-to-his.html |title=Elvis Costello to Release Soundtrack Album to His Upcoming Memoir |work=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]] |date=11 September 2015 |access-date=19 December 2015 |author=Barsky, Alice |archive-date=22 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222090142/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/09/elvis-costello-to-release-soundtrack-album-to-his.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Pub rock (United Kingdom)|pub rock]]<ref name=NME>Carr, Roy. [http://www.punk77.co.uk/punkhistory/pub_rock.htm "Pub Rock"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100409002718/http://www.punk77.co.uk/punkhistory/pub_rock.htm |date=9 April 2010}}. ''[[NME]]''. 29 October 1977.</ref>
}}
| background        = solo_performer
| discography       = [[Elvis Costello discography]]
| occupation        = {{flatlist|
* Singer
* songwriter
* record producer
* author
* television host
}}
| years_active      = 1970–present
| label             = {{flatlist|
* [[Stiff Records|Stiff]]
* [[Radar Records|Radar]]
* [[F-Beat Records|F-Beat]]
* [[Demon Records|Demon]]
* [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
* [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]
* [[Mercury Records|Mercury]]
* [[Island Records|Island]]
* [[Deutsche Grammophon]]
* [[Lost Highway Records|Lost Highway]]
* [[Verve Records|Verve]]
* [[Hear Music]]
* [[Rykodisc Records|Rykodisc]]
* [[Rhino Records|Rhino]]
* [[Hip-O Records|Hip-O]]
* [[Concord Records|Concord]]
}}
| current_member_of = [[The New Basement Tapes]]
| past_member_of    = [[The Attractions]]
| website           = {{URL|elviscostello.com}}
| module            = {{Infobox person|child=yes
| signature         = Elvis Costello signature.svg}}
}}
}}
'''Declan Patrick MacManus''' (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as '''Elvis Costello''', is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author and television host. According to ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', Costello "reinvigorated the literate, lyrical traditions of [[Bob Dylan]] and [[Van Morrison]] with the raw energy and sass that were principal ethics of [[Punk rock|punk]]", noting the "construction of his songs, which set densely layered wordplay in an ever-expanding repertoire of styles".<ref>{{cite book |title=The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll |page=213}}</ref> He has won two [[Grammy Award]]s, two [[Ivor Novello Award]]s, four [[Edison Award]]s, an [[MTV Video Music Award]], a [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]] award, an [[American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers|ASCAP]] Founders award, and a [[Gemini Awards|Gemini]] award. In 2003, he was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]. In 2016, he was inducted into the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]]. 

Born into a musical family, Costello was raised with knowledge and appreciation of a wide range of musical styles and an insider's view of the music business. His opportunity to begin a professional career as a musician coincided with the rise of punk rock in England. The primitivism brought into fashion by punk led Costello to disguise his musical knowledge at the beginning of his career, but his stylistic range has come to encompass [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]], [[Country music|country]], [[jazz]], [[baroque pop]], [[Tin Pan Alley]] and [[classical music]]. His first album, ''[[My Aim Is True]]'' (1977), produced no hit singles but contains some of his best-known songs, including the ballad "[[Alison (song)|Alison]]". Costello's next two albums, ''[[This Year's Model]]'' (1978) and ''[[Armed Forces (album)|Armed Forces]]'' (1979), recorded with his backing band [[the Attractions]], helped define the [[New wave music|new wave]] genre. From late 1977 until early 1980, each of the eight singles he released reached the UK Top 30. His biggest hit single, "[[Oliver's Army]]" (1979), sold more than 500,000 copies in Britain. He has had more modest commercial success in the US, but has earned much critical praise. From 1977 until the early 2000s, Costello's albums regularly ranked high on the ''[[Village Voice]]'' [[Pazz & Jop]] critics' poll, with ''This Year's Model'' and ''[[Imperial Bedroom]]'' (1982) voted the best album of their respective years.{{efn |Costello's albums have appeared at these ranks on the ''Village Voice'' Pazz & Jop critics' poll: ''My Aim Is True'' (1977), number 2;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=23 January 1978 |title=The 1977 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref> ''This Year's Model'' (1978), number 1;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=22 January 1979 |title=The 1979 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref> ''Armed Forces'' (1979), number 5;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=28 January 1980 |title=The 1977 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref> ''Get Happy!!'' (1980), number 7;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=4 February 1981 |title=The 1980 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref> ''Trust'' (1981), number 3;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=1 February 1982 |title=The 1981 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref> ''Imperial Bedroom'' (1982), number 1;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=22 February 1983 |title=The 1982 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref> ''Punch the Clock'' (1983), number 11;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=28 February 1984 |title=The 1983 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref> ''King of America'' (1986), number 2; ''Blood and Chocolate'' (1986), number 9;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=3 March 1987 |title=The 1986 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref> ''Spike'' (1989), number 7;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=27 February 1990 |title=The 1989 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref> ''Brutal Youth'' (1994), number 31;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=28 February 1995 |title=The 1994 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref> ''Painted From Memory'' (1998), number 18;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=2 March 1999 |title=The 1998 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref> ''When I Was Cruel'' (2002), number 13;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=18 February 2003 |title=The 2002 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref> ''The River in Reverse'' (2006), number 32.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=6 February 2007 |title=The 20062 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=Village Voice}}</ref>}} His biggest US hit single, "[[Veronica (song)|Veronica]]" (1989), reached number 19 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

Costello has released album-length collaborations with the classical ensemble the [[Brodsky Quartet]], the [[New Orleans R&B]] songwriter and producer [[Allen Toussaint]] and the hip-hop group [[the Roots]]. Costello has written more than a dozen songs with [[Paul McCartney]] and had a long-running songwriting partnership with [[Burt Bacharach]]. He has had hits with [[cover version|covers]] of songs, including [[Sam & Dave]]'s "[[I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down]]", [[Jerry Chesnut]]'s "[[Good Year for the Roses]]" and [[Charles Aznavour]]'s [[She (Charles Aznavour song)|"She"]]. One of the songs he is best known for, "[[(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding]]", was written by [[Nick Lowe]] and recorded by Lowe's group [[Brinsley Schwarz]] in 1974, but remained obscure until Costello released his version in 1979. Costello's own songs have been recorded by artists including [[Linda Ronstadt]], [[George Jones]], [[Roy Orbison]], [[Johnny Cash]], [[Dave Edmunds]], [[Chet Baker]] and [[Alison Krauss]].

From 2008 to 2010, he hosted a television show, ''[[Spectacle: Elvis Costello with...]]'', on which he interviewed other musicians. In 2015, he published a well-received memoir, ''Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink''.

==Early life==
Elvis Costello was born Declan Patrick MacManus,{{efn|Costello was born Declan Patrick MacManus. He changed his legal name to Elvis Costello after he became successful under that stage name, according to him, to rebut the insinuations of "smartarse customs officials" and "obnoxious journalists who accused me of being a novelty act".<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=King of America liner notes|title-link=King of America (Elvis Costello album) |year=2005 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=booklet |publisher=[[Rhino Records]]}}</ref> In 1985, he changed his legal name to Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus.<ref name="Levin">{{cite magazine |last=Levin |first=Eric |title=Elvis Costello |magazine=People |volume=25 |issue=23 |date=6 June 1986}}</ref> The extra middle name is a reference to a character played by the comedian [[Tony Hancock]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Kent |first=Nick |title=The happy death of Elvis Costello |magazine=The Face |location=London |date=March 1986}}</ref>}} on 25 August 1954, at [[St Mary's Hospital, London|St Mary's Hospital]] in [[Paddington]], West London, the only child of a record shop worker and a [[jazz]] musician.<ref name="Chalmers2009">{{cite magazine |last=Chalmers |first=Robert |title=Men of the year, 2009; Elvis Costello, outstanding achievement |url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/elvis-costello-2007 |magazine=British GQ |date=October 2009 |access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref> Both parents were from the [[Liverpool]] area and had moved to London together.{{sfn |Thomson|2004||p=12}}

Costello's father was of Irish descent and a Catholic,{{sfn |Thomson|2004|p=10-11}} while his mother was English and was raised a [[Congregationalist]].{{efn |Some sources state that Costello's mother was of Irish descent and Catholic. However, in ''Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink'', Costello writes that his maternal grandparents "were unusual for a Merseyside couple in not having any Irish, Scottish, or Welsh blood between them"{{sfn |Costello|2015|p=137}} and that his mother was raised Congregationalist.{{sfn |Costello|2015|p=537}}}}{{sfn |Costello|2015|p=137}}

=== Family background ===
Costello's mother, Lillian MacManus (née Ablett, 1927–2021), was born and raised in [[Toxteth]], Liverpool, the daughter of a gas-main layer and a mother who became increasingly disabled by [[rheumatoid arthritis]] as Lillian grew up.{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=136–137}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Clayton-Lea |first=Tony |title=Elvis Costello: 'What you get is this face and this voice that has changed' |newspaper=The Irish Times |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/elvis-costello-what-you-get-is-this-face-and-this-voice-that-has-changed-1.4760262 |date=15 January 2022}}</ref> Responsible for caring for her younger brother and sick mother,<ref name="Chalmers2009" /> Lillian left school at 13 and took the first of a series of jobs at music stores. After moving to London with her future husband Ross in 1951, she took a job in the record department in [[Selfridges]] department store and continued selling records through the 1960s.{{sfn |Costello|2015|p=405}}<ref name="Rowland1989">{{cite magazine |last=Rowland |first=Mark |title=Elvis Costello in love and war |magazine=Musician |date=March 1989}}</ref> Even after she no longer worked selling records, Lillian maintained a keen interest in a wide variety of music, including the popular music of the day.{{sfn |Thomson|2004|p=17}}

Costello's father, [[Ross MacManus]] (1927–2011), was a professional trumpet player and singer, born and raised in [[Birkenhead]],<ref name="Laing2011">{{cite news |last=Laing |first=Dave |title=Ross MacManus obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/dec/21/ross-macmanus |work=The Guardian |date=21 December 2011 |access-date=28 May 2018}}</ref> across the [[River Mersey]] from Liverpool. He began his career in music in the late 1940s, playing trumpet in [[bebop]] bands in Birkenhead and Liverpool.{{sfn |Costello|2015|pp=26–27}} He segued to playing trumpet and singing in modern jazz bands after moving to London in 1951.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=11–12}} By 1954, he was sufficiently well known for his son's birth to be announced in the ''[[New Musical Express]]''.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=405}} From 1955 to 1968, he was a featured singer in the [[Joe Loss|Joe Loss Orchestra]], one of Britain's most popular [[big band]]s.<ref name="Laing2011" /> Ross had a solo cabaret act from 1969 through the 1990s, playing workingmen's social clubs in Scotland, Wales, and the north of England.{{sfn |Costello|2015|p=125}}<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Lawley, Sue (presenter) |date=23 February 1992 |title=Desert Island Discs, Elvis Costello |medium=radio program |url=https://soundcloud.com/desert-island-discs-99/elvis-costello |access-date=28 May 2018 |publisher=BBC Radio 4}}</ref> Ross recorded for small record labels under a variety of aliases,{{sfn |Costello|2015|pp=206–207}} including Day Costello – Costello being Ross's paternal grandmother's maiden name.<ref name="Schruers1999">{{cite magazine |last=Schruers|first=Fred|date=11 November 1999|title=Fathers & Sons: The Costellos|magazine=Rolling Stone |location=New York}}</ref> He also recorded advertising jingles.{{sfn |Costello|2015|p=155}} In 1973, he sang the "Secret Lemonade Drinker" jingle featured in a series of advertisements for [[R. Whites]], with Costello on backing vocals.{{efn|Some sources incorrectly state that Ross is the actor seen singing the jingle in the television ads, the writer of the jingle, or both. The onscreen actor is [[Julian Chagrin]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/322894/40-years-on-lemonade-advert-stars-are-back|title=40 years on, lemonade advert stars are back|last=Sheldrick|first=Giles|date=28 May 2012|website=Express|access-date=14 May 2018}}</ref> The jingle was written by [[Rod Allen (advertising executive)|Rod Allen]], the jingle-writing member for the advertising agency Allen, Brady, and Marsh.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Marquis|first1=Simon|title=Farewell to the jingle maestro|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/sep/17/mondaymediasection12|access-date=14 May 2018|work=The Guardian|date=17 September 2007}}</ref>}}{{sfn |Costello|2015|pp=155–157}}<ref name="Laing2011" />

Ross's father, Patrick Matthew McManus,{{efn|Ross changed the spelling of his surname to MacManus early in his career as a musician.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=9-10n}}{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=1–2}}}} known as Pat, was also a professional musician.<ref name="Laing2011" /> Pat was raised in an orphanage from age eight, where he learned to play trumpet. He later played trumpet as an army bandsman, a ship's musician for the [[White Star Line]], and an orchestra musician in music halls and in theatres showing silent films.<ref name="Laing2011" />{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=273, 276–277, 283–284}} Costello has said that Pat, being the first in the family to make a career in music, is the reason he himself is a musician.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Elvis Costello at Plymouth Pavilions|date=25 July 2015|work=Plymouth Herald}}</ref>

=== Childhood and early musical influences ===

Costello spent most of his childhood in [[Twickenham]], in west London, before moving to Liverpool with his mother in 1970.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=22–23}} Costello was raised [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] and served as an altar boy until he was 14.{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=537}}{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=20}}

Costello's parents had separated by the time Costello was ten years old, after which he was raised by his mother.<ref name="Chalmers2009" />{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=537}} Ross continued to be a significant presence in Costello's life and the two remained close until Ross's death in 2011.<ref name="Schruers1999" />{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=536}} Costello has said that a childhood spent watching his father work gave him an innate sense of how to be a musician but also an understanding that a career in music was a job like any other, requiring discipline and hard work.<ref name="Schruers1999" /><ref name="Rambali1983" />

Costello's parents never insisted he take music lessons or otherwise pushed him to follow in the family business. Instead, they raised him in a home filled with music, encouraged his musical curiosity, and supported his efforts to find his own way towards a career in music.<ref name="Schruers1999" /> Lillian told journalists that she knew before he was born he would have a career in music and that she listened to a broad range of music while she was pregnant with him with the intention of giving him an early start in music appreciation.<ref name="Chalmers2009" /><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Ouellette|first=Dan|date=November 2003|title=Northern exposure|magazine=Downbeat}}</ref>

As a young child, Costello's musical influences came from his parents' record collection, which encompassed a wide range of styles but centred on [[traditional pop]] and jazz.{{sfn|Kidel|2014|loc=at 7 minutes}} Ross's job with the Joe Loss Orchestra required him to sing many of the pop hits of the day for the band's weekly radio show. To learn these songs, Ross received demonstration copies of the original artists' records, which he brought home to rehearse.{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=40–42}} When Costello grew old enough to have an interest in the current pop hits, Ross began giving him five or six of these demonstration records per week. Costello has said, "That's why I know so many songs".{{sfn|Kidel|2014|loc=at 10 minutes}}

Chief among Costello's early favourites among the hit-makers of the day were [[the Beatles]]. He has said that, having turned nine years old in 1963, he was exactly the right age to experience the full force of Beatles fandom as he grew up.<ref name="Costello-2010">{{cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=2 December 2010|title=100 greatest artists:The Beatles|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/the-beatles-20110420|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref> He has described the Beatles as his biggest musical influence.<ref name="Doggett-1995">{{cite magazine |last=Doggett|first=Peter|date=September 1995 |title=Elvis Costello [interview] |magazine=Record Collector|location=United Kingdom }}</ref> Costello was also deeply impressed by the songs of his future collaborator [[Burt Bacharach]], which he knew through the hits British artists [[Cilla Black]] and [[Dusty Springfield]] had with them.{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=201–202, 504–505}}

As Costello grew into his teens, his favourites included British [[Beat music|beat]] groups [[the Kinks]], [[Small Faces]] and [[the Who]],<ref name="Doggett-1995" /><ref name="Marcus1982">{{cite magazine |last=Marcus |first=Greil |title=Elvis Costello explains himself |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/elvis-costello-repents-19820902 |magazine=Rolling Stone |location=New York |date=2 September 1982 |access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref> Jamaican [[rocksteady]] and [[reggae]] acts who were popular in Britain,<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Doggett |first=Peter |title=I stand accused |url=https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Mojo_Classic,_Vol._2,_No._5,_2008 |magazine=Mojo Classic |date=2008 |pages=Vol. 2, No. 5}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=White |first=Timothy |title=Give Thanks and Praises |url=http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/The_Beat,_August_3,_1989 |magazine=The Beat |location=Glendale, CA |date=3 August 1989}}</ref> and especially [[Motown]] artists, whose work he knew mainly through their British hit singles and through the [[Motown Chartbusters]] compilation series.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=106}} By the time Costello reached his mid-teens, [[Joni Mitchell]] had become an important and enduring influence on him.<ref name="Costello-2004">{{cite magazine |last=Costello |first=Elvis |title=Joni's last waltz? |url=http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Vanity_Fair,_November_2004 |magazine=Vanity Fair |publisher=Conde Nast |date=November 2004}}</ref> When Costello moved to Liverpool, he found he did not enjoy much of the [[progressive rock]] that was popular with his peers, so, casting around for music he might like, he developed an interest in the [[Grateful Dead]] and [[folk rock]] groups like [[the Byrds]] and [[the Band]], and through them, [[country music]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Mahoney |first=Michael |title=Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes |work=Dallas Observer |date=27 August 2009}}</ref><ref name="Graham-2018">{{cite news |last=Graham |first=Jane |date=7–13 May 2018 |title=Letter to my younger self |work=The Big Issue |url=https://www.bigissue.com/interviews/letter-to-my-younger-self/elvis-costello-i-knew-my-band-was-way-better-than-our-contemporaries/ |access-date=6 June 2018}}</ref>

=== Education and decision to pursue a career in music ===

Costello was a well-behaved if sometimes argumentative student, but not generally an academically outstanding one.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=14–15, 17–18, 29}}{{sfn|Kidel|2014|loc=at 11 minutes and 13 minutes}} Not having scored well enough on his [[eleven-plus]] exams to go on to [[Grammar school#In the Tripartite System|grammar school]],<ref name="Chalmers2009" /> he attended [[St Mark's Catholic School, Hounslow|Archbishop Myers]] [[secondary modern school]] in [[Hounslow]]<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/local-news/elvis-costellos-school-celebrates-anniversary-6001613|title=Elvis Costello's school celebrates anniversary|first=Robert|last=Cumber|date=20 January 2010|website=My London}}</ref> and then a [[comprehensive school]] in [[Everton, Liverpool]], for [[sixth form]].{{efn|Some sources incorrectly state that Costello attended the grammar school [[St Francis Xavier's College, Liverpool]]. He did not. He attended Campion Catholic High School in [[Everton, Liverpool]] a comprehensive school that had previously shared a campus with St Francis Xavier's College when the combined schools were known as St Francis Xavier Bi-Lateral School.{{sfn |Thomson|2004|p=23}}{{sfn |Costello|2015|pp=16–17}}}}{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=17–18, 23, 29}} Costello showed an early talent for writing. His mother told a journalist that, when Costello was 11 years old, his school entered him into a writing contest held by ''[[The Times]]'' intended for people aged 16 to 25, for which he won a prize.<ref name="Chalmers2009" /> As he finished secondary school, he earned one [[A-level]], in English, despite having made a firm decision to pursue a career in music a few months earlier and putting little effort into his final months of school.<ref name="Rambali1983">{{cite magazine |last=Rambali|first=Paul|date=August 1983 |title=Elvis Costello [interview] |magazine=The Face|location=London }}</ref>{{sfn |Costello|2015|pp=23–24}}

Although he never had any alternative career plan, Costello had previously been reluctant to commit to a career in music, partly because his upbringing had made him aware of the potential pitfalls involved. The shock of witnessing a teenage friend's death in a traffic accident changed his mind. He would later write, "Suddenly, everything but music seemed like a waste of precious time".{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=13–15, 23}}

Costello completed his formal education in 1972 and, still living at home with his mother, set out to find a job that would earn him a steady wage while he pursued a career in music.<ref name="Marcus1982" /> He soon took a job as a [[computer operator]] at the [[Midland Bank]] [[data centre]], in the [[Merseyside]] town of [[Bootle]], because, at £20 a week, it paid slightly better than other unskilled work he felt he was qualified for.{{efn| Britain had no national minimum wage in 1972, but £20 a week, when adjusted for inflation, is approximately equal to 75% of the 2023 national minimum wage for 18- to 20-year-olds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation|title=Inflation|website=Bank of England|access-date=23 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates|title=National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates|website=UK.gov|access-date=26 May 2018}}</ref>}}<ref name="Rowland1989" />{{sfn |Costello|2015|p=142}} According to Costello, the job consisted of essentially manual labour such as mounting [[Magnetic tape data storage#Open reels|tape reels]] and loading [[punched card]]s.<ref name="Marcus1982" /> Because the job involved frequent periods of waiting for the [[mainframe computers]] to complete their tasks before beginning them on the next one, it gave Costello time to write songs while at work.<ref name="Marcus1982" /> Except for a few months in 1973 when he worked as a clerk at the Midland Bank [[Putney]] branch, he continued to work full-time as a computer operator until a few weeks before his first album was released in July 1977.{{sfn |Costello|2015|pp=142–143}}{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=91}}

== Music career ==
=== 1969–1976: Pre-professional career ===
Costello began writing songs and teaching himself to play guitar by age 14.<ref name="Doggett-1995" />{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=104}} To test his songs in front of an audience, he performed them in folk clubs that permitted amateur musicians to perform unpaid.<ref name="Marcus1982" /> He played these clubs regularly in London and continued in similar clubs when he moved to Liverpool at age 16, although folk music venues that welcomed original songs were scarcer in Liverpool than in London.<ref name="Colin1989">{{Cite magazine|last=Irwin|first=Colin|date=July 1989|title=Floor singer's revenge|magazine=Folk Roots|volume=73}}</ref> By 17, he was occasionally being paid a little money.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=125}} On the eve of the release of his debut album in 1977, Costello told a journalist that by that time he had written hundreds of songs.<ref name="Jones-1977">{{Cite magazine |last=Jones |first=Allan |date=25 June 1977 |title=The Elvis (Costello, that is) interview |magazine=Melody Maker}}</ref>

==== Rusty ====
At the beginning of 1972, Costello was invited to join a [[Folk rock|folk-rock]] band called Rusty by the band's founder, an 18-year-old veteran of the Liverpool music scene named Allan Mayes.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=25}} As other members left, Rusty soon became a duo, with Mayes and Costello singing and playing acoustic guitars.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=27}} For a little over a year, Rusty played regularly in small venues like pubs, clubs, schools, and community centres, mostly in and around Liverpool, unpaid or for small amounts of money.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=27–28}} In Mayes's estimation, Costello was already a talented songwriter, able to quickly write songs in a variety of styles, and could sing like [[Neil Young]] or [[Robbie Robertson]].{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=27}} Mayes has said he introduced Costello to [[Brinsley Schwarz]], a band that would be an important influence on him.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Mayes|first=Allan|date=October 1995|title=Brinsley Schwarz, Silver Pistol|magazine=Q|volume=109}}</ref> While in Rusty, Costello wrote an early version of a song he would record in 1980 as "Ghost Train", although by then little remained of the Rusty version except the central narrative idea of a married [[double act]] making their way through the low end of show business.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=125}} In 2022, Costello reunited with Mayes to record and release an EP called ''[[The Resurrection of Rust]]''. The EP contained songs that were typical of Rusty's shows in 1972, including the early version of "Ghost Train", then called "Maureen and Sam".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Greene |first=Andy |date=30 May 2022 |title=Elvis Costello Reunites With Teenage Bandmate for Nostalgic LP 'Rusty: The Resurrection of Rust' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/elvis-costello-reunites-bandmate-rusty-the-resurrection-of-rust-1359937/ |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref>{{efn|Rusty's version of the song was co-written by Mayes and Costello, but by the time Costello recorded it as "Ghost Train", nothing remained of Mayes's contribution, so "Ghost Train" is credited to Costello alone.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=125}}}}

==== Declan Costello ====
By early 1973, Costello had determined that the music scene in Liverpool was too small to support his ambition to have a career in music, so he arranged to transfer from his job as a computer operator in the [[Midland Bank]] data centre in [[Bootle]] to a position as a clerk at the bank's [[Putney]] branch.<ref name="Colin1989" />{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=142}} Returning to London, Costello moved into the same [[Twickenham]] flat where he had lived with his mother a few years earlier, by then occupied by his father (Ross), Ross's second wife, and their infant son.{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=151–152}} When booking himself into London clubs, he began using the name Declan Costello, adopting a family name that Ross had once made a record under, because it was easier to spell and understand than MacManus when he spoke on the phone.{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=154 [illustration]; in deluxe ebook photo gallery, reproduction of "Folk Forum" from ''Melody Maker'', 14 April 1973}}<ref name="Rambali1983" /> Around this time, Costello accompanied Ross to Costello's first professional recording session, for the [[R. White's Lemonade|R. White's]] "Secret Lemonade Drinker" commercial jingle. Ross sang the lead vocal while Costello played guitar and sang backing vocals.{{efn|In a little-seen version of the television commercial, in which the lemonade drinker fantasises that he is a singer in a nightclub, Costello and his father mimed instruments as members of the singer's band.{{sfn |Costello|2015|pp=155–157}}}}{{sfn |Costello|2015|pp=155–157}}

==== Flip City ====
In the second half of 1973, Costello formed a band called Flip City with several slightly older men who, like him, were fans of [[Brinsley Schwarz]] and other [[Pub rock (United Kingdom)|pub rock]] bands. The members of Flip City also shared Costello's enthusiasm for [[the Band]], the [[Grateful Dead]], and [[Clover (band)|Clover]].{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=38–39}} For most of 1974, Costello shared a rented house in southwest London with some of his bandmates.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=41}}{{sfn |Costello|2015|pp=163–164}} Flip City played the London pub rock circuit until the end of 1975, occasionally opening for more prominent bands such as [[Dr. Feelgood (band)|Dr. Feelgood]], but generally making little money and attracting little notice.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=42, 55, 57–58}}{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=174–175}} Flip City's performances consisted of a mix of Costello's original songs and covers of rock, R&B, and country songs. Their repertoire of Costello originals included early versions of songs that would appear on his first two albums as "Pay It Back", "Miracle Man", "Living in Paradise", and "Radio Radio".{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=44}} Costello wrote all but one of Flip City's original songs, did most of the singing, and chose the cover songs they played.{{sfn|St. Michael|1986|p=12}} A friend from those days later told a journalist, "It wasn't so much that he imposed the ideas; he was the one who ''had'' the ideas".{{sfn|St. Michael|1986|p=14}} None of the other members of Flip City shared Costello's commitment to pursuing a career in music and some disapproved of his desire to make money from his music.{{sfn|St. Michael|1986|p=12}}{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=56}}

Costello became engaged to marry a former schoolmate in late 1973.{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=152–153}} By then he had found a job as a computer operator at the [[Elizabeth Arden, Inc.|Elizabeth Arden]] cosmetics factory in [[North Acton]], in northwest London, similar to the one he had in Bootle and with similarly low wages.{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=142–143, 180}}{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=41}} By early 1975, Costello was a husband and father and was struggling to support his family.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=49–50}}{{sfn |Costello|2015|pp=147, 180–181}} Flip City's live engagements added little to his income, rarely paying more than the band's expenses.{{sfn|St. Michael|1986|p=11}}{{sfn|Thomson |2004|pp=55, 56–57}}

Costello recorded demos with Flip City at several sessions from mid-1974 until mid-1975, hoping to use them to get live bookings, secure a recording contract, or sell Costello's songs for other artists to record.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=50–52}} All but the first of these sessions were at a small studio owned by [[Dave Robinson (music executive)|Dave Robinson]], future [[Stiff Records]] founder.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=50–51, 53–55}} Robinson later said that he thought Flip City "could not play at all" but Costello was talented and ought to "find a real band".{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=52, 55}}

After Costello became successful, Flip City's demos were widely bootlegged, often misleadingly labelled to imply they were outtakes from the ''[[My Aim Is True]]'' sessions or otherwise affiliated with Stiff Records.{{sfn|St. Michael|1986|p=28}} The only Flip City recording to have been officially released is Costello's song "Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver)", recorded in early 1975, which appeared as a bonus track on the 1993 and 2001 reissues of ''My Aim Is True''.<ref name="Costello-1993">{{Cite AV media notes |title=My Aim Is True liner notes |title-link=My Aim Is True |year=1993 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=inset |publisher=[[Rykodisc]]}}</ref> In the liner notes to the 2001 reissue, Costello wrote that, in retrospect, the song sounded to him like "a very early attempt to write a song like '[[Alison (song)|Alison]]{{'"}}.<ref name="Costello-2001">{{Cite AV media notes |title=My Aim Is True liner notes|title-link=My Aim Is True |year=2001 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=booklet |publisher=[[Rhino Records]]}}</ref>

==== D.P. Costello ====
Even before disbanding Flip City in late 1975, Costello was writing songs he did not include in the band's repertoire.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=46}} He recorded some of these as solo demos for Dave Robinson in mid-1975.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=224}} For the next year, he shopped these and other solo demos to music publishers and record companies, hoping to be hired either as a songwriter or a recording artist.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=183}}<ref name="Jones-1977" /> He sent out as many as 20 songs on a single tape to publishers, not yet realising that no publisher would have the patience to listen to so many songs.<ref name="Doggett-1995" /> Sometimes he went to publishers' offices to perform his songs in person.<ref name="Costello-2001" /> None of this generated anything but rejections until he began creating "show reels" of no more than six of what he believed were his most attention-getting songs, selected to appeal to the recipient of each demo tape.<ref name="Doggett-1995" />{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=183, in the photo gallery of deluxe ebook edition, "List of demos sent to record labels" and "Songs sent to ''Honky Tonk'', BBC Radio London"}}{{efn|Sources prior to 2015 state that Costello sent the six songs he sent to Charlie Gillett, often referred to as ''The Honky Tonk Demos'', to everyone he sent demos to during this period, including Stiff Records. However, in his 2015 memoir, ''Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink'', Costello states that his notebooks from this period indicate he was sending a different set of songs to each recipient. The deluxe ebook edition reproduces handwritten notebook pages illustrating this.{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=183, in the photo gallery of deluxe ebook edition, "List of demos sent to record labels" and "Songs sent to ''Honky Tonk'', BBC Radio London"}}}}

By February 1976, Costello was booking himself into clubs as a solo act under the name D.P. Costello, D.P. being his initials and a nickname he was sometimes called by his family.{{sfn|Gimarc|1994|p=24}}<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Norris|first=Chris|date=December 2008|title=[Elvis Costello] The Spin Interview|magazine=Spin}}</ref> While working as D.P. Costello, he learned to sing and play guitar very loudly and developed a forceful stage presence, although he was still playing to small audiences for very little money.<ref name="Colin1989" />{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=61–62}} Few of the songs he had played with Flip City were included in these performances.{{sfn|St. Michael|1986|p=17}} Instead, he was debuting some of the songs that would start to get the attention of the music industry, such as "Mystery Dance" and "Wave a White Flag".{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=183}}{{sfn|St. Michael|1986|p=17}}{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=182–183, 598}} Costello included both songs on a six-track demo tape he sent to London radio presenter [[Charlie Gillett]], who thought "Wave a White Flag" was the best of the six.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=64, 66–67}} Gillett played several songs from the tape on his radio show later that year, the first time any Costello song received airplay.{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=183–184}}{{efn|After Costello became successful, the six songs he sent to Gillett were widely bootlegged.{{sfn|St. Michael|1986|pp=18–19}} They received an official release as bonus tracks on the 1993 and 2001 reissues of ''My Aim Is True''.<ref name="Costello-1993" /><ref name="Costello-2001" />}}

Sometime in 1976, lack of money forced Costello, his wife and their toddler son to move in with relatives near [[Heathrow Airport]], on the far west side of London.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=184}} This meant Costello's commute to work in North Acton took him past the [[Hoover Building]] in [[Perivale]].{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=184}} Around the same time, he was starting to become aware of the nascent [[Punk rock|punk]] movement, although he would not hear any of the British punk bands until they began releasing records.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=185}}<ref name="Marcus1982" /> [[The Modern Lovers]]' song "[[Roadrunner (Jonathan Richman song)|Roadrunner]]", with its reference to such quotidian landmarks as the [[Stop & Shop]], inspired him to write a song about the historical [[Art Deco]] building he rode past every day.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=185}} Although he did not record it until 1980, Costello regarded this song, "Hoover Factory", as an artistic breakthrough.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=185}} In the period just prior, he had been trying to imitate songwriters [[Randy Newman]] and [[John Prine]].{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=181}} "Hoover Factory", he later recalled, got him "through the door to a different, less ingratiating way of speaking" in his songwriting.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=185}} The next song he wrote was "Radio Sweetheart",{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=185–186}} which would become the B-side of his first single.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=|pp=78}}

=== 1976–1977: ''My Aim Is True'' ===

In mid-August 1976, Costello included "Mystery Dance" and "Radio Sweetheart" on a demo tape he gave to [[Stiff Records]], a new independent label that had just released its first single.{{sfn|Balls|2014|p=|pp=36, 41, 78}}{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=226, in the photo gallery of deluxe ebook edition, "List of demos sent to record labels"}} Partly due to the airplay received from Gillett around the same time, Costello was soon evaluating offers from several record companies, including Gillett's own Oval Records.<ref name="Doggett-1995" />{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=67}} Costello chose to work with Stiff Records because they seemed prepared to move the fastest.<ref name="Doggett-1995" /> Stiff had been founded by [[Jake Riviera]], who managed several acts Costello admired, and Dave Robinson.{{sfn|Balls|2014|p=|pp=22–23, 28, 80}}<ref name="Doggett-1995" /> [[Nick Lowe]], whom Costello was on friendly terms with because he had attended so many performances by Lowe's band Brinsley Schwarz, was the label's first artist and soon became its in-house producer.{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=124, 224}}{{sfn|Balls|2014|p=36}}

Following a successful test-session in mid-September at [[Pathway Studios]], an inexpensive studio in [[North London]],{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=226–227}}{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=183, 225, 226–227}} Stiff agreed to finance more sessions for Costello with [[Clover (band)|Clover]], an American [[Country rock|country-rock]] band from [[Marin County, California]],{{Sfn|Balls|2014|p=80}}{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=223}} as the backing band.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=229}} Starting in late November or early December, Costello travelled to [[Headley Grange]] in [[East Hampshire]], where Clover were living, to spend the day rehearsing and working out arrangements for a batch of his songs and then recording the songs with the band the next day at Pathway.{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=231}} Costello still held a full-time office job,<ref name="Costello-2001" /> so the sessions were spaced over several weeks to accommodate his work schedule and Stiff's tight finances.<ref>{{Cite AV media|title=The First 10 Years Podcast Series|date=11 June 2007|last=Costello|first=Elvis|type=podcast|language=English|at=episode 1, at 5 minutes}}</ref> ''My Aim Is True'' was recorded and mixed in six four-hour sessions for a total cost of about £1,000.<ref name="Costello-2001" /> The final mix was completed in late January 1977.{{Sfn|Balls|2014|p=82}} Producer Nick Lowe, recording engineer Barry Farmer and Clover bassist John Ciambotti have all said they found Costello confident, well-prepared, and mature beyond his years during the making of the album.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=|pp=72, 74}}{{Sfn|Balls|2014|p=82}}

By February 1977, Riviera and Robinson, who were now Costello's managers, had given him his new stage name, Elvis.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=26 February 1977|title=Island gets Stiff in deal allowing dual sales plan|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The reference to [[Elvis Presley]], who was still alive at the time, was simply intended to get attention.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=|pp=78–80}} Costello neither particularly liked nor disliked Presley.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Fewer 'mean songs' for Elvis Costello|last=Campbell|first=Mary|date=9 November 1986|work=Spartanburg Herald-Journal}}</ref> Because Costello had seen his father, Ross, work under a variety of stage names, he gave little thought to the name change.{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=|pp=206–207}} Riviera and Robinson also helped give Costello a distinctive appearance that contrasted with the contemporaneous ideas how pop stars looked;{{Sfn|St. Michael|1986|p=|pp=21–22}} they swapped the unobtrusive rimless glasses Costello had worn to correct astigmatism since he was a teenager for a pair with large black frames.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=80}}<ref name="Rambali1983" />

Costello's first single, "[[Less than Zero (Elvis Costello song)|Less than Zero]]", was released at the end of March 1977.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=|pp=78}} It received a few brief, mixed reviews in the British music press and sold very few copies.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=89}} Two further singles, "[[Alison (song)|Alison]]" and "[[(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes]]", also sold poorly; the former would become one of his best-regarded and best-known songs.{{Sfn|Balls|2014|p=|pp=84, 97}}{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=256}} Costello was receiving increasingly prominent, positive coverage in the British music press.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=|pp=88–89}}

''[[My Aim Is True]]'' had been completed since the end of January but its release was delayed, first because Stiff had wanted to release records by other artists who seemed more tied to transient music trends and then because of legal difficulties with Stiff's distributor, [[Island Records]].<ref name="Costello-2001" />{{Sfn|Balls|2014|p=84}} It was released on 22 July 1977.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=95}} Two weeks earlier, Costello had left his job as a computer operator at [[Elizabeth Arden, Inc.|Elizabeth Arden]] on the condition that Stiff pay him, as an advance on future royalties, a regular stipend equal to the wages he had been earning at his job.<ref name="Costello-2001" />{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=91}}

=== 1977–1979: Peak pop stardom ===

In mid-June 1977, Costello held auditions for a bassist and keyboardist for a backing band for a tour to promote ''My Aim Is True'', wanting a sparser sound than on the album.<ref name="Jones-1977" /> [[Pete Thomas (drummer)|Pete Thomas]], formerly of pub-rock band [[Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers]], who were managed by Riviera, agreed to be drummer, although Thomas was then living in California and needed to be brought back to England.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=85}}{{Sfn|Balls|2014|p=|pp=22–23, 80}} [[Steve Goulding]] and [[Andrew Bodnar]], rhythm section of [[the Rumour]], also participated in these audition sessions, so that Costello could test how the musicians auditioning played as part of a band.{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=232}} Chosen were bassist [[Bruce Thomas (musician)|Bruce Thomas]] (no relation to Pete), who was 28 years old and had ten years' experience in professional bands, the most successful being the [[The Sutherland Brothers#The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver (1973–78)|Sutherland Brothers and Quiver]];{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=86}}{{Sfn|Balls|2014|p=89}} and keyboardist [[Steve Nieve]] (then Steve Nason), a 19-year-old student at the [[Royal College of Music]] who had formal musical training but no experience in any kind of pop group.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=87}} The band, soon named [[the Attractions]], would be Costello's touring and recording band for the next seven years.<ref name="Costello-2002">{{Cite AV media notes |title=This Years Model liner notes|title-link=This Year's Model|year=2002 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=booklet |publisher=[[Rhino Records]]}}</ref>{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=206, 208}}

==== "Watching the Detectives" and commercial breakthrough ====
Costello used the time with Goulding and Bodnar to arrange and rehearse "[[Watching the Detectives (song)|Watching the Detectives]]". He recorded the song with them at Pathway a few days later.{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=232}} Costello had written the song a few weeks earlier, partly inspired by [[the Clash]]'s newly released [[The Clash (album)|debut album]].{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=234}} Some of the musical ideas, which Nieve fleshed out when he overdubbed his piano and organ parts a few weeks later, were inspired by film scores [[Bernard Herrmann]] had done for [[Alfred Hitchcock]].{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=236}} Costello later called the recording of "Watching the Detectives" his first experience of "making records as opposed to recording some songs in a room".{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=234}} The song would be released as a non-album single in the UK and as a track on the US version of ''My Aim Is True''.{{Sfn|St. Michael|1986|p=30}}

''My Aim Is True'' received extensive, favourable coverage in the UK music press through a combination of effective [[publicity stunt]]s, such as Costello [[Street performance|busking]] in front of the London hotel hosting the [[CBS Records International|CBS Records]] business convention, and genuine enthusiasm for his music among music journalists.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=89, 94–96}} The album reached number 14 on the [[UK Albums Chart]] within a few weeks of its release.<ref name="officialcharts.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/16558/elvis-costello/|title=Elvis Costello, Albums, My Aim Is True [show Chart Facts]|website=Official Charts|access-date=4 August 2018}}</ref> "Watching the Detectives", released in mid-October, reached number 15 in the [[UK singles chart]], becoming Costello's first single to chart in any country.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/16558/elvis-costello/|title=Elvis Costello, Singles, Watchin' the Detectives [show Chart Facts]|website=Official Charts|access-date=4 August 2018}}</ref><ref name="Costello-2001" /> This was the first of an unbroken streak of eight Costello singles to reach the UK top 30.<ref name="Costello-1993a">{{Cite AV media notes |title=This Years Model liner notes|title-link=This Year's Model|year=1993 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=inset |publisher=[[Rykodisc]]}}</ref> When Costello began touring the US in mid-November, he received prominent coverage in the US press, even though he played venues holding fewer than a thousand people.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=|pp=106–107}} By this time, Costello had signed to [[Columbia Records]], who released ''My Aim Is True'' in the US in early November.<ref name="riaa.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Elvis+Costello#search_section|title=RIAA Gold and Platinum [database search on Elvis Costello, show details]|website=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]|access-date=14 June 2018}}</ref> The album gradually climbed to number 32 on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' Top LPs & Tape]] chart and was named among the best albums of the year by US music critics.<ref name="ECBillboard200">{{Cite magazine |date=19 August 2023 |title=Elvis Costello [show Billboard 200] |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/elvis-costello/chart-history/ |magazine=Billboard}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres77.php |title=The 1977 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=[[The Village Voice]] |date=23 January 1978 |access-date=4 August 2018 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}</ref> In mid-December, Costello and the Attractions appeared on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', where they angered the show's producer by unexpectedly playing the then-unrecorded song "[[Radio Radio]]" during the live broadcast.<ref name="Houghton Mifflin Harcourt">{{cite book|title=Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years|publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]]|year=1994|pages=124–127|isbn=0-395-70895-8}}</ref>{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=108-109}}

By late 1977, Costello had moved from Stiff Records to [[Radar Records]], a new label founded by an associate of Jake Riviera.{{Sfn|Balls|2014|p=117}}{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=109}} Riviera had split from Dave Robinson and was now Costello's sole manager.{{Sfn|Balls|2014|pp=119–120}} For the next year and a half, Costello's records were released on Radar in Britain.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=151–152}}

==== ''This Year's Model'' ====
{{Main|This Year's Model}}
Costello recorded his second album and his first with the Attractions, ''[[This Year's Model]]'', during short breaks from touring, from November 1977 through January 1978.{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=147}} Produced by Nick Lowe,<ref name="Costello-1993a" /> it was recorded at [[Eden Studios (recording facility)|Eden Studios]], in west London, in eleven days.<ref name="Costello-2002" /> Inspirations for the album's sound included 1960s [[Beat music|beat]] groups like the Who, the Kinks and Small Faces, as well as contemporary acts like [[Talking Heads]],<ref name="Flanagan-1986">{{Cite magazine |last=Flanagan |first=Bill |date=March 1986 |title=The Last Elvis Costello Interview You'll Ever Need to Read |magazine=Musician}}</ref>{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=|pp=316, 317}} but the biggest influence was [[the Rolling Stones]]' album [[Aftermath (The Rolling Stones album)|''Aftermath'']] (1966).<ref>{{Cite AV media|title=Elvis Costello BBC Radio One documentary|date=29 February 1992|type=radio program}}</ref> Costello himself called ''This Year's Model'' "a ghost version of ''Aftermath''" and "This Year's Girl" an [[answer song]] to the Rolling Stones' "[[Stupid Girl (The Rolling Stones song)|Stupid Girl]]".<ref name="Marcus1982" />{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=316}}

[[File:Elvis Costello 1978.jpg|thumb|left|Costello onstage at [[Massey Hall]], Toronto, April 1978]]

Most of the songs on ''This Year's Model'' were written while Costello was still working a full-time office job, before his first album was released.<ref name="Costello-1993a" /> Among them was "[[(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea]]",{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=|pp=146–147}} which was released as the album's first single in early March 1978, reaching number 16 on the UK singles chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/16558/elvis-costello/|title=Elvis Costello, Singles, (I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea [show Chart Facts]|website=Official Charts|access-date=5 August 2018}}</ref> The second single, [[Pump It Up (Elvis Costello song)|"Pump It Up"]], which reached number 24, was written later, while Costello was on tour with other Stiff acts, in reaction to what he later called his "first exposure to idiotic rock and roll decadence".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/16558/elvis-costello/|title=Elvis Costello, Singles, Pump It Up [show Chart Facts]|website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]]|access-date=5 August 2018}}</ref><ref name="Costello-1993a" />{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=189}} Upon release in March, ''This Year's Model'' entered the UK Albums Chart at number 4.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/16558/elvis-costello/|title=Elvis Costello, Albums, This Year's Model [show Chart Facts]|website=Official Charts|access-date=5 August 2018}}</ref> The US version of the album dropped "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" and "Night Rally", a song written in response to the rise of the British [[National Front (UK)|National Front]],{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=317}} and replaced them with "Radio Radio".<ref name="Costello-1993a" /> The US release reached number 30 on the ''Billboard'' chart but spent fewer weeks on the chart than ''My Aim Is True''.<ref name="ECBillboard200"/> "Radio Radio" was released as a non-album single in the UK in October 1978, where it reached number 29.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/16558/elvis-costello/|title=Elvis Costello, Singles, Radio Radio [show Chart Facts]|website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]]}}</ref>

''This Year's Model'' was highly praised by critics in Britain and the US. ''Melody Maker'' called it an "achievement so comprehensive, so inspired, that it exhausts superlatives".<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Jones|first=Allan|date=11 March 1978|title=Elvis on revenge|magazine=Melody Maker}}</ref> The ''NME'' review read similarly, saying the album was "so ridiculously good that one's immediate inclinations are to clamber effusively over the top, superlative peaking superlative".<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Kent|first=Nick|date=11 March 1978|title=The Aesthetics of Frustration|magazine=NME}}</ref> The ''[[Village Voice]]'' [[Pazz & Jop]] critics' poll voted it the best album of 1978.<ref name="Christgau-1979" /> ''Rolling Stone'' named it among the best five albums of 1978.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=11 January 1978|title=1978 Critics Awards|magazine=Rolling Stone|volume=281, 282}}</ref>

For the seven months following the completion of ''This Year's Model'', Costello and the Attractions continued touring Britain, Europe and North America, playing larger venues and debuting new songs that Costello was writing for his next album.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=|pp=112, 113, 114, 117, 121–122, 124}} In July 1978, Costello performed at the Danish [[Roskilde Festival]], topping the bill with three other artists,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://festivalhistorik.dk/festival/roskilde-festival-1978 |title=Roskilde festival 1978 |publisher=festivalhistorik.dk }}</ref> premiering the song "[[Oliver's Army]]" that would become his biggest hit in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/jan/27/elvis-costello-10-of-the-best |title=Elvis Costello 10 of the Best |author=Allen, Jeremy |date=27 January 2016 |work=The Guardian }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/16558/elvis-costello/ |title=Elvis Costello Official Charts |publisher=Official Charts }}</ref>

==== ''Armed Forces'' ====
Costello and the Attractions recorded his third album, [[Armed Forces (album)|''Armed Forces'']], at Eden Studios in six weeks from August and September 1978.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=|pp=125–126}}<ref name="Costello-2002a">{{Cite AV media notes |title=Armed Forces liner notes|title-link=Armed Forces (album)|year=2002 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=booklet |publisher=[[Rhino Records]]}}</ref> It was again produced by Nick Lowe, but Costello himself provided greater creative control.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=126}} Like ''This Year's Model'', the album's influences came from the music Costello and the Attractions listened to while touring, from the [[Berlin Trilogy|Berlin-era records]] of [[David Bowie]] and [[Iggy Pop]] to [[ABBA]] and [[Kraftwerk]].<ref name="Costello-2002a" /><ref>{{Cite AV media|title=The First 10 Years Podcast Series|date=23 July 2007|last=Costello|first=Elvis|type=podcast|language=English|at=episode 6, at 5:30 minutes}}</ref> Costello later said that ''Armed Forces'' was his first album of songs he wrote with an awareness of having an audience. The album's lyrics reflected his experiences on the road in the US, as well his continued concern over the rise of far-right political groups in the UK;<ref name="Costello-2002a" />{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=300}} the album was originally to be called ''Emotional Fascism''.<ref name="Costello-2002a" /> Just before the album's completion in late September, Costello and the Attractions played to an audience of 150,000 in [[Brockwell Park]], south London, as part of the second [[Rock Against Racism]] music festival.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=128}} A few weeks later, they began six months of touring that included, for the first time, Japan and Australia, as well as the UK, Europe, Canada and the US.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=|pp=130, 131, 132, 137}}

Released in early January 1979, ''Armed Forces'' debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, and spent 28 weeks on the chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/armed-forces//|title=Elvis Costello, Singles, Watchin' the Detectives [show Chart Facts]|website=Official Charts|access-date=7 February 2019}}</ref> In the US, it spent 25 weeks on the ''Billboard'' chart, peaking at number 10 in mid-March.<ref name="ECBillboard200" /> The US release replaced "Sunday's Best" with Costello's cover of Lowe's "[[(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding]]".{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=|pp=132, 137}}{{Sfn|Hinton|1999|p=435|pp=}} Costello's best-selling single, "[[Oliver's Army]]", was released in Britain in February.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=136}} Costello has said he wrote the song after his first visit to [[Northern Ireland]] and was inspired by seeing young British soldiers on the streets of [[Belfast]] as a part of [[the Troubles]].{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=34-35}} The song reached number two on the UK singles chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/oliver's-army/|title=Elvis Costello, Singles, Oliver's Army [show Chart Facts]|website=Official Charts|access-date=9 February 2019}}</ref> It was also his biggest hit single in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], reaching number four on the Irish singles chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement|title=Search by Artist, [search on Elvis Costello]|website=The Irish Charts|access-date=9 February 2019}}</ref> The second single, "[[Accidents Will Happen]]", was released in early May.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=|pp=143, 145}} According to Costello, the song was written in response to his own marital infidelities. The song reached number 28 in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Elvis Costello, Singles, Accidents Will Happen [show Chart Facts] |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/accidents-will-happen/ |access-date=12 February 2019 |website=Official Charts}}</ref> In the US, it reached number 101, missing the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] but charting higher than any previous Costello single.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=143}}

The concert tour promoting ''Armed Forces'' was marked by bad publicity.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=131, 135, 139, 140, 142}} Costello and the Attractions played some shows that audiences considered too brief and refused to return for encores.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=131, 139}} Audiences in Sydney, Australia, and Berkeley, California, responded by vandalising the concert venues.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=131, 139}} After a concert in Columbus, Ohio, on 15 March, Costello got into a drunken argument at a hotel bar with members of the [[Stephen Stills]] band and entourage. The argument culminated in Costello disparaging [[James Brown]] and [[Ray Charles]] with racially charged insults, in comments he would later call "the exact opposite of my true feelings".<ref name="GHRhino">{{Cite AV media notes|title=Get Happy!! liner notes|title-link=Get Happy!! (Elvis Costello album)|year=2002|first=Elvis|last=Costello|type=booklet|publisher=[[Rhino Records]]}}</ref> When Costello's comments were reported in the press a few weeks later, the bad publicity was sufficiently severe and widespread to be regarded, including by Costello himself, as the reason he never achieved the top-level commercial success in the US that had been predicted for him.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=143-144}}<ref name="Paumgartner" />{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=339}}

In June, Costello had a hit as a songwriter when [[Dave Edmunds]] released his recording of "[[Girls Talk (Elvis Costello song)|Girls Talk]]", a song Costello had written but not yet recorded.{{Sfn|St. Michael|1986|p=54}} Edmunds' version reached number four on the UK singles chart and number 65 on ''Billboard'' Hot 100.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/girls-talk/|title=Dave Edmunds, Singles, Girls talk [show Chart Facts]|website=Official Charts|access-date=14 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=29 July 2023 |title=Dave Edmunds, Chart History, Hot 100 |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/dave-edmunds/chart-history |access-date=29 July 2023 |magazine=Billboard |archive-date=19 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419054455/https://www.billboard.com/music/dave-edmunds/chart-history }}</ref>

===1980s===

Costello's 1980 [[Get Happy!! (Elvis Costello album)|''Get Happy!!'']] album featured a sound based on vintage American [[soul music]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Anderson |first=Rick |title='King Horse' – Elvis Costello & the Attractions |url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/king-horse-mt0013639757 |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=19 June 2022 |archive-date=14 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614211210/https://www.allmusic.com/song/king-horse-mt0013639757 |url-status=live}}</ref> Some songs marked a distinct change in mood from the angry, frustrated tone of his first three albums to a more upbeat, happy manner.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|loc=chap. 7}} The single, "[[I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down]]", was a rendition of a [[Sam and Dave]] song.{{sfn|Hinton|1999|loc=chap. 6}} Lyrically, the songs are full of Costello's signature wordplay. His only 1980 appearance in North America was at the [[Heatwave (festival)|Heatwave]] festival in August near Toronto.

In January 1981, Costello released [[Trust (Elvis Costello album)|''Trust'']] amidst growing tensions within the Attractions.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|loc=chap. 7}} The single "[[Watch Your Step (Elvis Costello song)|Watch Your Step]]" was released in the US only and played live on [[Tom Snyder]]'s ''Tomorrow'' show, and received airplay on FM rock radio.<ref name="Doggett">{{cite magazine |last=Doggett |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Doggett |title=Elvis Costello: The ''Record Collector'' Interview |magazine=[[Record Collector]] |date=September 1995 |issue=193 |pages=38–44}}</ref> In the UK, the single "[[Clubland (song)|Clubland]]" scraped the lower reaches of the UK singles chart; follow-up single "[[From a Whisper to a Scream (song)|From a Whisper to a Scream]]" (a duet with [[Glenn Tilbrook]] of [[Squeeze (band)|Squeeze]]) became the first Costello single in over four years to completely miss the chart.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|loc=chap. 7}}{{sfn|St. Michael|1986|pp=64–73}} Costello also co-produced Squeeze's 1981 album ''[[East Side Story (Squeeze album)|East Side Story]]'' (with [[Roger Béchirian]]) and performed backing vocals on the group's hit "[[Tempted (Squeeze song)|Tempted]]".{{sfn|Thomson|2004|loc=chap. 7}}

October saw the release of ''[[Almost Blue]]'', a [[cover album]] of country music including songs written by [[Hank Williams]] ("Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used to Do?)"), [[Merle Haggard]] ("Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down"), [[Gram Parsons]] ("How Much I Lied") and [[George Jones]] ("Brown to Blue"). The album received mixed reviews.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/how-elvis-costello-outlined-his-future-with-almost-blue-120065/ |title=How Elvis Costello Outlined His Future With 'Almost Blue' |first1=Will |last1=Hodge |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=21 October 2016|access-date=15 July 2019|archive-date=15 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715230013/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/how-elvis-costello-outlined-his-future-with-almost-blue-120065/|url-status=live}}</ref> The first pressings of the record in the UK bore a sticker with the message: "WARNING: This album contains country & western music and may cause a radical reaction in narrow minded listeners".{{sfn|Clayton-Lea|1999|loc=chap. 4}}{{sfn|Hinton|1999|p=436}} ''Almost Blue'' did spawn a surprise UK hit single with a version of [[Jerry Chesnut]]'s "[[Good Year for the Roses]]", which reached number six.{{sfn|Hinton|1999|loc=chap. 7}}{{sfn|St. Michael|1986|pp=74–81}} Costello had long been an avid country music fan and has cited George Jones as his favourite country singer. He had appeared on Jones' duet album ''[[My Very Special Guests]]'', contributing "[[Stranger in the House (song)|Stranger in the House]]", which they later performed together on a 1981 [[HBO]] special dedicated to Jones.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |last=Costello |first=Elvis |title=Almost Blue (reissue) |year=2004 |others=Elvis Costello and the Attractions |type=CD liner notes |publisher=[[Rhino Entertainment|Rhino Records]] |location=US |id=R2 76485}}</ref>

''[[Imperial Bedroom]]'' (1982) featured lavish production by [[Geoff Emerick]], engineer of several [[The Beatles|Beatles]] records.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|loc=chap. 8}} It remains one of his most critically acclaimed records, but again it failed to produce any hit singles—"[[You Little Fool]]" and the critically acclaimed "[[Man Out of Time]]" both failed to reach the Top 40 in the UK.{{sfn|Clayton-Lea|1999|loc=chap. 5}}{{sfn|Hinton|1999|p=428}}{{sfn|Parkyn|1984|p=31}} Costello collaborated with [[Chris Difford]], also of Squeeze, to write the song "Boy With a Problem". Costello has said he disliked the marketing pitch for the album. ''Imperial Bedroom'' also featured Costello's song "[[Almost Blue (song)|Almost Blue]]", inspired by the music of jazz singer and trumpeter [[Chet Baker]].{{sfn|Thomson|2004|loc=chap. 8}} Baker later recorded his own version of the song.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/chet-baker-in-tokyo-mw0000206862|title=Chet Baker in Tokyo|last=Anderson|first=Rick|website=AllMusic|access-date=27 May 2018}}</ref> ''Imperial Bedroom'' placed first on the ''Village Voice'''s annual Pazz & Jop poll.<ref>{{cite web|last=Christgau|first=Robert|title=Robert Christgau: Pazz & Jop 1982| url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres82.php}}</ref>

In 1983, he released ''[[Punch the Clock]]'', featuring female backing vocal duo ([[Afrodiziak]]) and a four-piece horn section ([[the TKO Horns]]), alongside the Attractions. [[Clive Langer]] (who co-produced with [[Alan Winstanley]]), provided Costello with a melody which eventually became "[[Shipbuilding (song)|Shipbuilding]]", which featured a trumpet solo by Baker. Prior to the release of Costello's own version, a version of the song was a minor UK hit for [[Soft Machine]] founder [[Robert Wyatt]].{{sfn|Thomson|2004|loc=chap. 8}}{{sfn|Clayton-Lea|1999|loc=chap. 5}}{{sfn|Hinton|1999|loc=chap. 9}}

Under the pseudonym The Imposter, Costello released "[[Pills and Soap]]", an attack on the changes in British society brought on by [[Thatcherism]], released to coincide with the run-up to the [[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983 UK general election]].{{sfn|Thomson|2004|loc=chap. 8}}{{sfn|Hinton|1999|loc=chap. 9}}{{sfn|Clayton-Lea|1999|loc=chap. 5}} ''Punch the Clock'' also generated an international hit in the single "[[Everyday I Write the Book]]", aided by a music video featuring lookalikes of [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|Prince Charles]] and [[Diana, Princess of Wales|Princess Diana]] undergoing domestic strife in a suburban home. The song became Costello's first [[Top 40]] hit single in the US.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|loc=chap. 8}}{{sfn|Hinton|1999|loc=chap. 9}}{{sfn|Clayton-Lea|1999|loc=chap. 5}} Also in the same year, Costello provided vocals on a version of the [[Madness (band)|Madness]] song "Tomorrow's Just Another Day" released as a [[B-side]].

Tensions within the band – notably between Costello and bassist Bruce Thomas – were beginning to tell, and Costello announced his retirement and the break-up of the group shortly before they were to record ''[[Goodbye Cruel World (Elvis Costello album)|Goodbye Cruel World]]'' (1984).{{sfn|Thomson|2004|loc=chap. 9}}{{sfn|Clayton-Lea|1999|loc=chap. 6}} Costello later expressed disappointment with the final album's production, describing it as "probably the worst record that I could have made of a decent bunch of songs".<ref>{{cite AV media notes |last=Costello |first=Elvis |title=Goodbye Cruel World (reissue) |year=2004 |others=Elvis Costello and the Attractions |type=CD liner notes |publisher=[[Rhino Records]] |location=US |id=R2 76486}}</ref> The record was poorly received upon its initial release; the liner notes to the 1995 [[Rykodisc]] re-release, penned by Costello, begin with the words "Congratulations! You've just purchased our worst album".<ref>{{cite AV media notes |last=Costello |first=Elvis |title=Goodbye Cruel World (reissue) |year=1995 |others=Elvis Costello and the Attractions |type=CD liner notes |publisher=[[Rykodisc]] |location=US |id=RCD 20280}}</ref> Costello's retirement, although short-lived, was accompanied by two compilations, ''Elvis Costello: The Man'' in the UK, Europe and Australia, and ''[[The Best of Elvis Costello & The Attractions]]'' in the US. [[Daryl Hall]] provided backing vocals on the song "The Only Flame in Town" on ''Goodbye Cruel World''.

In 1985, Costello performed at the [[Live Aid]] concert at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], singing the Beatles' "[[All You Need Is Love]]" as a solo artist. He introduced the song as an "old northern English folk song", and the audience was invited to sing the chorus. In the same year Costello teamed up with friend [[T&nbsp;Bone Burnett]] for the single "The People's Limousine" under the moniker of the Coward Brothers. That year, Costello also produced ''[[Rum Sodomy & the Lash]]'' for the Irish punk/folk band [[the Pogues]] and he sang with [[Annie Lennox]] on the song "Adrian" from the [[Eurythmics]] record ''[[Be Yourself Tonight]]''.

Growing antipathy between Costello and Bruce Thomas contributed to the Attractions' first split in 1986 when Costello was preparing to make a comeback. Working in the US with Burnett, a band containing a number of [[Elvis Presley]]'s sidemen (including [[James Burton]] and [[Jerry Scheff]]), and minor input from the Attractions, he produced ''[[King of America]]'', an acoustic guitar-driven album with a country sound. It was billed as performed by "The Costello Show featuring the Attractions and Confederates" in the UK and Europe and "The Costello Show featuring Elvis Costello" in North America. Around this time he legally changed his name back to Declan MacManus, adding Aloysius as an extra middle name.<ref name="Levin"/> Costello retooled his upcoming tour to allow for multiple nights in each city, playing one night with the Confederates, one night with the Attractions, and one night solo acoustic. In May 1986, he performed at [[Self Aid]], a benefit concert held in [[Dublin]] that focused on the chronic unemployment which was widespread in Ireland at that time.

Later that year, Costello returned to the studio with the Attractions and recorded ''[[Blood & Chocolate]]'', which was lauded for a [[post-punk]] fervour not heard since 1978's ''This Year's Model''. It also marked the return of producer [[Nick Lowe]], who had produced Costello's first five albums. While ''Blood & Chocolate'' failed to chart a hit single of any significance, it did produce what has since become one of Costello's signature concert songs, "[[I Want You (Elvis Costello song)|I Want You]]". On this album, Costello adopted the alias Napoleon Dynamite, the name he later attributed to the character of the [[emcee]] that he played during the [[vaudeville]]-style tour to support ''Blood & Chocolate''. (The pseudonym had previously been used in 1982, when the B-side single "Imperial Bedroom" was credited to Napoleon Dynamite & the Royal Guard; whether the title of the 2004 film ''[[Napoleon Dynamite]]'' was inspired by Costello is disputed). After the tour for ''Blood & Chocolate'', Costello split from the Attractions, due mostly to lingering tensions between him and Bruce Thomas. Costello continued to work with another Attraction, Pete Thomas, as a session musician for future releases.

Costello's recording contract with Columbia Records ended after ''Blood & Chocolate''. In 1987, he released a compilation album, ''[[Out of Our Idiot]]'', on his UK label, [[Demon Records]] consisting of B-sides, side projects, and unreleased songs from recording sessions from 1980 to 1987. He signed a new contract with [[Warner Bros.]] and in early 1989 released ''[[Spike (Elvis Costello album)|Spike]]'', which spawned his biggest single in the US, the Top 20 hit (it reached number 19) "[[Veronica (song)|Veronica]]",<ref name=bbchart>[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=elvis costello|chart=all}} "Veronica" – Elvis Costello – Chart History] Billboard.com; Retrieved 14 August 2023</ref> one of several songs Costello co-wrote with [[Paul McCartney]]. At the [[1989 MTV Video Music Awards]] on 6 September in Los Angeles, "Veronica" won the MTV Award for [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video|Best Male Video]].<ref>[http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/winners-by-category.jhtml 1989 MTV Video Music Awards: Video Vanguard Award] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629222913/http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/winners-by-category.jhtml |date=29 June 2012 }} MTV. Retrieved 7 December 2011</ref>

Costello and McCartney wrote several songs together over a short period, which were released over a number of years:
* "Back On My Feet", the B-side of McCartney's 1987 single "[[Once Upon a Long Ago]]", later added as a bonus track on the 1993 re-issue of McCartney's ''[[Flowers in the Dirt]]''
* Costello's "[[Veronica (song)|Veronica]]" and "Pads, Paws and Claws" from his album [[Spike (Elvis Costello album)|''Spike'']] (1989)
* McCartney's "[[My Brave Face]]", "Don't Be Careless Love", "That Day Is Done" and the McCartney/Costello duet "You Want Her Too", all from McCartney's ''Flowers in the Dirt'' (1989)
* "So Like Candy" and "Playboy to a Man" from Costello's ''[[Mighty Like a Rose]]'' (1991)
* "The Lovers That Never Were" and "Mistress and Maid" from McCartney's ''[[Off the Ground]]'' (1993).
* "Shallow Grave" from Costello's ''[[All This Useless Beauty]]'' (1996).
* Costello has also issued solo demo recordings of "Veronica", "Pads, Paws and Claws" and "Mistress and Maid" (a song he did not otherwise record). Two other McCartney/Costello compositions remained officially unissued, while existing as widely bootlegged demos ("Tommy's Coming Home" and "Twenty Fine Fingers"). These two tracks, along with demos of other songs from their collaboration, did eventually see release on the Paul McCartney Archive edition of ''Flowers in the Dirt''.

In 1987, Costello appeared on the [[Home Box Office|HBO]] special ''[[Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night]]'', a tribute to his long-time idol [[Roy Orbison]].{{Cn|date=September 2024}} Costello co-wrote "[[The Other End (Of the Telescope)]]" with the American singer-songwriter [[Aimee Mann]]. It appears on the 1988 album ''[[Everything's Different Now]]'' by Mann's band [[Til Tuesday]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=8 September 2020 |title=Happy 60th Birthday Aimee Mann: Revisiting A Classic Interview |url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/happy-60th-birthday-aimee-mann-revisiting-classic-interview-22827171 |access-date=22 December 2023 |website=[[Hot Press]]}}</ref>

=== 1990s ===
In 1991, Costello released ''[[Mighty Like a Rose]]'', which featured the single "[[The Other Side of Summer]]". He also co-composed and co-produced, with [[Richard Harvey (composer)|Richard Harvey]], the [[G.B.H. (soundtrack)|title and incidental music for the mini-series]] ''[[G.B.H. (TV series)|G.B.H.]]'' by [[Alan Bleasdale]]. This entirely instrumental, and largely orchestral, soundtrack garnered a [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]], for Best Music for a TV Series for the pair.

In 1993, Costello experimented with classical music with a critically acclaimed collaboration with the [[Brodsky Quartet]]<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Juliet Letters (review) |first=Elysa |last=Gardner |date=18 March 1993 |magazine=Rolling Stone |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/the-juliet-letters-19930318 |access-date=27 August 2017 |archive-date=30 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130830045333/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/the-juliet-letters-19930318 |url-status=live}}</ref> on ''[[The Juliet Letters]]''. During this period, he wrote a full album's worth of material for [[Wendy James]], and these songs became the tracks on her 1993 solo album ''Now Ain't the Time for Your Tears''. Costello returned to rock and roll the following year with a project that reunited him with the Attractions, ''[[Brutal Youth]]''. In 1995, he released ''[[Kojak Variety]]'', an album of cover songs recorded five years earlier, and followed in 1996 with an album of songs originally written for other artists, ''[[All This Useless Beauty]]''. This was the final album of original material that he issued under his Warner Bros. contract, and also his final album with the Attractions.

In 1994, he sang "[[They Can't Take That Away from Me]]" with [[Tony Bennett]] for ''[[MTV Unplugged]]'', appearing on [[MTV Unplugged (Tony Bennett album)|the album released from the broadcast]].

In the spring of 1996, Costello played a series of intimate club dates, backed only by Steve Nieve on the piano, in support of ''All This Useless Beauty''. An ensuing mid-year tour with the Attractions proved to be the death knell, with relations between Costello and bassist Bruce Thomas at a breaking point, Costello announced that the current tour would be the Attractions' last. The quartet performed their final US show in [[Seattle]], Washington on 1 September 1996, before wrapping up their tour in Japan. Costello continued to work frequently with Attractions Steve Nieve and Pete Thomas; eventually, both became members of Costello's new back-up band, The Imposters.

To fulfill his contractual obligations to Warner Bros., Costello released a greatest hits album titled ''[[Extreme Honey]]'' (1997). It contained an original track titled "The Bridge I Burned", featuring Costello's son, Matt, on bass. In the intervening period, Costello had served as artistic chair for the 1995 [[Meltdown Festival]], which gave him the opportunity to explore his increasingly eclectic musical interests. His involvement in the festival yielded a one-off live [[Extended play|EP]] with jazz guitarist [[Bill Frisell]], which featured both cover material and a few of his own songs.

In 1998, Costello signed a multi-label contract with [[Polygram Records]], sold by its parent company the same year to become part of the [[Universal Music Group]]. Costello released his new work on what he deemed the suitable imprimatur within the family of labels. His first new release as part of this contract involved a collaboration with [[Burt Bacharach]]. Their work had commenced earlier, in 1996, on "God Give Me Strength" for the movie ''[[Grace of My Heart]]''. This led the pair to write and record the critically acclaimed album ''[[Painted From Memory]]'',<ref>{{cite news |last=McEvoy |first=Colin |title=What It Was Like to Work with Burt Bacharach, in the Words of his Collaborators |work=[[Biography (TV program)|Biography]] |date=9 February 2023 |url=https://www.biography.com/musicians/a42815918/burt-bacharach-famous-collaborators |access-date=11 February 2023}}</ref> released under his new contract in 1998, on the [[Mercury Records]] label, featuring songs that were largely inspired by the dissolution of his relationship with [[Cait O'Riordan]]. Costello and Bacharach performed several concerts with full orchestral backing, and also recorded an updated version of Bacharach's "[[I'll Never Fall in Love Again]]" for the soundtrack to ''[[Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me]]'', with both appearing in the film to perform the song. He also wrote "I Throw My Toys Around" for ''[[The Rugrats Movie]]'' and performed it with [[No Doubt]]. The same year, he collaborated with [[Paddy Moloney]] of [[the Chieftains]] on "The Long Journey Home" on the soundtrack of the [[PBS]]/[[Disney]] ''[[The Irish in America: Long Journey Home]]'' miniseries. The soundtrack won a [[Grammy Award]] in 1999.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=1999 Grammy Awards |magazine=Billboard |date=6 March 1999}}</ref>

In 1999, Costello contributed a version of "[[She (Charles Aznavour)|She]]", released in 1974 by [[Charles Aznavour]] and [[Herbert Kretzmer]], for the soundtrack of the film ''[[Notting Hill (film)|Notting Hill]]'', with [[Trevor Jones (composer)|Trevor Jones]] producing. Costello's version of the song reached number 19 on the UK singles chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/16558/elvis-costello/|title=Elvis Costello, She [show Chart Facts]|website=Official Charts|access-date=14 August 2023}}</ref> For the 25th anniversary of ''Saturday Night Live'', Costello was invited to the programme, where he re-enacted his abrupt song-switch: This time, however, he interrupted the [[Beastie Boys]]' "Sabotage", and they acted as his backing group for "Radio Radio".<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 December 2021 |title=When Elvis Costello was banned from 'Saturday Night Live' |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/elvis-costello-banned-snl-video/ |access-date=8 June 2024 |website=faroutmagazine.co.uk |language=en-US}}</ref> He also co-wrote another song with [[Aimee Mann]], "The Fall of the World's Own Optimist", for her 2000 album ''[[Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo|Bachelor No. 2]]''.<ref name="Hornby-20002">{{Cite magazine |last=Hornby |first=Nick |author-link=Nick Hornby |date=4 June 2000 |title=Aimee Mann's melodies for a darker mood |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2000/06/12/its-a-manns-world |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref>

=== 2000s ===
[[File:Elvis Costello 15 June 2005.jpg|thumb|right|Costello performing at Glastonbury, 2005]]
[[File:Elvis costello.jpg|thumb|Costello performing in 2006]]

From 2001 to 2005, Costello re-issued his back catalogue in the US, from ''My Aim Is True'' (1977) to ''All This Useless Beauty'' (1996), on double-disc collections on the [[Rhino Records]] label. These releases, which each contained second discs of bonus material, ultimately fell out of print by 2007 after Universal Music acquired the rights to Costello's catalogue. Universal subsequently released new deluxe editions of ''My Aim Is True'' and ''This Year's Model'' with new bonus material of full-length concerts from the time of each album's release. These deluxe editions also fell out of print and Universal has reverted to re-releasing Costello's pre-1987 albums in their original context without bonus material.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

In 2000, Costello wrote lyrics to "Green Song", a solo cello piece by [[Svante Henryson]]; this song appears on the Anne Sofie von Otter album ''[[For the Stars]]''.

In 2000, Costello appeared at [[The Town Hall (New York City)|the Town Hall]], New York, in Steve Nieve's opera ''[[Welcome to the Voice]]'', alongside [[Ron Sexsmith]] and [[John Flansburgh]] of [[They Might Be Giants]]. In 2001, Costello was artist-in-residence at [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]] and wrote the music for a new ballet. He produced and appeared on an album of pop songs for the classical singer [[Anne Sofie von Otter]]. He released the album ''[[When I Was Cruel]]'' in 2002 on [[Island Records]], and toured with a new band, the Imposters (essentially the Attractions but with a different bass player, [[Davey Faragher]], formerly of [[Cracker (band)|Cracker]]).

On 23 February 2003, Costello, along with [[Bruce Springsteen]], [[Steven Van Zandt]] and [[Dave Grohl]], performed a version of [[the Clash]]'s "[[London Calling (song)|London Calling]]" at the 45th Grammy Awards ceremony, in honour of Clash frontman [[Joe Strummer]], who had died the previous December.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/17-bruce-springsteen-collaborations-from-chuck-berry-to-lada-gaga-20110124/london-calling-with-dave-grohl-and-elvis-costello-0751054 |title=Great Bruce Springsteen Collaborations: 'London Calling' With Dave Grohl and Elvis Costello |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=27 September 2015 |archive-date=29 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929054412/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/17-bruce-springsteen-collaborations-from-chuck-berry-to-lada-gaga-20110124/london-calling-with-dave-grohl-and-elvis-costello-0751054 |url-status=live}}</ref> In March, Elvis Costello & the Attractions were inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]].<ref name="RaRHoF" /> In May, he announced his engagement to Canadian [[jazz]] singer and pianist [[Diana Krall]], whom he had seen in concert and then met backstage at the [[Sydney Opera House]] in Australia. That September, he released [[North (Elvis Costello album)|''North'']], an album of piano-based ballads concerning the breakdown of his former marriage, and his falling in love with Krall.

The song "Scarlet Tide" (co-written by Costello and [[T Bone Burnett]] and used in the film ''[[Cold Mountain (film)|Cold Mountain]]'') was nominated for a [[Academy Awards|2004 Academy Award]]; he performed it at the awards ceremony with [[Alison Krauss]], who sang the song on the official soundtrack. Costello co-wrote many songs on Krall's 2004 CD, ''[[The Girl in the Other Room]]'', the first of hers to feature several original compositions. In July 2004, Costello's first full-scale orchestral work, ''[[Il Sogno]]'', was performed in New York. The work, a ballet based on [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'', was commissioned by Italian dance troupe Aterballeto, and received critical acclaim from classical music critics. Performed by the [[London Symphony Orchestra]], conducted by [[Michael Tilson Thomas]], the recording was released on CD in September by [[Deutsche Grammophon]]. In September 2004, Costello released the album ''[[The Delivery Man (album)|The Delivery Man]]'', recorded in [[Oxford, Mississippi]], on [[Lost Highway Records]], and it was hailed as one of his best.

[[File:Elvis Costello - European Walk of Fame.jpg|thumb|left|Costello's hand prints on the European Walk of Fame, [[Rotterdam]]]]
A CD recording of a collaboration with [[Marian McPartland]] on her show ''[[Piano Jazz]]'' was released in 2005. It featured Costello singing six jazz standards and two of his own songs, accompanied by McPartland on piano.

A 2005 tour included a gig at [[Glastonbury]] that Costello considered so dreadful that he said "I don't care if I ever play England again. That gig made up my mind I wouldn't come back. I don't get along with it. We lost touch. It's 25 years since I lived there. I don't dig it, they don't dig me....British music fans don't have the same attitude to age as they do in America, where young people come to check out, say [[Willie Nelson]]. They feel some connection with him and find a role for that music in their lives".<ref name="indep07">{{cite news |title=Goodbye, cruel UK: Elvis Costello turns his back on his native land |work=The Independent |location=UK |date=8 November 2007 |first=Amol |last=Rajan |access-date=6 November 2010 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/goodbye-cruel-uk-elvis-costello-turns-his-back-on-his-native-land-399429.html |archive-date=9 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109191656/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/goodbye-cruel-uk-elvis-costello-turns-his-back-on-his-native-land-399429.html }}</ref>

In 2005, Costello performed with [[Green Day]] frontman [[Billie Joe Armstrong]]. They played both Costello and Green Day songs together, including "[[Alison (song)|Alison]]", "[[This Year's Model|No Action]]", "[[Basket Case (song)|Basket Case]]" and "[[Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)]]".

In November, Costello started recording a new album with [[Allen Toussaint]] and producer [[Joe Henry]]. Costello had a collaborative history with Toussaint, beginning with a couple of scattered album tracks in the 1980s.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/12/arts/music/12elvi.html |title=Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint: A Bouncy Take on the Grim |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=21 September 2013 |first=Nate |last=Chinen |date=12 July 2006|archive-date=15 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151115062928/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/12/arts/music/12elvi.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2006, Costello and Allen Toussaint performed in New York at a series of benefit concerts for victims of [[Hurricane Katrina]].<ref name="nytimes.com"/> By week's end, Costello had written ''[[The River in Reverse]]'', performed it with Toussaint and discussed plans for an album with Verve Records executives. Costello turned to older songs to reflect the national malaise at the time.<ref name="nytimes.com"/>

In a studio recording of Nieve's opera ''Welcome to the Voice'' (2006, Deutsche Grammophon), Costello interpreted the character of Chief of Police, with [[Barbara Bonney]], Robert Wyatt, [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] and [[Amanda Roocroft]], and the album reached No.&nbsp;2 in the ''Billboard'' classical charts. Costello later reprised the piece on the stage of the [[Théâtre du Châtelet]] in Paris in 2008, with Sting, [[Joe Sumner]] (Sting's son) and Sylvia Schwartz. Also released in 2006 was a live recording of a concert with the Metropole Orkest at the [[North Sea Jazz Festival]], entitled ''My Flame Burns Blue''. The soundtrack for ''[[House (TV series)|House, M.D.]]'' featured Costello's interpretation of "Beautiful" by [[Christina Aguilera]], with the song appearing in the second episode of Season 2.

Costello was commissioned to write a [[chamber opera]] by the Danish Royal Opera, [[Copenhagen]], on the subject of [[Hans Christian Andersen]]'s infatuation with Swedish soprano [[Jenny Lind]]. Called ''The Secret Songs'', it remained unfinished.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-costello-idUKTRE54E5WH20090515 |title=Elvis Costello Reveals 'Secret' New Album' |agency=Reuters |first=Gary |last=Graff |date=15 May 2009 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=6 July 2021 |archive-date=3 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203221903/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-costello-idUKTRE54E5WH20090515 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In a performance in 2007 directed by [[Kasper Bech Holten]] at the Opera's studio theatre ([[Takkelloftet|Takelloftet]]), finished songs were interspersed with pieces from Costello's 1993 collaborative classical album ''The Juliet Letters'', featuring Danish soprano Sine Bundgaard as Lind. The 2009 album ''[[Secret, Profane & Sugarcane]]'' includes material from ''Secret Songs''.

On 22 April 2008, ''[[Momofuku (album)|Momofuku]]'' was released on Lost Highway Records, the same imprint that released ''The Delivery Man'', his previous studio album. The album was, at least initially, released exclusively on vinyl (with a code to download a digital copy). That summer, in support of the album, Costello toured with [[the Police]] on the final leg of their [[The Police Reunion Tour|2007/2008 Reunion Tour]]. Costello played a homecoming gig at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on 25 June 2006.<ref>{{cite web |first=Jade |last=Wright |url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-entertainment/echo-entertainment/2008/02/05/elvis-costello-show-at-the-phil-is-sure-to-be-a-classic-100252-20437846/ |title=Elvis Costello Show at the Philharmonic |work=Liverpool Echo |date=5 February 2008 |access-date=10 August 2010 |archive-date=9 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109154308/http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-entertainment/echo-entertainment/2008/02/05/elvis-costello-show-at-the-phil-is-sure-to-be-a-classic-100252-20437846/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and, that month, gave his first performance in Poland, appearing with The Imposters for the closing gig of the [[Lake Malta|Malta]] theatre festival in [[Poznań]].
In 2006, Costello performed with [[Fiona Apple]] in the Decades Rock TV special. Apple performed two Costello songs and Costello performed two Apple songs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/TV_2006-07-21_Decades_Rock_Live |title=TV – Decades Rock Live |date=21 July 2006 |website=Elviscostello.info |publisher=The Elvis Costello Wiki |access-date=2 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044548/http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/TV_2006-07-21_Decades_Rock_Live |archive-date=6 March 2019 }}</ref>

In 2007, Costello collaborated with the Argentinean/Uruguayan [[Electro music|electro]]-[[tango (music)|tango]] band [[Bajofondo]] on the song "Fairly Right" from the album ''[[Mar Dulce (album)|Mar Dulce]]''. In 2008, Costello collaborated with [[Fall Out Boy]] on the track "[[What a Catch, Donnie]]" from their album ''[[Folie a Deux (album)|Folie a Deux]]''. In [[Jenny Lewis]]' 2008 release, ''[[Acid Tongue]]'', Costello provided vocals for the song "Carpetbaggers". In November 2009, Costello appeared live with [[Bruce Springsteen]] and the [[E Street Band]] at [[Madison Square Garden]] and performed the [[Jackie Wilson]] song "[[(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher]]".<ref>{{cite news |first=Stan |last=Goldstein |url=http://www.nj.com/springsteen/index.ssf/2009/11/a_classic_show_by_bruce_spring.html |title=A classic show by Bruce Springsteen at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night |work=The Star-Ledger |access-date=30 July 2011 |archive-date=14 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114134514/http://www.nj.com/springsteen/index.ssf/2009/11/a_classic_show_by_bruce_spring.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 2008, Costello (as Declan McManus) appeared in his home city Liverpool where he was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Music from the [[University of Liverpool]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Elvis Costello gets his degree at last |url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/elvis-costello-gets-degree-last-3480425 |newspaper=[[Liverpool Echo]] |date=8 May 2013 |access-date=4 November 2015 |archive-date=30 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151230042423/http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/elvis-costello-gets-degree-last-3480425 |url-status=live}}</ref> Costello was featured on [[Fall Out Boy]]'s 2008 album ''[[Folie à Deux (album)|Folie à Deux]]'', providing vocals on the track "[[What a Catch, Donnie]]", along with other artists who are friends with the band.

Costello appeared in [[Stephen Colbert]]'s television special ''[[A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All]]''. In the program, he was eaten by a bear, but later saved by [[Santa Claus]]; he also sang a duet with Colbert. The special was first aired on 23 November 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ccinsider.comedycentral.com/cc_insider/2008/11/a-colbert-christmas-premieres-sunday.html |title=A Colbert Christmas Premieres Sunday! |work=Comedy Central Insider |publisher=[[Comedy Central]] |date=17 November 2008 |access-date=10 August 2010 |archive-date=21 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121012712/http://ccinsider.comedycentral.com/cc_insider/2008/11/a-colbert-christmas-premieres-sunday.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Costello released ''[[Secret, Profane & Sugarcane]]'', a collaboration with T Bone Burnett, on 9 June 2009. It was his first on the Starbucks Hear Music label and a return to country music in the manner of "Good Year for the Roses".

[[File:Elvis Costello in 2012.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Costello performing in tribute to music legends [[Chuck Berry]] and [[Leonard Cohen]], who were the recipients of the first annual PEN Awards for songwriting excellence, at the [[John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum|JFK Presidential Library]], in Boston, Massachusetts on 26 February 2012]]

In May 2009, Costello made a surprise cameo appearance on-stage at the [[Beacon Theatre (New York City)|Beacon Theatre]] in New York as part of [[Spinal Tap (band)|Spinal Tap's]] ''Unwigged and Unplugged'' show, singing their fictional 1965 hit "Gimme Some Money" with the band backing him up.

In December 2009, Costello portrayed The Shape on the album ''[[Ghost Brothers of Darkland County]]'', a collaboration between rock singer [[John Mellencamp]] and novelist [[Stephen King]]. In February 2010, Costello appeared in the live [[cinecast]] of [[Garrison Keillor]]'s ''[[Prairie Home Companion]]'', singing some of his own songs, and participating in many of the show's other musical and acting performances. On 30 April 2011, he played the song "Pump it Up" with [[the Odds]] before the start of a [[Vancouver Canucks]] playoff game at [[Rogers Arena]] in Vancouver, British Columbia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://video.canucks.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=805&id=112694 |title=Quick clip: Elvis Costello Performs Apr.30.11 Video – NHL VideoCenter – Vancouver Canucks |publisher=National Hockey League |date=30 April 2011 |access-date=30 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901074059/https://video.canucks.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=805&id=112694 |archive-date=1 September 2011}}</ref>

===2010–present===

Costello released the album ''[[National Ransom]]'' in autumn of 2010.<ref>{{cite web|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/national-ransom-mw0002020782 |title=''National Ransom'' – Elvis Costello |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |date=2 November 2010 |access-date=9 May 2014}}</ref>

On 26 February 2012, Costello paid tribute to music legends [[Chuck Berry]] and [[Leonard Cohen]], who were the recipients of the first annual PEN Awards for songwriting excellence, at the [[John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum|JFK Presidential Library]], in Boston, Massachusetts.<ref name="The Boston Globe PEN awards">{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/Boston/names/2012/02/leonard-cohen-and-chuck-berry-celebrated-the-jfk-library/pme86jnpLDKP4XYIMJi3XN/index.html |title=Leonard Cohen and Chuck Berry celebrated at the JFK Library |last1=Shanahan |first1=Mark |last2=Goldstein |first2=Meredith |date=26 September 2010 |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |access-date=1 March 2012 |archive-date=29 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229224324/http://www.boston.com/Boston/names/2012/02/leonard-cohen-and-chuck-berry-celebrated-the-jfk-library/pme86jnpLDKP4XYIMJi3XN/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2013 Costello released ''[[Wise Up Ghost]]'', a collaboration with [[the Roots]]. On 25 October 2013, Costello was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the [[New England Conservatory]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sullivan |first=James |date=26 October 2013 |title=Elvis Costello Named Honorary Doctor of Music |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/elvis-costello-named-honorary-doctor-of-music-20131026 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=4 November 2015 |archive-date=3 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151203213553/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/elvis-costello-named-honorary-doctor-of-music-20131026 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2012, he played ukulele, mandolin, guitar and added backing vocals on Diana Krall's 11th studio album, ''[[Glad Rag Doll (album)|Glad Rag Doll]]'' (as "Howard Coward").<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/glad-rag-doll-mw0002406053 |title=Glad Rag Doll – Diana Krall {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|last=Jurek|first=Thom|publisher=AllMusic|language=en-us|access-date=19 January 2020|archive-date=26 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200326194147/https://www.allmusic.com/album/glad-rag-doll-mw0002406053|url-status=live}}</ref> On 10 September 2013, he played during the Apple September 2013 Event after the introduction of [[iTunes Radio]], [[iPhone]] 5C and 5S at Town Hall, at the Apple campus.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.apple.com/apple-events/september-2013/ |title=Events – Special Event September 2013 |publisher=Apple |date=10 September 2013 |access-date=21 September 2013 |archive-date=21 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921061241/http://www.apple.com/apple-events/september-2013/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

On [[Gov't Mule]]'s album ''[[Shout! (Gov't Mule album)|Shout!]]'', released in September 2013, he sang on the track "Funny Little Tragedy". In March 2014, Costello recorded ''[[Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes]]'' with [[Rhiannon Giddens]], [[Taylor Goldsmith]], [[Jim James]] and [[Marcus Mumford]].<ref name="TheNewBasementTapes.com">{{cite web |url=http://thenewbasementtapes.com |title=The New Basement Tapes| access-date = 20 August 2014| archive-date = 22 August 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140822110022/http://www.thenewbasementtapes.com/}}</ref> During the 2016 Detour, he performs with [[Larkin Poe]].

On 12 October 2018, Costello released his first studio album in five years, ''[[Look Now]]'', recorded with The Imposters. The album features three songs co-written with Burt Bacharach, and one song co-written with [[Carole King]]. Costello wrote and produced a large majority of the album himself, with help from producer [[Sebastian Krys]]. On 26 January 2020, ''Look Now'' won the [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]] at the [[62nd Grammy Awards]].

Costello was appointed [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the [[2019 Birthday Honours]] for services to music.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=62666 |supp=y |page=B11 |date=8 June 2019}}</ref>

In 2021, Costello released ''Spanish Model'', a remix of 1978's ''This Year's Model'' with Spanish lyrics. Singers from Spanish-speaking parts of the world, with help from Spanish-speaking songwriters, translated all 16 songs of the album into Spanish, with the new vocals set to the original recording and instrumentation by the Attractions. The singers included [[Juanes]], [[Jorge Drexler]], [[Luis Fonsi]], [[Francisca Valenzuela]], [[Fuego (singer)|Fuego]], [[Draco Rosa]], and [[Fito Páez]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Willman |first=Chris |date=16 September 2021 |title=Elvis Costello on the Endurance of 'This Year's Model,' and What's Gained in Translation With New 'Spanish Model' |url=https://variety.com/2021/music/news/elvis-costello-spanish-model-interview-this-years-latin-1235066119/|access-date=12 December 2021 |website=Variety |language=en-US|archive-date=12 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211212200749/https://variety.com/2021/music/news/elvis-costello-spanish-model-interview-this-years-latin-1235066119/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Lopez |first=Julyssa |date=16 July 2021 |title=Elvis Costello on Why He Remade 'This Year's Model' Entirely in Spanish |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-latin/elvis-costello-this-years-model-spanish-1197730/|access-date=12 December 2021 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US|archive-date=23 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123153909/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-latin/elvis-costello-this-years-model-spanish-1197730/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2021, Costello appeared at the [[Royal Variety Performance]] playing two songs with the Imposters. He was introduced by the MC [[Alan Carr]] as a man who has achieved everything except appearing at the Royal Variety Performance. Between songs Costello informed the audience that he was the second McManus to appear. His father Ross appeared in the 1960s singing "[[If I Had a Hammer]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Colderick |first=Stephanie |date=19 December 2021 |title=Royal Variety Performance 2021: Full line up and when you can see it |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/royal-variety-performance-2021-full-22473908|access-date=17 January 2022 |website=WalesOnline |language=en|archive-date=10 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110104742/https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/royal-variety-performance-2021-full-22473908|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2 November 2021 |title=Elvis Costello's Musician Father (and Doppelgänger) Performing in 1963 |url=https://www.openculture.com/2021/11/elvis-costellos-musician-father-and-doppelganger-performing-in-1963.html|url-status=live|access-date=17 January 2022 |website=Open Culture |language=en-US|archive-date=10 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110104905/https://www.openculture.com/2021/11/elvis-costellos-musician-father-and-doppelganger-performing-in-1963.html}}</ref>

In January 2022, he performed on ''[[The Graham Norton Show]]''.<ref>{{Cite episode |series=The Graham Norton Show |network=BBC |date=14 January 2022 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0013d7c|access-date=17 January 2022 |title=Series 29: Episode 14|archive-date=15 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220115112606/https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0013d7c/the-graham-norton-show-series-29-episode-14|url-status=live}}</ref> That same month he released the LP ''[[The Boy Named If]]'', recorded with the Imposters.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Althea |last=Legaspi |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/elvis-costello-the-imposters-the-boy-named-if-magnificent-hurt-song-1248699/ |title=Elvis Costello & the Imposters Preview 'The Boy Named If' LP With New Song |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=27 October 2021 |access-date=14 January 2022}}</ref> ''[[The Resurrection of Rust]]'' by a reformed Rusty followed later that year.<ref name="rs">{{Cite magazine |magazine=Rolling Stone |last=Greene |first=Andy |date=30 May 2022 |language=en-US |issn=0035-791X |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/elvis-costello-reunites-bandmate-rusty-the-resurrection-of-rust-1359937/ |title=Elvis Costello Reunites With Teenage Bandmate for Nostalgic LP 'Rusty: The Resurrection of Rust' |access-date=26 June 2023}}</ref>

In April 2023, Costello collaborated with Slovenian band [[Joker Out]] on their single, "New Wave".<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 April 2023 |title=Joker Out releases duet with Elvis Costello after successful Eurovision tour |url=https://escbubble.com/2023/04/joker-out-releases-duet-with-elvis-costello-after-successful-eurovision-tour/ |access-date=23 May 2023 |website=ESCBubble |language=en-GB}}</ref> The compilation ''[[The Songs of Bacharach & Costello]]'' was also released at this time.<ref name="pm">{{Cite web |work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/elvis-costello-burt-bacharach-the-songs-of-bacharach-and-costello-super-deluxe/ |language=en-US |date=7 March 2023 |access-date=26 June 2023 |last=Deusner |first=Stephen M. |title=Elvis Costello / Burt Bacharach: ''The Songs of Bacharach & Costello (Super Deluxe)'' Album Review }}</ref> In August 2023, he made a three-dates mini-tour together with Italian singer-songwriter [[Carmen Consoli]], a project the two had originally planned in 2012 but that at the time had been shelved due to Consoli's pregnancy.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Antonucci |first1=Gabriele |title=Elvis Costello e Carmen Consoli: quando la musica è l'arte dell'incontro |url=https://www.panorama.it/lifestyle/musica/elvis-costello-carmen-consoli-concerto-recensione |access-date=20 September 2023 |work=[[Panorama (magazine)|Panorama]] |date=29 August 2023 |language=it}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Marziano |first1=Alfredo |title=Carmen Consoli ed Elvis Costello, la sorellina giudiziosa e il fratellone scapestrato |url=https://www.rollingstone.it/musica/live/carmen-consoli-ed-elvis-costello-la-sorellina-giudiziosa-e-il-fratellone-scapestrato/780762/ |access-date=20 September 2023 |work= [[Rolling Stone Italia]] |date=1 September 2023 |language=it-IT}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Crippa |first1=Stefano |title=Carmen Consoli e Elvis Costello, la forza nella diversità |url=https://ilmanifesto.it/carmen-consoli-e-elvis-costello-la-forza-nella-diversita |access-date=20 September 2023 |work=[[Il manifesto]] |date=30 August 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

In November 2024, Costello and T&nbsp;Bone Burnett released a scripted comedy audio series on [[Audible (service)|Audible]], directed by [[Christopher Guest]], as the Coward Brothers, characters the two created in the 1980s. The series features guest appearances by [[Harry Shearer]] as the radio host interviewing the two, along with [[Rhea Seehorn]], [[Edward Hibbert]], [[Stephen Root]] and [[Kathreen Khavari]]. An accompanying soundtrack album was released via [[New West Records]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Willman |first=Chris |title=Elvis Costello and T&nbsp;Bone Burnett Play 'The Coward Brothers' in Christopher Guest-Directed Audible Comedy Series, Plus 20-Track Soundtrack Album (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2024/music/news/elvis-costello-t-bone-burnett-coward-brothers-audible-series-christopher-guest-comedy-soundtrack-1236170606/ |website=Variety |access-date=23 October 2024 |date=8 October 2024}}</ref>

== Writing ==

Since the early 1980s, Costello has written about music for publications including ''[[Hot Press]],''<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=9 July 1981|title=My favourite album |magazine=Hot Press|location=Dublin, Ireland}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=16 July 1987|title=E.C. was here|magazine=Hot Press|location=Dublin, Ireland}}</ref> [[Details (magazine)|''Details'']],<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=October 1998|title=What the World need now |magazine=Details|publisher=Conde Nast}}</ref> [[Mojo (magazine)|''Mojo'']],{{efn| Costello wrote articles for ''Mojo'' in 1994,<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=June 1994|title=Music in the movies|magazine=Mojo|location=London}}</ref> 1998 (three articles),<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=January 1998|title=The best thing I've heard all year |magazine=Mojo|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=February 1998|title=Unafraid |magazine=Mojo|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=July 1998|title=Frank Sinatra|magazine=Mojo|location=London}}</ref> 1999,<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=October 1999|title=Attack of the killer organ|magazine=Mojo|location=London}}</ref> 2002 (two articles),<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=March 2002|title=Hero: Leslie Vinyl |magazine=Mojo|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=August 2002|title=Paul McCartney |magazine=Mojo|location=London}}</ref> and 2014.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=January 2014|title=The best thing I've heard all year |magazine=Mojo|location=London}}</ref>}} [[Musician (magazine)|''Musician'']],<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=March 1988 |title=Talking Animals, T Bone Burnett [review]|magazine=Musician}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=January 1995 |title=Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley, Peter Guralnick [review]|magazine=Musician}}</ref> ''[[NME]]'',<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=2 May 1998 |title=Goodbye...And Hello, Jeff Buckley Remembered [contributor] |magazine=NME |location=London }}</ref> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'',<ref name="Costello-2010"/> and [[Vanity Fair (magazine)|''Vanity Fair.'']]<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=November 2000|title=Costello's 500 |magazine=Vanity Fair|publisher=Conde Nast}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=November 2002|title=Rocking around the clock|magazine=Vanity Fair|publisher=Conde Nast}}</ref><ref name="Costello-2004"/> He has also written several articles about [[Association football|football (soccer)]], as an avid and knowledgeable fan, for the [[The Times|''Times'' of London]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=My red-hot love affair|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=11 May 2001|work=The Times|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Voice of the Kop|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=12 May 2001|work=The Times|publication-place=London}}</ref><ref name="Costello">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/fretting-while-the-scarlet-tide-make-history-t57232nm5fr|title=Fretting while the scarlet tide make history|last=Costello|first=Elvis|date=30 May 2005|work=The Times|access-date=28 June 2018|location=London}}</ref> A ''Vanity Fair'' editor who worked with Costello said his "[[Copy (written)|copy]] was clean, elegant, and ready to run".<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Windolf|first=Jim|date=November 2008|title=(What's So Funny 'Bout) Colbert and Costello?|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/11/whats-so-funny-bout-colbert-and-costello|magazine=Vanity Fair|access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref>

Costello has written liner notes for releases by artists including Gram Parsons,<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Gram Parsons liner notes|year=1982 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=inset |publisher=[[Warner Bros]]}}</ref> the [[The Fairfield Four|Fairfield Four]],<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray liner notes|year=1997 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=inset |publisher=[[Warner Bros]]}}</ref> [[Dusty Springfield]],<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Dusty in Memphis liner notes|title-link=Dusty in Memphis |year=2002 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=inset |publisher=[[Philips Records]]}}</ref> [[Booker T. & the M.G.'s]],<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Booker T and the M.G.'s Stax Profiles liner notes|year=2006 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=booklet |publisher=[[Stax Records]]}}</ref> Burt Bacharach,<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Magic Moments –- The Definitive Burt Bacharach Collection liner notes|year=2008 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=booklet |publisher=[[Rhino Records]]}}</ref> and [[Bill Frisell]].<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=The Best Of Bill Frisell, Vol. 1: Folk Songs liner notes|year=2009 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=inset |publisher=[[Nonesuch Records]]}}</ref> He has written forewords to books by Geoff Emerick,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles (foreword)|last=Costello|first=Elvis|publisher=Gotham Books|date=2006|isbn=978-1-59240-179-6|location=United States|pages=ix-xi}}</ref> [[Loretta Lynn]],<ref>{{Cite book|title=Honky Tonk Girl: My Life In Lyrics, Loretta Lynn (foreword)|last=Costello|first=Elvis|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf|year=2012|isbn=978-0-307-59489-1|location=United States|pages=vii-ix}}
</ref> and [[Wanda Jackson]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Every Night Is Saturday Night: A Country Girl's Journey To The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Wanda Jackson (foreword) |last=Costello|first=Elvis|publisher=BMG Books|year=2014|isbn=978-1-947026-01-8|location=United States|pages=v-vi}}</ref>

In 1993, Costello began reissuing his catalogue of albums from 1977 through 1986, on Rykodisc, and wrote detailed liner notes for each reissued album. Reviewers praised these liner notes as frank and charming.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Daily_Oklahoman,_September_1,_1995|title=1986 Costello album reissued|last=Okamoto|first=David|date=1 September 1995|work=Daily Oklahoman}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Hartford_Courant,_May_11,_1995|title=Costello's latest is basic pleasure|last=Catlin|first=Roger|date=11 May 1995|work=Hartford Courant}}</ref> In 2001, he began a second round of reissues, this time of his catalogue from 1977 through 1996, on [[Rhino Entertainment]], and wrote even more detailed liner notes. ''[[Goldmine (magazine)|Goldmine]]'' said the Rhino liner notes brought "a wealth of insight into the songs and the creative process itself" and that "liner notes simply don't get any better than this".<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Smith|first=Tierney|date=4 February 2005|title=Almost Blue, Goodbye Cruel World, Kojak Variety|url=http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Goldmine,_February_4,_2005|magazine=Goldmine}}</ref> ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' called them "truly fascinating".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10712-my-aim-is-true-deluxe-edition/|title=Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True [Deluxe Edition]|last=LeMay|first=Matt|date=1 October 2007|website=Pitchfork|access-date=11 June 2018}}</ref> Several journalists noted that, at a total of 60,000 words, the Rhino liner notes amounted to a serialised memoir.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Willman|first=Chris|date=17 May 2002|title=2002 E.C.|url=http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Entertainment_Weekly,_May_17,_2002|magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref><ref name="Paumgartner">{{cite magazine|last=Paumgartner|first=Nick|date=8 November 2010|title=Brilliant mistakes|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/11/08/brilliant-mistakes|magazine=New Yorker|access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref><ref name="Lingan-2012">{{Cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2012/08/elvis_costello_memoir_autobiography_in_rhino_reissue_booklets_.html|title=Everyday I Hide the Book|last=Lingan|first=John|date=3 August 2012|website=Slate|access-date=11 June 2018}}</ref> In 2012, ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' magazine published a book review of the Rhino liner notes in which it called them "one of the best rock-star memoirs of the last decade".<ref name="Lingan-2012" />

In 2015, Costello published ''Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink'', a memoir that had little overlap with his reissue liner notes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/music/article/Elvis-Costello-is-everywhere-in-new-memoir-6577571.php|title=Elvis Costello is everywhere in new memoir|last=Vaziri|first=Aidin|date=19 October 2015|work=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=12 June 2018}}</ref> In this book, he recounted his life in music and traced parallels between his own experiences and those of his father and grandfather, both of whom were musicians.<ref name="Bonomo-2014">{{Cite news|last=Bonomo|first=Joe|date=11 October 2014|title=Pop Music, Not Confession|url=https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/pop-music-not-confession|newspaper=Los Angeles Review of Books|access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref> The book received enthusiastic positive reviews from prominent publications. ''[[The New York Times]]'' said that it contained "some of the best writing – funny, strange, spiteful, anguished – we've ever had from an important musician".<ref name="Garner-2015">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/09/books/review-elvis-costellos-unfaithful-music-disappearing-ink-a-memoir.html|title=Review: Elvis Costello's 'Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink,' a Memoir|last=Garner|first=Dwight|date=9 October 2015|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=12 June 2018}}</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' praised it as having more in common with [[Frank McCourt]]'s memoir ''[[Angela's Ashes]]'' than [[Mötley Crüe]]'s [[The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band|''The Dirt'']] and said it was more enjoyable than [[Keith Richards]]' [[Life (Keith Richards)|''Life'']] and [[Bob Dylan]]'s ''[[Chronicles: Volume One]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/a-memoir-by-the-british-elvis/2015/10/06/18bee370-6b69-11e5-9bfe-e59f5e244f92_story.html|title=Elvis Costello has a new memoir, and it's even better than Bob Dylan and Keith Richards's books|last=Edgers|first=Geoff|date=6 October 2015|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=12 June 2018}}</ref> Some positive reviews noted that the quality of the writing in the book was uneven and that the book might have been improved by being shorter, more focused thematically, or both.<ref name="Garner-2015" /><ref name="Bonomo-2014" /> [[Dublin Review of Books]] praised Costello's more experimental short sequences within the book "...as short stories. They have something of the flavour of [[Harold Pinter|Pinter]]’s more or less adjective-shorn prose, and seem to be offered as sublimated insights into Costello’s fears and worst experiences." <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Fleming |first=John |date=December 2015 |title=Post-Punk Polymath |url=https://drb.ie/articles/post-punk-polymath/ |journal=Dublin Review of Books}}</ref> The few negative reviews the book received criticised its nonlinear structure, its relative lack of emphasis on Costello's pop-star period, and its lack of details about his romantic relationships.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Lewis|first=Andy|date=24 October 2015|title=Elvis Costello's 'Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink' Is Too Clever for Its Own Good: Book Review|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6730919/elvis-costello-unfaithful-music-and-disappearing-ink-book-review|magazine=Billboard|access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref> The book reached number seven on the [[The New York Times Best Seller list|''New York Times'' Best Seller list]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2015/11/08/hardcover-nonfiction/|title=Hardcover nonfiction|date=8 November 2018|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=12 June 2018}}</ref> It was shortlisted for the Penderyn Music Book Prize, a British award for excellence in writing about music.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/costello-and-smith-shortlisted-penderyn-music-prize-324733|title=Costello and Smith shortlisted for Penderyn Music Prize|last=Onwuemezi|first=Natasha|date=16 March 2016|website=The Bookseller|access-date=12 June 2018}}</ref> The [[audiobook]], narrated by Costello, was nominated for a Grammy Award.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/elvis-costello|title=Elvis Costello|website=Grammy Awards|access-date=12 June 2018}}</ref>

==Acting and television presenting==

Costello has played himself or fictional characters very similar to himself in movies and television shows including ''[[Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me]]'' (1999),<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Avila |first=Daniela |date=10 February 2023 |title=Burt Bacharach Was Mike Myers' Inspiration Behind the "Austin Powers" Film Franchise. |url=https://people.com/music/burt-bacharach-was-mike-myers-inspiration-behind-the-austin-powers-franchise/ |website=People}}</ref> ''[[The Simpsons]]'' (2002),<ref name="Crerar">{{cite news |last=Crerar |first=Simon |title=The 33 funniest Simpsons cameos ever |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-rich-list/profile/article/the-33-funniest-simpsons-cameos-ever-vg9jgq67gxr |access-date=26 January 2022 |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=5 July 2007}}</ref> ''[[Frasier]]'' (2003),<ref name="movies.msn.com">[http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie/frasier-farewell-nervosa/ "''Frasier'': Farewell, Nervosa (2003)"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923123151/http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie/frasier-farewell-nervosa/ |date=23 September 2012 }}. MSN Movies. Retrieved 30 July 2011.</ref> ''[[Two and a Half Men]]'' (2004),<ref>{{Cite news |last=Keveney |first=Bill |date=19 February 2015 |title=Laughs met their match in 'Men' |work=USA Today}}</ref> ''[[30 Rock]]'' (2009),<ref name="nme.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/elvis-costello/44522 |date=7 May 2009 |title=Elvis Costello, Maroon 5-man to appear on '30 Rock' season finale |work=NME |access-date=1 May 2010 |archive-date=10 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090510065238/http://www.nme.com/news/elvis-costello/44522 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Treme (TV series)|Treme]]'' (2010),<ref>{{Cite news |last=Poniewozik |first=James |date=26 April 2010 |title=Song of Survival |work=Time International (South Pacific Edition)}}</ref> and ''[[Sesame Street]]'' (2011).<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Monster Went and Ate My Red Two, Sesame Street |url=https://pbslearningmedia.org/resource/sesame-monster-went-ate-red-two |website=PBS Learning Media}}</ref> He has also played more character-based roles, such as the title character's eccentric brother in screenwriter [[Alan Bleasdale]]'s television series ''[[Scully (TV series)|Scully]]'' (1984), an inept magician in Bleasdale's movie ''[[No Surrender (1985 film)|No Surrender]]'' (1985)'','' a teacher at an impoverished school in the movie ''[[Prison Song (film)|Prison Song]]'' (2001), and the title character's father in the children's animated series ''[[Pete the Cat|The Adventures of Pete the Cat]]'' (2017).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/elvis-costello-on-making-a-western-with-courtney-love-a-1821422126|title=Elvis Costello on making a Western with Courtney Love and tending bar for the Spice Girls|last=Harris|first=Will|date=28 December 2012|website=AV Club|access-date=7 June 2018}}</ref> In 1995, he appeared as a guest pundit on the British football commentary television show ''[[Football Italia]]''.<ref name="Costello"/><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Staunton|first=Terry|date=20 May 1995|title=They think it's all covers... er, it is|magazine=NME}}</ref>

In 2003, Costello substituted for an ailing David Letterman as the host of ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]'', making him the only musical guest of the show to have served as guest host.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2015/04/elvis-costello-makes-his-27th-and-final-appearance-on-letterman-watch/|title=Elvis Costello makes his 27th and final appearance on Letterman — watch|date=24 April 2015|website=Consequences of Sounds|access-date=5 June 2018}}</ref> Costello's performance on that show led to interest in developing a music-orientated talk show with him as the host, which came to fruition a few years later.<ref name="Quill-2009">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2009/03/29/rocker_makes_spectacle_of_pals.html|title=Rocker makes Spectacle of pals|last=Quill|first=Greg|date=29 March 2009|work=The Toronto Star|access-date=5 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/arts/television/30ryzi.html|title=Is It a Talk Show if the Host Sings?|last=Ryzik|first=Melena|date=28 November 2008|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=14 June 2018}}</ref>

In 2008, Costello began production on ''[[Spectacle: Elvis Costello with...]]'', a show on which he interviewed and performed songs with other musicians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/66365-on-sundance-channel-elvis-costello-takes-viewers-on-a-musical-journey-2496099117.html|title=On Sundance Channel, Elvis Costello takes viewers on a musical journey|last=Justin|first=Neal|date=1 December 2008|website=Pop Matters|access-date=5 June 2018}}</ref> The series was executive-produced by [[Elton John]], who also appeared as a guest,<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.avclub.com/spectacle-elvis-costello-with-elton-john-1798308369 | title=Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...: "Elton John" | work=The A.V. Club | first=Noel | last=Murray | date=3 December 2008 | access-date=5 September 2025}}</ref> and other guests included [[Tony Bennett]], [[Bruce Springsteen]], [[Smokey Robinson]], [[Bono]] and the [[The Edge|Edge]] of [[U2]], opera singer [[Renée Fleming]], and former president (and accomplished saxophonist) [[Bill Clinton]].<ref name="Lewis-2009">{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-09-la-et-spectacle9-2009dec09-story.html|title='Spectacle: Elvis Costello With ...' welcomes Bono and the Edge|last=Lewis|first=Randy|date=9 December 2009|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=7 June 2018}}</ref> It ran for 20 episodes over two seasons from 2008 through 2010,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/spectacle-elvis-costello-with/1000395886//|title=Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...|website=TV Guide|access-date=18 August 2023}}</ref> and aired on [[Sundance TV|Sundance Channel]] in the US, [[CTV Television Network|CTV]] in Canada, and [[Channel 4]] in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/elvis-costello-and-elton-john-to-make-a-television-spectacle-for-ctv-535778721.html|title=Elvis Costello and Elton John to Make a Television Spectacle for CTV|date=2 April 2008|website=Newswire.ca|access-date=7 June 2018}}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The show was received favourably in the US, with reviewers praising Costello's ability to get his guests to reveal insights into their creative processes and calling him a "deeply knowledgeable, erudite and witty host".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://archive.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2008/12/03/as_a_talk_show_host_costellos_aim_is_true/|title=As a talk-show host, Costello's aim is true|last=Gilbert|first=Matthew|date=3 December 2008|work=The Boston Globe|access-date=4 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Franklin|first=Nancy|date=22 December 2008|title=Intimate persuasion|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/12/22/intimate-persuasion|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref><ref name="Lewis-2009" /> In Canada, the show won a [[Gemini Awards|Gemini Award]] for Best Talk Series.<ref name="Monteith2010"/> In Britain, it was aired in an overnight time slot and largely ignored.<ref name="Chalmers2009" /><ref name="Quill-2009" />

== Public image and controversies ==

Costello revealed little about his background and gave few interviews in the first five years of his career, so the few widely published interviews he gave played a large role in forming his early public image.<ref name="Paumgartner" /> In a widely quoted August 1977 interview with [[Nick Kent]], Costello said the only things that mattered to him were "revenge and guilt".<ref name="Marcus1982" /><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Kent |first=Nick |date=27 August 1977 |title=D. P. Costello of Whitton, Middlesex, it is your turn to be The Future of Rock & Roll |magazine=New Musical Express}}</ref> This phrase would be associated with him throughout his career.<ref name="Paumgartner"/>

=== 1977 ''Saturday Night Live'' appearance ===
On 17 December 1977, Costello and the Attractions appeared on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' as last-minute replacements for the [[Sex Pistols]].<ref name="Houghton Mifflin Harcourt"/>{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=108-109}} One of the songs Costello was scheduled to perform, at the request of his record company, was "[[Less than Zero (Elvis Costello song)|Less Than Zero]]", a song Costello wrote in reaction to seeing British fascist [[Oswald Mosley]] being treated with what Costello felt was undeserved deference during an interview on British television.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=108-109}}<ref name="Marcus1982" /> Costello did not want to play the song because he thought the subject was too obscure for American audiences and the song was too low-key to make a strong impression.<ref name="Costello-2001" />{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=307}} Instead, he wanted to play the then-unrecorded song, "Radio Radio". During the live broadcast, Costello played a few bars of "Less Than Zero" and then told the Attractions to play "Radio Radio", which they played in its entirety.{{Sfn|Thomson|2004|p=109}} This angered the show's producer, [[Lorne Michaels]], because Michaels was not prepared for the change and because "Radio Radio" had not been cleared by [[NBC]]'s censors.<ref name="Guccione">{{Cite magazine|last=Guccione|first=Bob Jr|date=February 1993|title=Lorne Michaels [interview]|magazine=Spin}}</ref><ref name="Untreed Reads">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rkUn4S_OlngC|title=Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live|last1=Hill|first1=Doug|last2=Weingrad|first2=Jeff|publisher=Untreed Reads|year=2011|isbn=978-1-61187-218-7|chapter=15: You Can't give Noogies to the Virgin Mary|orig-date=1986}}</ref>{{efn|Many sources assert without evidence that Lorne Michaels or others associated with ''Saturday Night Live'', rather than Costello's record company, had told Costello not to play "Radio Radio", or that the supposedly anti-corporate nature of the song's lyrics was the reason he was told not to play it, or both. This is not supported by Costello's account, nor by Micheals' account, nor the accounts of others directly involved with the show.{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=307}}<ref name="Guccione"/><ref name="Untreed Reads"/>}} When asked about the incident on NBC's ''[[The Tomorrow Show|Tomorrow Show]]'' three years later, Costello said he was told he would never appear on American television again.<ref name="Tomorrow Show-2006">{{Cite AV media|title=The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder – Punk & New Wave|type=DVD|language=English|year=2006|at=Interview with Costello, air date 3 February 1981}}</ref> He appeared as musical guest on ''Saturday Night Live'' again in 1989 and 1991.<ref name="Houghton Mifflin Harcourt"/> Although the incident provoked little comment at the time, by 1999 it had become so well-known that ''Saturday Night Live'' invited Costello to perform a parody of it with the [[Beastie Boys]] on the show's 25th anniversary special.{{Sfn|Costello|2015|p=|pp=307–308}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/youtube-live-elvis-costello-plots-to-sabotage-beastie-boys-on-snl/|title=Video Rewind: Elvis Costello plots to "Sabotage" Beastie Boys on SNL|last=Coplan|first=Chris|date=5 March 2010|website=Consequence of Sound|access-date=4 August 2018}}</ref>

=== 1979 Columbus incident ===
In March 1979, during a drunken argument with [[Bonnie Bramlett]] and other members of the [[Stephen Stills]] band, at a [[Holiday Inn]] bar in [[Columbus, Ohio]], Costello referred to [[Ray Charles]] as a "blind, ignorant [[nigger]]" and made similar comments about [[James Brown]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Greil |last=Marcus |title=In The Fascist Bathroom |year=1993 |publisher=Penguin Books |location=London |isbn=0-14-014940-6 |page=229}}</ref> At a New York City press conference a few days later, Costello said he had been drunk and had been attempting to be obnoxious to bring the conversation to a swift conclusion, not anticipating that Bramlett would bring his comments to the press. According to Costello, "It became necessary for me to outrage these people with about the most obnoxious and offensive remarks that I could muster".

In his liner notes for the expanded version of ''[[Get Happy!! (Elvis Costello album)|Get Happy!!]]'' Costello writes that some time after the incident he had declined an offer to meet Charles out of guilt and embarrassment, although Charles himself had forgiven Costello, saying "Drunken talk isn't meant to be printed in the paper". Costello worked extensively in Britain's [[Rock Against Racism]] campaign both before and after the incident. In an interview with [[Questlove]] (drummer for [[the Roots]], with whom Costello collaborated in 2013), he stated: "It's upsetting because I can't explain how I even got to think you could be funny about something like that" and further elaborating with, "I'm sorry. You know? It's about time I said it out loud."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Courtney E. |title=Elvis Costello Opens Up About 1979 Racial Slurs in Interview With ?uestlove |url=http://radio.com/2013/10/17/elvis-costello-opens-up-about-1979-racial-slurs-in-interview-with-uestlove/ |website=Radio.com |access-date=10 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916121400/http://radio.com/2013/10/17/elvis-costello-opens-up-about-1979-racial-slurs-in-interview-with-uestlove/ |archive-date=16 September 2015 }}</ref>

=== 2010 cancelled Tel Aviv concerts ===
In early 2010, Costello was invited to play his first concert in Israel, on 30 June of that year, at the Caesarea Amphitheater north of Tel Aviv.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://igoogledisrael.com/elvis-costello-is-coming-to-israel/|title=Elvis Costello is coming to Israel!|date=15 February 2010|website=igoggledisrael.com|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref> Due to high demand for tickets, a second concert was added for 1 July.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/culture/1.5104950|title=The bitch, and others, are back|last=Kohavi|first=Noya|date=22 April 2010|website=Haaretz|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref> At first, Costello seemed resolved to resist political pressure on artists to refrain from performing in Israel due to the country's controversial treatment of Palestinians. In early May, Costello told Israel's largest daily newspaper, ''[[Yedioth Ahronoth]]'', "As soon as you play you are going to get criticised". Costello told the newspaper he did not agree with organisations that "think that they need to boycott Israel to pressure it", saying he thought "culture is the only way in which humanity shares experiences, and that is why I need to come and perform here".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/bowing-to-his-conscience-20100524-w7vx.html|title=Bowing to his conscience|last=Koutsoukis|first=Jason|date=25 May 2010|work=Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref> Two weeks later, he announced on his website that he had cancelled the concerts because of what he called the "grave and complex" sensitivities of the [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 May 2010 |title=Elvis Costello cancels Israel concerts |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-costello-israel-idUSTRE64I30E20100519}}</ref> He told ''[[The Jerusalem Post]]'' his decision was part of a "30-year conundrum" that he had been dealing with regarding playing in Israel. He also told the ''Post'' that he had not been threatened or coerced, but that he "woke up one day and realised [he] couldn't go on with the shows". The promoters of the concerts expressed shock. Israeli Culture Minister [[Limor Livnat]], a member of the right-wing [[Likud Party]] who opposed the Oslo accords and withdrawal from the occupied territories, denounced the decision. The organisation [[Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel]] praised it.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brinn |first=David |date=20 May 2010 |title=Elvis Costello cancels upcoming show |work=The Jerusalem Post |url=https://www.jpost.com/Arts-and-Culture/Entertainment/Elvis-Costello-cancels-upcoming-show |access-date=2 August 2023}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Elvis Costello and Diana Krall.jpg|thumb|Costello and Diana Krall in 2009]]
Costello has no full siblings.<ref name="Chalmers2009" /> He has four half-brothers from his father's second marriage, all of whom are musicians.<ref name="Laing2011"/>

In November 1974, Costello married Mary Burgoyne.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=49}} Costello has said he had hoped to marry Burgoyne since he was 14 years old and they were at school together in London, although they did not begin dating until four years later, when Costello moved back to London after living with his mother in Liverpool for two and a half years.{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=17, 107, 152–153}}<ref>{{Cite news|title=Declan (Elvis? The King? The Count?) McManus|last=Fallon|first=BP|date=29 May 1983|work=Dublin Sunday Tribune}}</ref> They have one child, Matthew MacManus, born in early 1975.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=49–50}} Costello's rapid rise to fame put a strain on their marriage almost immediately.{{sfn |Costello|2015|pp=189, 259, 361–362}} The couple separated in early 1978 but reconciled the following year.{{sfn|Costello|2015|pp=361–362}}{{sfn|Thomson|2004|p=146}} They separated permanently in mid-1984 and finalised their divorce in 1988.<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Goodbye Cruel World liner notes|title-link=Goodbye Cruel World (Elvis Costello album) |date=2004 |first=Elvis |last=Costello |type=booklet |publisher=[[Rhino Records]]}}</ref>{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=235–236}} Costello has said that his inability to remain faithful in his first marriage, and the emotional turmoil it caused him, has been a major inspiration for his songs.<ref name="Chalmers2009" />{{sfn|Costello|2015|loc=chap 27, 36}}

In early 1985, Costello began a romantic relationship with [[Cait O'Riordan]], then bass player for [[the Pogues]], whom he met in October 1984 while their respective bands were on tour together.{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=214–216}} In May 1986, they exchanged wedding rings and thereafter presented themselves, and were regarded, as husband and wife. They were never legally married.{{sfn|Costello|2015|p=511}}{{sfn|Thomson|2004|pp=235–236}} In September 2002, Costello ended the relationship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2516563.stm|title=Costello splits from wife|date=26 November 2002|website=BBC News|access-date=27 May 2018}}</ref> O'Riordan said that she was never married, that there was "no piece of paper with marriage on it". They have no children. Since their split, both Costello and O'Riordan have described the union as unhappy.{{sfn |Costello|2015|p=511-519}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/life-after-rehab-26433990.html|title=Life after rehab|date=30 March 2008|work=Independent|access-date=27 May 2018}}</ref>

In early 2003, Costello became engaged to and went on to marry singer and pianist [[Diana Krall]], whom he met at the Grammy Awards ceremony the year before.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://siouxcityjournal.com/entertainment/diana-krall-s-dad-unable-to-keep-daughter-s-engagement/article_ea4fbdc5-6074-51f2-9035-762b6c059db3.html|title=Diana Krall's dad unable to keep daughter's engagement a secret|date=14 May 2003|work=Sioux City Journal|access-date=27 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/look-of-love-vol-59-no-12/|title=Look of love|last=Smith|first=Kyle|date=31 March 2003|website=People|access-date=27 May 2018}}</ref> They married in December 2003.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3309403.stm|title=Singers Costello and Krall wed|date=11 December 2003|website=BBC News|access-date=27 May 2008}}</ref> The couple has twin sons, born in December 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6164859.stm|title=Costello and Krall have twin boys|date=9 December 2006|website=BBC News|access-date=27 May 2018}}</ref>

=== Health ===
In July 2018, Costello announced that he had been successfully treated for a cancerous growth six weeks earlier, but needed to cancel the remaining six dates of his European tour to continue recovering from the surgery. Costello said he had underestimated how much time he would need to recover.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Abshire |first=Emily |date=6 July 2018 |title=Elvis Costello Cancels European Tour Dates To Recover From Cancer Surgery |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/07/06/626515133/elvis-costello-cancels-tour-dates-to-recover-from-cancer-surgery}}</ref> He resumed performing in September 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Kevin |last2=Roti |first2=Jessi |date=16 September 2018 |title=29 beats on Riot Fest: All the punks, young and old, with some clunkers and legends |work=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-ent-riot-fest-review-0917-story.html}}</ref>

=== Humanitarian causes ===
In 2017, Costello helped establish the Musician Treatment Foundation as a member of its board of directors. The foundation, which is based in Austin, Texas, helps under- and uninsured professional musicians receive free orthopaedic care for upper limb injuries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://mtfusa.org/about/ |access-date=30 January 2023 |website=Musician Treatment Foundation |date=19 August 2017 |language=en-US}}</ref> He performed concerts for the foundation's benefit in October 2017 and December 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Elvis Costello – October 22nd, 2017 |url=https://mtfusa.org/events/elvis-costello-october-22nd-2017/ |access-date=30 January 2023 |website=Musician Treatment Foundation |date=11 June 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Elvis Costello & Friends: King of America & Other Realms Benefit Concert |url=https://mtfusa.org/events/elvis-costello-king-of-america-and-other-kingdoms-benefit-concert/ |access-date=30 January 2023 |website=Musician Treatment Foundation |date=16 August 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Costello sits on the advisory board of the board of directors of the [[Jazz Foundation of America]], which provides emergency financial support and other services to working and retired musicians.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Board |url=https://jazzfoundation.org/the-board/ |website=Jazz Foundation of America}}</ref>

===Pescatarianism===
A [[pescatarian]] since the early 1980s, Costello says he was moved to reject meat after seeing the documentary ''[[The Animals Film]]'' (1982), which also helped inspire his song "Pills and Soap" from 1983's ''Punch the Clock''.<ref name=NYer2010>{{cite magazine |last1=Paumgarten |first1=Nick |date=8 November 2010 |title=Brilliant Mistake: Elvis Costello's boundless career |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |pages=48–59 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/11/08/101108fa_fact_paumgarten |access-date=22 January 2011 |archive-date=8 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110308130521/http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/11/08/101108fa_fact_paumgarten |url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2013, Costello teamed up with Paul McCartney to create an advertisement campaign backing vegetarian foods produced by the [[Linda McCartney Foods]] brand.<ref>{{cite news |title=Elvis Costello voices ad for new Linda McCartney vegetarian food range |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/elvis-costello-voices-ad-for-new-linda-mccartney-vegetarian-food-range-8456232.html |location=London |work=[[The Independent]] |first=Adam |last=Sherwin |date=18 January 2013 |access-date=27 August 2017 |archive-date=3 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303230704/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/elvis-costello-voices-ad-for-new-linda-mccartney-vegetarian-food-range-8456232.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Legacy== 
[[File:Elvis Costello performing in Dublin, Ireland 2024.jpg|thumb|Elvis Costello performing in Dublin, Ireland in 2024]]
Costello is considered by experts in pop and rock music to be one of the best songwriters of his generation. [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] of [[AllMusic]] summarised Costello as the "most evocative, innovative, and gifted songwriter since Bob Dylan, with songs that offer highly personal takes on love and politics".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/elvis-costello-mn0000058549|title=Elvis Costello|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|website=AllMusic|access-date=17 June 2018}}</ref> In 2015, ''Rolling Stone'' ranked him 24th their list of the greatest songwriters of all time, calling him a songwriter of "almost unparalleled versatility".<ref name="Rolling Stone-2015"/> When he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2016, the induction announcement said the impact of Costello's songs "far out-distanced their commercial performance".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.songhall.org/news/view/songwriters_hall_of_fame_announces_2016_inductees1|title=Songwriters Hall Of Fame Announces 2016 Inductees|date=2 March 2016|website=Songwriters Hall of Fame|access-date=17 June 2018|archive-date=9 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709175906/https://www.songhall.org/news/view/songwriters_hall_of_fame_announces_2016_inductees1|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Costello's debut album, ''My Aim Is True'', is widely considered one of the best debut albums in the history of rock music.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-100-greatest-debut-albums-of-all-time-20130322/my-aim-is-true-19691231|title=100 Greatest Debut Albums of All Times, 21 Elvis Costello|date=22 March 2013|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=17 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/06/happy-40th-birthday-my-aim-is-true-the-best-elvis.html|title=Happy 40th Birthday My Aim Is True: The Best Elvis Costello Performances|last=Salfino|first=Michael|date=5 July 1917|website=Paste|access-date=17 June 2018|archive-date=4 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004140723/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/06/happy-40th-birthday-my-aim-is-true-the-best-elvis.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the album's release, ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' called it "one of the most influential albums in the history of rock and punk" and "one of the strongest debut albums in history".<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/elvis-costello-my-aim-is-true-anniversary-7874035/|title=Elvis Costello's 'My Aim Is True' Turns 40: Ranking All the Tracks|last=Goodman|first=William|date=22 July 2017|magazine=Billboard|access-date=17 June 2018}}</ref> Although Costello never applied the term "new wave" to his music,<ref name="Doggett-1995"/> Costello's early records helped defined the [[New wave music|new wave]] music genre. AllMusic said, "Costello's early albums changed the face of pop music by harnessing punk's energy to a leaner, more incisive aesthetic that included pop hooks, virtually inventing new wave in the process".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Very Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-very-best-of-elvis-costello-and-the-attractions-mw0000122571 |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=17 June 2018}}</ref> In their 2013 list of greatest albums of all time, ''[[NME]]'' described ''This Year's Model'' as "defining the British new wave".<ref name="Barker2013"/> In their 2009 list of greatest albums of all time, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' said "the keyboard-driven sound of [Costello's 1979 song] 'Accidents Will Happen' helped define New Wave".<ref name="Rolling Stone-2012"/>

Musical artists with little connection to new wave have also acknowledged influence by Costello. [[Bruce Springsteen]] has said that comments Costello made in the press criticising Springsteen's early songs as overly romantic led Springsteen to write darker songs for his 1978 album ''[[Darkness on the Edge of Town]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lustig |first=Jay |title=Springsteen joins Costello for television Spectacle |url=https://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2010/01/springsteen_joins_costello_for.html |website=NJ.com |date=18 January 2010 |access-date=21 June 2018}}</ref> [[Thom Yorke]] of [[Radiohead]] called ''Blood & Chocolate'' "the album that made me change the way I thought about recording and writing music [and] lyrics".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Paphides |first=Peter |date=5 November 1997 |title=Radio daze |magazine=[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]] |location=London}}</ref> [[Liz Phair]], in her appreciation of Costello for [[Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time| ''Rolling Stone''{{'s}} 100 Greatest Artists of All Time]], wrote: "I'd pay a great amount of money to audit a course taught by him".<ref name="RS80">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231|title=100 greatest artists, 80 Elvis Costello|last=Phair|first=Liz|author-link=Liz Phair|date=2 December 2010|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=28 May 2018}}</ref> [[Suzanne Vega]] has called Costello one of the "melodic geniuses" whose music she listens to in order to "stretch my sense of melody".<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.sodajerker.com/episode-49-suzanne-vega/|title=Sodajerker on Songwriting, ep 49. Suzanne Vega|date=27 November 2013|people=Simon Barber and Brian O'Connor, hosts|time=19 minutes|access-date=21 June 2018|medium=podcast}}</ref>

Prominent artists in other fields have claimed influence or inspiration from Costello. Filmmaker and comedian [[Judd Apatow]] has called Costello "a gigantic inspiration to me" and has suggested that he and other comedians are "fanatical" about Costello's music because of the "spirit of standing up for what you believe in and the humor" in it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/music/2013/10/elvis-costello-wise-up-ghosts-burt-bacharach|title=Elvis Costello Talks to Judd Apatow About Wise Up Ghost, His Album with the Roots, and His Musical with Burt Bacharach|last=Apatow|first=Judd|date=28 October 2013|website=VanityFair.com|access-date=21 June 2018}}</ref> Satirist and television host Stephen Colbert has described Costello as "probably my favourite rock artist" and said he sees parallels between his own humour and Costello's "wry, sardonic" songs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2012/10/24/163547250/stephen-colberts-most-meaningful-musical-moments|title=Stephen Colbert's Most Meaningful Musical Moments|last=NPR Staff|date=24 October 2018|website=NPR|access-date=21 June 2018}}</ref> Novelist [[Bret Easton Ellis]] titled his 1985 novel [[Less Than Zero (novel)|''Less Than Zero'']] after a Costello song and its 2010 sequel ''[[Imperial Bedrooms]]'' after a Costello album. Ellis has said Costello was once his "idol".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/bret-easton-ellis-pieces-of-me-773471|title=Bret Easton Ellis in Australia: "It Was Really About Me"|last=Keep|first=Elmo|date=11 August 2010|website=The Awl|access-date=21 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/bret-easton-ellis-pieces-of-me-773471|title=Bret Easton Ellis – Pieces Of Me|date=10 August 2010|website=NME|access-date=21 June 2010}}</ref> Visual artist [[Peter Blake (artist)|Peter Blake]] featured Costello prominently in his 2012 reworking of the artwork he created for the cover of the Beatles' 1967 album ''[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]''. Blake said he included people he admired and who had contributed to British culture since he created the original work.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2012/apr/02/peter-blake-sgt-pepper-cover-revisited|title=New faces on Sgt Pepper album cover for artist Peter Blake's 80th birthday|last=Davies|first=Caroline|date=1 April 2012|work=Guardian|access-date=21 June 2018}}</ref>

==Awards and honours==

=== Entertainment industry awards ===
'''United States:'''

* [[ASCAP]] Founders Award (2003)<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Whitmire |first=Margo |date=6 March 2003 |title=Costello Triumphs At ASCAP Awards |magazine=Billboard |volume=115 |issue=22}}</ref>
* [[Grammy Award]], Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, "I Still Have That Other Girl" (1998)<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=6 March 1999 |title=The Winners of the 41st Annual Grammy Awards |magazine=Billboard |volume=111 |issue=10}}</ref>
* [[Grammy Award]], Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, ''[[Look Now]]'' (2019)<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 January 2020 |title=The complete list of Grammy winners |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>
* [[Grammy Hall of Fame]], ''[[My Aim Is True]]'' (2007)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hertweck |first=Nick |date=21 July 2017 |title=Elvis Costello's 'My Aim Is True' at 40: 5 moments of truth |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/elvis-costellos-my-aim-true-40-5-moments-truth |website=Grammy.com}}</ref>
* [[MTV Video Music Award]], Best Male Video, "[[Veronica (song)|Veronica"]] (1989)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/winners-by-category.jhtml |title=Video Music Awards, Winners By Category |website=MTV.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828042240/http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/winners-by-category.jhtml|archive-date=28 August 2008|access-date=2 June 2018}}</ref>
* [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]], with [[the Attractions]] (2003)<ref name="RaRHoF">{{cite web |url=https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/elvis-costello-and-attractions |title=Elvis Costello and the Attractions |publisher=[[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] |access-date=24 July 2023}}</ref>
* [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] (2016)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.songhall.org/ceremony/2016_award_and_induction_ceremony|title=2016 Annual Induction and Awards Ceremony|website=Songwriters Hall of Fame|access-date=25 May 2018|archive-date=13 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113013713/https://www.songhall.org/ceremony/2016_award_and_induction_ceremony|url-status=dead}}</ref>

'''United Kingdom:'''

* [[BAFTA]], Best Original Television Music, [[G.B.H. (soundtrack)|''G.B.H.'']] (1992)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/1992/television/original-television-music|title=Television, Original Television Music in 1992|website=BAFTA Awards|access-date=25 May 2018}}</ref>
* [[Ivor Novello Awards|Ivor Novello Award]], Outstanding Contemporary Song Collection (1995)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theivors.com/archive/1990-1999/the-ivors-1995/|title=The 40th Ivor Novello Awards were presented by BASCA and sponsored by PRS on 23rd May 1995 at the Grosvenor House, London|website=The Ivors|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307004129/http://theivors.com/archive/1990-1999/the-ivors-1995/|archive-date=7 March 2017|access-date=25 May 2018}}</ref>
* [[Ivor Novello Awards|Ivor Novello Award]], PRS Outstanding Contribution to British Music Award (1997)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theivors.com/archive/1990-1999/the-ivors-1997/|title=The 42nd Ivor Novello Awards were presented by BASCA and sponsored by PRS on 19th May 1997 at the Grosvenor House, London|website=The Ivors|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218205013/http://theivors.com/archive/1990-1999/the-ivors-1997/|archive-date=18 February 2017|access-date=25 May 2018}}</ref>

'''Netherlands:'''

* [[Edison Award]], Pop category, ''[[My Aim Is True]]'' (1978)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://leiden.courant.nu/issue/LD/1978-08-15/edition/0/page/1|title=Veel grammofoonplaten met 'Edison' bekroond|date=15 August 1978|work=Leidsch Dagblad|access-date=25 May 2018}}</ref>
* [[Edison Award]], singer-songwriter, ''[[Spike (Elvis Costello album)|Spike]]'' (1989)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.edisons.nl/pop/edities/1990/|title=Edison pop 1990|website=Edison|access-date=25 May 2018}}</ref>
* [[Edison Award]], Extra/special production, innovative, ''[[The Juliet Letters]]'' (1993)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.edisons.nl/pop/edities/1993/|title=Edison pop 1993|website=Edison|access-date=25 May 2018}}</ref>
* [[Edison Award]], International singer, ''[[Painted from Memory]]'' (1999)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.edisons.nl/pop/edities/1999/|title=Edison pop 1999|website=Edison|access-date=25 May 2018}}</ref>

'''Canada:'''

* [[Gemini Awards|Gemini Award]], Best Talk Series, ''[[Spectacle: Elvis Costello with...]]'' (2010)<ref name="Monteith2010">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/25th-annual-gemini-awards-conclude-with-star-studded-broadcast-gala-hosted-bycory-monteith-546293272.html|title=25th Annual Gemini Awards Conclude With Star-Studded Broadcast Gala Hosted by Cory Monteith|date=13 November 2010|website=Newswire.ca|access-date=4 June 2018}}</ref>

=== Critics' best-of lists and music press awards ===
'''Best of year:'''

* [[NME Awards]] [[List of NME Award winners#NME Awards 1978|Best Songwriter]] (1978)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/awards-history/1978-606197|title=1987|date=28 February 1978|website=NME|access-date=31 May 2018}}</ref>
* [[NME Awards]] [[List of NME Award winners#NME Awards 1983|Best Songwriter]] (1983)<ref name="NMEAwards1983">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/awards-history/1983-606187|title=1983|date=28 February 1983|website=NME|access-date=31 May 2018}}</ref>
* [[NME Awards]] [[List of NME Award winners#NME Awards 1983|Best Album]], ''[[Punch the Clock]]'' (1983)<ref name="NMEAwards1983" />
* [[The Village Voice|''Village Voice'']] [[Pazz & Jop|Pazz and Jop]] critics' poll, number 1 album of the year, [[This Year's Model|''This Years Model'']] (1978)<ref name="Christgau-1979">{{cite news |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres78.php |title=The 1978 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=[[The Village Voice]] |date=22 January 1979 |access-date=28 May 2018 |author=Christgau, Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}</ref>
* [[The Village Voice|''Village Voice'']] [[Pazz & Jop|Pazz and Jop]] critics' poll, number 1 album of the year, ''[[Imperial Bedroom]]'' (1982)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres82.php |title=The 1982 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |work=[[The Village Voice]] |date=22 February 1983 |access-date=28 May 2018 |author=Christgau, Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}</ref>

'''Best of all time:'''

* Five albums on [[NME's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|NME's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]] (2013):<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2013/10/the-top-500-albums-of-all-time-according-to-nme/|title=The Top 500 Albums of All Time, according to NME|last=Kaye|first=Ben|date=25 October 2013|website=Consequences of Sound|access-date=28 May 2018}}</ref>
** ''This Year's Mode''l (#256)<ref name="Barker2013">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/photos/the-500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-300-201-1426482|title=The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time: 300–201|last=Barker|first=Emily|date=21 October 2013|website=NME|access-date=28 May 2018}}</ref>
** ''My Aim is True'' (#281)<ref name="Barker2013" />
** ''Imperial Bedroom'' (#316)<ref name="Barker2013" />
** ''Punch the Clock'' (#345)<ref name="Barker2013" />
** ''Blood and Chocolate'' (#483)<ref name="Barker2013" />
* Four albums on [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]] (2009):<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531|title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time|date=31 May 2012|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=28 May 2018}}</ref>
**''This Year's Model'' (#98)<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/elvis-costello-this-years-model-20120524|title=98. Elvis Costello, This Years Model|date=25 October 2018|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=28 May 2018}}</ref>
** ''Imperial Bedroom'' (#166)<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/elvis-costello-and-the-attractions-imperial-bedroom-20120524|title=166. Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Imperial Bedroom|date=25 October 2012|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=28 May 2012}}</ref>
** ''My Aim Is True'' (#168)<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/elvis-costello-my-aim-is-true-20120524|title=168. Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True|date=25 October 2012|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=28 May 2018}}</ref>
** ''Armed Forces'' (#475)<ref name="Rolling Stone-2012">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/elvis-costello-and-the-attractions-armed-forces-20120525|title=475. Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Armed Forces|date=25 October 2012|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=28 May 2018}}</ref>
* Number 24 on [[Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time]] (2015)<ref name="Rolling Stone-2015">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-songwriters#elvis-costello|title=24 Elvis Costello, The 100 greatest songwriters of all time|date=August 2015|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=28 May 2018}}</ref>
* Number 80 on [[Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time]] (2010)<ref name="RS80" />

=== Honorary degrees ===

* [[Doctor of Music]], [[University of Liverpool]] (2008)<ref>{{Cite news|title=Elvis Costello humbled by music honour|last=Down|first=Richard|date=4 July 2008|work=Liverpool Daily Post}}</ref>
* [[Doctor of Music]], [[New England Conservatory of Music]] (2013)<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/elvis-costello-named-honorary-doctor-of-music-20131026#ixzz2iqYqfLNf|title=Elvis Costello Named Honorary Doctor of Music|last=Sullivan|first=James|date=26 October 2013|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=25 May 2018}}</ref>

==Discography==<!-- keep this section as a summary, putting details in the discography article -->
{{Main|Elvis Costello discography}}

=== Albums as solo artist and bandleader ===

*''[[My Aim Is True]]'' (1977)
*''[[This Year's Model]]'' (1978)
*''[[Armed Forces (album)|Armed Forces]]'' (1979)
*''[[Get Happy!! (Elvis Costello album)|Get Happy!!]]'' (1980)
*''[[Trust (Elvis Costello album)|Trust]]'' (1981)
*''[[Almost Blue]]'' (1981)
*''[[Imperial Bedroom]]'' (1982)
*''[[Punch the Clock]]'' (1983)
*''[[Goodbye Cruel World (Elvis Costello album)|Goodbye Cruel World]]'' (1984)
*''[[King of America]]'' (1986)
*''[[Blood & Chocolate]]'' (1986)
*''[[Spike (Elvis Costello album)|Spike]]'' (1989)
*''[[Mighty Like a Rose]]'' (1991)
*''[[Brutal Youth]]'' (1994)
*''[[Kojak Variety]]'' (1995)
*''[[All This Useless Beauty]]'' (1996)
*''[[When I Was Cruel]]'' (2002)
*''[[North (Elvis Costello album)|North]]'' (2003)
*''[[The Delivery Man (album)|The Delivery Man]]'' (2004)
*''[[Momofuku (album)|Momofuku]]'' (2008)
*''[[Secret, Profane & Sugarcane]]'' (2009)
*''[[National Ransom]]'' (2010)
*''[[Look Now]]'' (2018)
*''[[Hey Clockface]]'' (2020)
*''[[The Boy Named If]]'' (2022)

=== Collaborative albums ===

*''[[The Juliet Letters]]'', with the [[Brodsky Quartet]] (1993)
*''[[Painted from Memory]]'', with [[Burt Bacharach]] (1998)
*''[[For the Stars]]'', with [[Anne Sofie von Otter]] (2001)
*''[[Piano Jazz]]'', with [[Marian McPartland]] (2005)
*''[[My Flame Burns Blue]]'', with the [[Metropole Orkest]] (2006)
*''[[The River in Reverse]]'', with [[Allen Toussaint]] (2006)
*''[[Wise Up Ghost]]'', with [[the Roots]] (2013)
*''[[Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes|Lost on the River]]'', as member of [[The New Basement Tapes]] (2014)
*''[[The Resurrection of Rust]]'', with Allan Mayes (2022)
*''[[The Coward Brothers (album)|The Coward Brothers]]'', with [[T Bone Burnett]] (2024)

=== Composer, soundtracks and scores ===

*''[[G.B.H. (soundtrack)|G.B.H.]]'', with [[Richard Harvey (composer)|Richard Harvey]] (1991)
*''[[Jake's Progress (soundtrack)|Jake's Progress]]'', with [[Richard Harvey (composer)|Richard Harvey]] (1995)
*''[[Il Sogno]]'' (2004)

=== Producer for others ===

*''[[Specials (album)|The Specials]]'' – [[The Specials|Specials]] (1979)
*[[East Side Story (Squeeze album)|''East Side Story'']] – [[Squeeze (band)|Squeeze]] (1981, with [[Roger Béchirian]])
*"[[Free Nelson Mandela]]" – the [[The Special A.K.A|Special A.K.A]] (1984)
*''[[Rum, Sodomy and the Lash|Rum Sodomy & the Lash]]'' – the [[The Pogues|Pogues]] (1985)

==Filmography==
{{BLP sources section|date=February 2019}}

===As actor===
* 1979 film debut as "The Earl of Manchester" in ''[[Americathon]]''. Costello and the Attractions mime the song "Crawling to the U.S.A." in the film, which also appears on its [[Americathon (soundtrack)|soundtrack album]].
* 1984 as "Henry Scully" in the UK TV series, ''[[Scully (TV series)|Scully]]''
* 1984 as "Stone Deaf A&R Man" in ''[[The Bullshitters: Roll Out The Gunbarrel|The Bullshitters]]'', a movie made by members of the comedy troupe [[The Comic Strip]], first aired on Channel 4
* 1985 as inept magician "Rosco de Ville" in the [[Alan Bleasdale]] film, ''[[No Surrender (1985 film)|No Surrender]]''
* 1987 as "Hives the Butler" in the [[Alex Cox]] film, ''[[Straight to Hell (film)|Straight to Hell]]'', starring [[Joe Strummer]] and [[Courtney Love]]. Costello's "Big Nothing" (AKA "Town Called Big Nothing") appears in the film and on its [[Straight to Hell (film)#Soundtrack|soundtrack album]].
* 1994 as himself on ''[[The Larry Sanders Show]]'' in the episode "People's Choice"
* 1996 as himself on ''[[The Larry Sanders Show]]'' in the episode "Everybody Loves Larry"
* 1997 as a barman in ''[[Spice World (film)|Spice World]]''
* 1999 as himself in ''[[Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me]]'', performing Burt Bacharach's "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" (with Bacharach), which also appears on its [[Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me#Soundtrack|soundtrack album]].
* 1999 as a younger version of himself in ''[[200 Cigarettes]]''
* 2000 as himself, filling his car with petrol in the full-length feature ''[[Sans plomb (film)|Sans plomb]]'', whose soundtrack includes several of his songs
* 2001 as himself performing "Fly Me to the Moon" on the series finale of ''[[3rd Rock from the Sun]]''
* 2002 as himself on the episode "[[How I Spent My Strummer Vacation]]" of ''[[The Simpsons]]''
* 2003 as Ben on ''[[Frasier]]'', in the [[Frasier (season 10)|season 10]] episode "Farewell Nervosa"
* 2003 as himself in ''[[I Love Your Work]]'' 
* 2004 as himself in the UK TV ''[[Dead Ringers (comedy)|Dead Ringers]]'' New Year Special, apparently and reportedly having serendipitously entered a filming venue.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elvis-costello.com/news/2004/01/elvis_cameo_in_british_tv_come.html |title=Elvis cameo in British TV comedy show ? |work=CostelloNews.com |date=3 January 2004 |access-date=22 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710184827/https://www.elvis-costello.com/news/2004/01/elvis_cameo_in_british_tv_come.html |archive-date=10 July 2011}}</ref>
* 2004 as himself in ''[[Two and a Half Men]]'' – Season 2, Episode 1
* 2004 as himself in ''[[De-Lovely]]''
* 2006 as himself in ''[[Delirious (2006 film)|Delirious]]''
* 2006 as himself in ''[[Before the Music Dies]]''
* 2006 as himself in ''[[Putting the River in Reverse]]''
* 2006 as himself in ''[[Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby]]''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Larkin |first=Colin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&q=Elvis+Costello+Talladega+Nights%3A+The+Ballad+of+Ricky+Bobby&pg=PA346 |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=27 May 2011 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=978-0-85712-595-8 |language=en|access-date=4 October 2020|archive-date=18 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220318225713/https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&q=Elvis+Costello+Talladega+Nights%3A+The+Ballad+of+Ricky+Bobby&pg=PA346|url-status=live}}</ref>
* 2008 as himself in ''[[A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!]]''
* 2009 as himself on the ''[[30 Rock]]'' episode "[[Kidney Now!]]"
* 2010 as himself on ''[[Treme (TV series)|Treme]]''
* 2017 as himself in ''[[Ex Libris – The New York Public Library]]''
* 2017–2019 as Pete's Dad (voice) in ''[[Pete the Cat]]'' (Season 1)<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Elvis Costello (visual voices guide) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Elvis-Costello/ |access-date=November 5, 2025 |website=Behind The Voice Actors |type= A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information}}</ref>

===As part of soundtracks===
* 1983, "Party Party" appears in the [[Party Party (film)|film of the same name]] and on its [[Party Party (film)#Soundtrack|soundtrack album]].
* 1991, "[[Days (The Kinks song)|Days]]" (a cover of the [[The Kinks|Kinks]] song) appears in the film ''[[Until the end of the World]]'' and on its [[Until the End of the World (soundtrack)|soundtrack album]].
* 1995, "My Dark Life", a collaboration with [[Brian Eno]], appears on the album ''[[Songs in the Key of X: Music from and Inspired by the X-Files|Songs in the Key of X]]''. 
* 1996, "God Give Me Strength", a collaboration with Burt Bacharach, appears in the film ''[[Grace of My Heart]]'' and on its [[Grace of My Heart#Soundtrack|soundtrack album]]. Nominated for [[Satellite Award for Best Original Song]]. 
* 1998, "My Mood Swings" appears in the film ''[[The Big Lebowski]]'' and on its [[The Big Lebowski#Soundtrack|soundtrack album]].
* 1998, "I Throw My Toys Around", a collaboration with [[No Doubt]], appears in the film ''[[The Rugrats Movie]]'' and on its [[The Rugrats Movie#Soundtrack|soundtrack album]].
* 1999, "[[She (Charles Aznavour song)#Elvis Costello version|She]]" (a cover of the [[Charles Aznavour]] song) appears in the film ''[[Notting Hill (film)|Notting Hill]]'' and on its [[Notting Hill (film)#Soundtrack|soundtrack album]]. The song peaked at No. 19 on the [[UK singles chart]].
* 2003, "The Scarlet Tide", written by Costello and [[T&nbsp;Bone Burnett]] and performed by [[Alison Krauss]], appears in the film ''[[Cold Mountain (film)|Cold Mountain]]'' and on its [[Cold Mountain (soundtrack)|soundtrack album]]. Nominated for [[Academy Award for Best Original Song]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media]].
* 2019, "I Want You" appears twice in the critically acclaimed British film ''[[Only You (2018 film)#Music|Only You]]''.

==Bibliography==
*1980: ''A Singing Dictionary'' <small> sheet music </small>
*1983: {{cite book |last=Costello |first=Elvis |title=Everyday I Write the Song |year=1983 |publisher=Plangent Visions Music |isbn=978-0-7119-1842-9}}<small> sheet music </small>
*2016: {{cite book |last=Costello |first=Elvis |title=Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink |year=2016 |publisher=Blue Rider Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-399-18576-2}} <small> memoir </small>

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book |last=Balls |first=Richard |title=Be Stiff: The Stiff Record Story |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-9929480-5-4 |publisher=Soundcheck Books }}
*{{cite book| last=Clayton-Lea| first=Tony| year=1999| title=Elvis Costello: A Biography |location=London |publisher=[[Andre Deutsch|Andre Deutsch Ltd]] | isbn=0-233-99339-8 }}
*{{cite book| last=Costello | first=Elvis| year=2015| title=Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink |location=London |publisher=Viking Books | isbn=978-0-241-00346-6 }}
* {{cite book |last=Gimarc |first=George |title=Punk Diary:1970–1979 |year=1994 |isbn=0-312-11048-0 |publisher=St. Martin's Press }}
*{{cite book| last=Hinton| first=Brian| year=1999| title=Let Them All Talk: The Music of Elvis Costello |location=London |publisher=Sanctuary Publishing Ltd | isbn=978-1-86074-196-8 }}
* {{cite AV media |last=Kidel |first=Mark |date=2014 |title=Elvis Costello: Mystery Dance |medium=TV movie |language=English |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3542218/ |access-date=28 May 2018 |publisher=BBC}}
*{{cite book| last=Parkyn | first=Geoff | year=1984 |title=Elvis Costello: The Illustrated Disco/Biography |location=London |publisher=Omnibus Press | isbn=0-7119-0531-2 }}
*{{cite book |last=St. Michael |first=Mick |year=1986 |title=Elvis Costello: An Illustrated Biography |location=London |publisher=[[Omnibus Press]] |isbn=978-0-7119-0772-0 |url=https://archive.org/details/elviscostelloill0000stmi |url-access=registration}}
*{{cite book| last=Thomson| first=Graeme| year=2004| title=Complicated Shadows: The Life and Music of Elvis Costello|location=Edinburgh |publisher=[[Canongate Books]] | isbn=978-1-84195-796-8 }}

==Further reading==
* Paumgarten, Nick (8 November 2010). [https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/11/08/brilliant-mistakes "Brilliant Mistakes"]. Profiles. ''The New Yorker''. Vol. 86, no. 35. pp.&nbsp;48–59.
* Perone, James E. (1998). ''Elvis Costello: A Bio-Bibliography''. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. {{ISBN|0-313-30399-1}}.
* Wilson, Carl (6 November 2015). [https://slate.com/culture/2015/11/elvis-costellos-memoir-unfaithful-music-disappearing-ink-reviewed.html "When He Was Cruel"]. Books. ''Slate''.

==External links==

{{sister project links|d=Q206939|c=Category:Elvis Costello|n=no|b=no|s=no|v=no|voy=no|mw=no|m=no|species=no|wikt=no}}
*{{Official website}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080512171108/http://www.losthighwayrecords.com/elviscostello/ Official Elvis Costello Lost Highway Records Artist Page]
* {{Rockhall|elvis-costello-and-attractions|Elvis Costello and the Attractions}}
*{{IMDb name|0004845}}
* {{AllMusic |class=artist |id=p3968 |access-date=5 December 2010}}
* [http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Main_Page The Elvis Costello Wiki] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202042347/http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php |date=2 December 2008 }} (moved 2007 from original [http://www.elviscostello.info/ The Elvis Costello Home Page])

{{Elvis Costello|state=expanded}}
{{2003 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

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