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United Kingdom Elvis Costello is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author, and television host, recognized for his expansive musical range that began with punk and new wave, evolving to include R&B, country, jazz, and classical music.
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Request A ShowElvis Costello inked an exclusive worldwide music publishing deal with BMG, covering his extensive songwriting catalog, including collaborations with Burt Bacharach, Paul McCartney, and Carole King. Over 400 songs from 1979 onwards were included in the deal.
Elvis Costello collaborated with the LIPA Horn Section, performing several compositions. He described the collaboration as 'beautiful,' highlighting a positive artistic partnership.
Costello experimented with classical music in 1993, releasing the critically acclaimed song cycle 'The Juliet Letters' with the Brodsky Quartet.
Costello has a collaborative history with New Orleans R&B songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint, beginning in 1983. In 2006, they released the album 'The River in Reverse' and performed benefit concerts for Hurricane Katrina victims.
Costello collaborated with the hip-hop group The Roots, releasing the album 'Wise Up Ghost' in 2013. He also discussed his 1979 racial slurs incident with Questlove, the drummer for The Roots, in an interview.
Costello wrote more than a dozen songs with Paul McCartney, which were released across several albums from 1987 to 1996, including McCartney's 'Flowers in the Dirt' and Costello's 'Spike'.
Costello had a long-running songwriting partnership with Burt Bacharach, resulting in the critically acclaimed album 'Painted From Memory' (1998). They also contributed to soundtracks and appeared in films together.
Costello was commissioned to perform for guests in the Caribbean, stating that his intention was to make them wish they were performing themselves. This demonstrates his capacity for creating unique and memorable experiences in luxury settings.
Costello collaborated with the Slovenian band Joker Out on their single 'New Wave' in April 2023.
In 2024, Costello, along with T Bone Burnett, released a scripted comedy audio series, 'The True Story of the Coward Brothers,' on Audible, accompanied by a 20-track soundtrack album via New West Records.
Madonna asked Elvis Costello to write a song for 'Dick Tracy', but the song was rejected by Steven Spielberg. Costello’s creative output is highly valued, even by major industry figures for significant projects.
In 1973, Costello played guitar and sang backing vocals on his father Ross MacManus’s recording of the 'Secret Lemonade Drinker' jingle for a series of R. Whites advertisements. This early commercial work featured him alongside his father, contributing to a well-known advertising campaign.
Bertelsmann, the parent company of BMG, announced Elvis Costello's global songwriting catalog deal, emphasizing the strategic importance of his work for their publishing business.
In January 2013, Costello teamed up with Paul McCartney for an advertisement campaign backing vegetarian foods produced by the Linda McCartney Foods brand. This partnership aligned Costello with a well-known ethical consumer brand.
Declan Patrick MacManus, known professionally as Elvis Costello, was born on August 25, 1954, in London, England. Raised in a musical household, he was exposed to diverse styles from an early age, including dance-hall pop, modern jazz, and The Beatles. He started writing songs and learning guitar at 14, performing in folk clubs. By the early 1970s, he was working as a computer programmer in London while performing locally as D.P. Costello in a country rock band. His encounter with Nick Lowe, bassist for Brinsley Schwarz, led to an introduction to Jake Riviera, a co-founder of Stiff Records. This period also saw him adopt the stage name Elvis Costello, an homage to Elvis Presley.
His debut album, “My Aim Is True,” produced by Nick Lowe and released in 1977, was a commercial and critical success. The album fused the energy of punk with a literate songwriting style, featuring complex wordplay and diverse melodic structures, evident in tracks like “Less Than Zero,” “Welcome to the Working Week,” “Watching the Detectives,” and “Alison.” Despite its critical acclaim, it achieved more significant chart success in the UK than in the US, peaking at 32 on the Billboard 200. In 1979, Costello earned a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. Following this, he formed his backing band, The Attractions, consisting of Steve Nieve (keyboard), Pete Thomas (drums), and Bruce Thomas (bass). With The Attractions, he released subsequent albums like “This Year’s Model” (1978), “Armed Forces” (1979), and “Get Happy!!” (1980), which further defined his new wave sound through a distinctive guitar and keyboard blend inspired by 1960s artists like Booker T. and the MG’s.
Throughout the 1980s and beyond, Costello continued to expand his musical horizons, collaborating with various producers and artists across genres. Albums like “Trust” (1981) and “Imperial Bedroom” (1982) received critical acclaim, while he also explored country music with “Almost Blue” (1981). He produced albums for other artists, including The Specials and The Pogues, and co-wrote songs with Paul McCartney for his 1989 album “Spike,” which notably included his biggest US single, “Veronica.” His career has been marked by numerous awards, including multiple Grammy Awards, and inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2003) and the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2016). His extensive work, including film scores, collaborations with classical ensembles, and a memoir, solidifies his legacy as a versatile and influential artist.
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