Elvis Costello discography
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2008) |
| Elvis Costello discography | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums | 30 |
| EPs | 1 |
| Live albums | 6 |
| Compilation albums | 16 |
| Tribute albums | 6 |
| Singles | 62 |
This page lists albums, singles, and compilations by the musician Elvis Costello, distinguishing between United States and United Kingdom release dates and record labels. Of note are the reissue series, Costello's back-catalogue having undergone that treatment three times by three different companies.
Albums
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Artist credit | Chart position | Certifications (sales thresholds) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [1] |
AUS [2][3] |
JPN [4][5] |
NLD [6] |
NOR [7] |
NZ [8] |
SWE [9] |
US [10] | ||||
| 1977 | My Aim Is True | Elvis Costello[A] | 14 | 25 | 285 | – | – | 32 | 14 | 32 | |
| 1978 | This Year's Model
|
4 | 26 | – | 14 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 30 | ||
| 1979 | Armed Forces
|
Elvis Costello and The Attractions | 2 | 9 | – | 13 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 10 | |
| 1980 | Get Happy!!
|
2 | 25 | – | 34 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 11 |
| |
| 1981 | Trust
|
9 | 71 | – | – | 28 | 17 | 8 | 28 | ||
Almost Blue
|
7 | 50 | – | 21 | – | – | 17 | 50 |
| ||
| 1982 | Imperial Bedroom
|
6 | 49 | – | 45 | 18 | 37 | 30 | 30 | ||
| 1983 | Punch the Clock
|
3 | 22 | – | 27 | 18 | 6 | 9 | 24 | ||
| 1984 | Goodbye Cruel World
|
10 | 53 | 52 | – | – | 32 | 20 | 35 |
| |
| 1986 | King of America
|
The Costello Show featuring The Attractions and Confederates | 11 | 67 | 41 | 40 | – | 21 | 12 | 39 |
|
Blood & Chocolate
|
Elvis Costello and The Attractions | 16 | – | – | 19 | – | – | 26 | 84 |
| |
| 1989 | Spike
|
Elvis Costello | 5 | 26 | 61 | 19 | – | 34 | 13 | 32 | |
| 1991 | Mighty Like a Rose
|
5 | 37 | 39 | 47 | 11 | 38 | 23 | 55 |
| |
G.B.H.
|
Richard Harvey & Elvis Costello | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1993 | The Juliet Letters
|
Elvis Costello and The Brodsky Quartet | 18 | – | 39 | 54 | – | – | – | 125 | |
| 1994 | Brutal Youth
|
Elvis Costello | 2 | – | 30 | 54 | – | 48 | 14 | 34 |
|
| 1995 | Kojak Variety
|
21 | – | 60 | 74 | – | – | 23 | 102 | ||
Jake's Progress
|
Richard Harvey and Elvis Costello | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1996 | All This Useless Beauty
|
Elvis Costello and The Attractions | 28 | – | 77 | 83 | 38 | – | 24 | 53 | |
| 1998 | Painted from Memory | Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach | 32 | 26 | 69 | 33 | 29 | 38 | 18 | 78 |
|
| 2002 | When I Was Cruel
|
Elvis Costello | 17 | 34 | 15 | 34 | 17 | – | 56 | 20 |
|
| 2003 | North
|
44 | – | 26 | 56 | 25 | – | 25 | 57 | ||
| 2004 | The Delivery Man
|
Elvis Costello and The Imposters | 73 | – | 100 | 65 | 34 | – | 58 | 40 | |
Il Sogno
|
Elvis Costello | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 2005 | Piano Jazz
|
Elvis Costello with Marian McPartland | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 2006 | The River in Reverse
|
Elvis Costello and the Imposters and Allen Toussaint | 97 | – | – | 61 | 31 | – | 40 | 103 | |
| 2008 | Momofuku
|
Elvis Costello and The Imposters | 112 | – | 98 | – | 34 | – | – | 59 | |
| 2009 | Secret, Profane & Sugarcane
|
Elvis Costello | 71 | – | 82 | – | – | – | 45 | 13 | |
| 2010 | National Ransom
|
71 | – | 116 | – | – | – | – | 39 | ||
| 2013 | Wise Up Ghost
|
Elvis Costello and The Roots | 28 | 40 | – | 35 | 26 | – | – | 16 | |
- Notes
- A ^ Some reissues of This Year's Model are credited to 'Elvis Costello and The Attractions'.
Albums which credit Costello as a featured artist
| Year | Title | Artist credit | Chart position | Certifications (sales thresholds) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [1] |
AUS [2][3] |
JPN [4][5] |
NLD [6] |
NOR [7] |
N.Z. [8] |
SWE [9] |
US [10] | ||||
| 1993 | Now Ain't the Time for Your Tears
|
by Wendy James - all songs composed by Elvis Costello[A] | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1997 | Terror & Magnificence
|
John Harle featuring Elvis Costello, Sarah Leonard, and Andy Sheppard [B] | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1999 | The Sweetest Punch
|
The New Songs of Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach Arranged by Bill Frisell [C] | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 2001 | For the Stars
|
Anne Sofie von Otter Meets Elvis Costello [D] | 67 | – | – | 80 | 33 | – | 25 | – | |
| 2014 | Lost on the River
|
The New Basement Tapes | - | – | – | - | - | – | - | – | |
- A ^ Now Ain't the Time for Your Tears credited to Wendy James - all songs composed by Elvis Costello – This is not an Elvis Costello album. It is a Wendy James album.
- B ^ Terror & Magnificence credited to John Harle featuring Elvis Costello, Sarah Leonard, and Andy Sheppard – This is not an Elvis Costello album. It is a John Harle album.
- C ^ The Sweetest Punch credited as 'The New Songs of Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach Arranged by Bill Frisell' is not an Elvis Costello album; it is a Bill Frisell album. Elvis performs on a couple of numbers and co-composed the songs (all from Painted From Memory).
- D ^ For the Stars credited as Anne Sofie von Otter Meets Elvis Costello – This is not an Elvis Costello album. It is an Anne Sofie von Otter album. Elvis acts as producer and performs on many of the tracks. Some of his songs are also covered.
Live albums
| Year | Title | Chart position | Certifications (sales thresholds) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [1] |
US [10] | |||
| 1978 | Live at the El Mocambo
|
– | – | |
| 1995 | Deep Dead Blue
|
– | – | |
| 1996 | Costello & Nieve
|
– | – | |
| 2006 | My Flame Burns Blue
|
– | 188 | |
| 2010 | Live at Hollywood High
|
– | – | |
| 2012 | The Return of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook
|
– | – | |
Compilation albums
| Year | Title | Chart position | Certifications (sales thresholds) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [1] |
NZ [8] |
US [10] | |||
| 1980 | Taking Liberties (US only)
|
– | – | 28 | |
Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers (UK only)
|
– | – | – |
| |
| 1985 | The Man – The Best of Elvis Costello
|
8 | 31 | – | |
The Best of Elvis Costello & The Attractions
|
– | – | 116 |
| |
| 1987 | Out of Our Idiot (UK only)
|
– | – | – |
|
| 1989 | Girls Girls Girls
|
67 | – | – | |
| 1990 | The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions | – | – | – | |
| 1994 | The Very Best of Elvis Costello and The Attractions 1977-86
|
57 | – | – | |
| 1997 | Extreme Honey
|
– | – | – | |
| 1999 | The Very Best of Elvis Costello
|
4 | – | – |
|
| 2002 | Cruel Smile
|
– | – | 180 | |
| 2007 | The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years
|
– | – | 110 | |
Rock and Roll Music
|
– | – | – | ||
| 2010 | Pomp & Pout; The Universal Years
|
– | – | – | |
| 2012 | In Motion Pictures
|
– | – | – | |
| 2015 | Unfaithful Music and Soundtrack Album
|
– | – | – | |
Box sets
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 2½ Years
|
| 2003 | Singles, Volume 1 (UK only)
|
Singles, Volume 2 (UK only)
| |
Singles, Volume 3 (UK only)
|
Reissue series
Rykodisc/Demon reissues
From 1993 to 1995, Rykodisc Records (US) and Demon Records (UK) reissued Costello's pre-Warner Bros. catalogue with bonus tracks for each album as well as a greatest hits compilation and the live album Live at the El Mocambo. This licensing deal ended in 2000
- 15 October 1993 – My Aim Is True, This Year's Model, Armed Forces, Live at the El Mocambo
- 29 April 1994 – Get Happy!!, Trust
- 30 August 1994 – Almost Blue, Imperial Bedroom
- 5 September 1994 – G.B.H.
- 7 March 1995 – Punch the Clock, Goodbye Cruel World
- 6 July 1995 – King of America
- 12 September 1995 – Blood and Chocolate
Rhino
Rhino Records acquired the rights to both Costello's Columbia back-catalogue, previously distributed by Rykodisc, and the Warner Bros. catalogue after Costello signed with Polygram in 1999. The label commenced its Costello reissue program with the Polygram compilation (see above) released less than two years previously. All were double-disc sets in slim-line jewel box cases, with the remaining installments in the series comprising the original studio albums on disc one, with disc two containing b-sides, outtakes, demo recordings, concert tracks, and previously unreleased material. All included a booklet with original lyrics and liner notes by Costello himself. All are currently out of print.
The project featured the direct participation and guidance of Costello, who wrote new liner notes for each album consisting of his thoughts on the music as well as anecdotes and reminiscences from the time. They were released in batches of three, with the exception of King of America, The Juliet Letters, and The Very Best of Elvis Costello, the last being an unaltered re-release of the Polygram compilation of 1999, which arrived in the stores singularly. The reissue dates are as follows:
- 17 April 2001: The Very Best of Elvis Costello
- 11 August 2001: My Aim Is True, Spike, All This Useless Beauty
- 19 February 2002: This Year's Model, Blood & Chocolate, Brutal Youth
- 19 November 2002: Armed Forces, Imperial Bedroom, Mighty Like a Rose
- 9 September 2003: Get Happy!!, Trust, Punch the Clock
- 3 August 2004: Almost Blue, Goodbye Cruel World, Kojak Variety
- 26 April 2005: King of America
- 21 March 2006: The Juliet Letters
The Almost Blue and Kojak Variety bonus discs were particularly notable as each contained, essentially, an entire new album's worth of material also performed but either not issued, or released as B-sides on singles originally. The Kojak bonus disc also included ten songs of the 'George Jones' tape, cover songs Costello intended to induce the famed country singer to perform on a subsequent album. The Get Happy bonus disc was also of note, with 30 additional tracks, bringing the total for the two disc set to 50 songs.
At the conclusion of Rhino's reissue series (My Aim Is True through All This Useless Beauty), Universal Music Enterprises announced their purchase of the early Costello catalogue. This licensing acquisition covers from My Aim Is True through Blood & Chocolate, excluding the Warner Bros. albums (Spike through All This Useless Beauty). These albums had all been re-released on Rhino, a Warner Music Group subsidiary. The press release says, "[l]eading the industry in online marketing with a dedicated department that manages its digital and mobile business, UMe also expects to mine Costello's catalogue for ringtones, digital box sets, and more."[13] UMe announced that they would be reissuing the albums on their Hip-O Select label. Costello is quoted in the press release as saying, "[I]t's great to be able to do this through a company that has not only enjoyed major success with reissues but has done them with a genuine emphasis on quality."[14] This reissue series will mark the fourth release of his Stiff/Radar/Demon catalogue (released by Columbia Records in the US) on compact disc.
Singles
The following is a list of all Costello's commercially available singles. The key for the Artist Credit below is as follows:
|
|
| Year | Title | Artist Credit | Chart positions | Album | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [1] |
AUS [3] |
CA | IRL [15] |
N.Z. [8] |
US Hot 100 [16] |
US MSR [16] |
US Modern Rock [16] | ||||||||||||
| 1977 | "Less Than Zero" | EC | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | My Aim Is True [E] | ||||||||
| "Alison" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| "Watching the Detectives" | 15 | 35 | 60 | – | – | 108 | – | – | |||||||||||
| 1978 | "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" | EC+ATT | 16 | 93 | – | 12 | – | – | – | – | This Year's Model [F] | ||||||||
| "Pump It Up" | 24 | 55 | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| "Radio Radio" | 29 | 93 | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| 1979 | "Oliver's Army" | 2 | 24 | – | 4 | 25 | – | – | – | Armed Forces | |||||||||
| "Accidents Will Happen" | 28 | – | – | – | – | 101 | – | – | |||||||||||
| 1980 | "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" | 4 | – | – | 14 | – | – | – | – | Get Happy!! | |||||||||
| "High Fidelity" | 30 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| "New Amsterdam" | EC [G] | 36 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||
| "Clubland" | EC+ATT | 60 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Trust | |||||||||
| 1981 | "From a Whisper to a Scream" | – | – | – | – | – | – | 46 | – | ||||||||||
| "Watch Your Step" (US release only) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| "Good Year for the Roses" | 6 | 34 | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | Almost Blue | ||||||||||
| "Sweet Dreams" | 42 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| 1982 | "I'm Your Toy" | EC+ATT+RPO | 51 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||
| "You Little Fool" | EC+ATT | 52 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Imperial Bedroom | |||||||||
| "Man Out of Time" | 58 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| "From Head to Toe" | 43 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | ||||||||||
| "Party Party" | 48 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Party Party Soundtrack | ||||||||||
| 1983 | "Pills and Soap" | IMP | 16 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Punch the Clock | ||||||||
| "Everyday I Write the Book" | EC+ATT | 28 | 40 | 40 | 23 | 20 | 36 | 33 | 12 | - | "Let Them All Talk" | 59 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1984 | "Peace in Our Time" | IMP | 48 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Goodbye Cruel World | ||||||||
| "I Wanna Be Loved" / "Turning the Town Red" [H] | EC+ATT | 25 | – | – | 11 | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||
| "The Only Flame in Town" | 71 | – | – | – | – | 56 | 44 | – | |||||||||||
| 1985 | "Green Shirt" | 68 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | The Man – The Best of Elvis Costello | |||||||||
| "The People's Limousine" | TCB | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Out of Our Idiot | |||||||||
| 1986 | "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" | TCS | 33 | 81 | – | 22 | – | – | 38 | – | King of America | ||||||||
| "Seven Day Weekend" | JC+EC+ATT | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Out of Our Idiot | |||||||||
| "Lovable" (US release only) | TCS | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | King of America | |||||||||
| "Tokyo Storm Warning" | EC+ATT | 73 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Blood and Chocolate | |||||||||
| "I Want You" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| 1987 | "Blue Chair" | EC | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Out of Our Idiot | ||||||||
| "A Town Called Big Nothing" | TMG | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||
| 1989 | "Veronica" | EC | 31 | 27 | 64 | 22 | 16 | 19 | 10 | 1 | Spike | ||||||||
| Baby Plays Around EP | 65 | – | – | 27 | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| "...This Town..." | – | – | – | – | – | – | 41 | 4 | |||||||||||
| 1991 | "The Other Side of Summer" | 43 | 96 | 72 | – | – | – | 40 | 1 | Mighty Like a Rose | |||||||||
| "So Like Candy" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| 1993 | "Jacksons, Monk & Rowe" | EC+BQ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | The Juliet Letters | ||||||||
| 1994 | "Sulky Girl" | EC [I] | 22 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Brutal Youth | ||||||||
| "13 Steps Lead Down" | 59 | – | – | – | – | 115 | – | 6 | |||||||||||
| "You Tripped at Every Step" | EC+ATT | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||
| "London's Brilliant Parade" | 48 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| 1996 | "It's Time" | 58 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | All This Useless Beauty | |||||||||
| "Little Atoms" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| "The Other End of the Telescope" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| "Distorted Angel" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| "All This Useless Beauty" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| "You Bowed Down" (US release only) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| 1999 | "Toledo" | EC+BB | 72 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Painted from Memory | ||||||||
| "She" | EC | 19 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Notting Hill Soundtrack | |||||||||
| 2002 | "Tear Off Your Own Head (It's a Doll Revolution)" | EC [J] | 58 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | When I Was Cruel | ||||||||
| "45" | 92 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| 2004 | "Monkey to Man" | EC+IMP | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | The Delivery Man | ||||||||
| 2005 | "Brilliant Mistake" | EC [K] | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | King of America | ||||||||
| 2008 | "No Hiding Place" | EC+IMP | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Momofuku | ||||||||
| "Go Away" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| 2009 | "Complicated Shadows" | EC | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Secret, Profane & Sugarcane | ||||||||
| 2010 | "National Ransom" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | National Ransom | |||||||||
- Notes
- E ^ "Watching the Detectives" was a stand-alone single in the UK but was subsequently included on US versions of My Aim Is True.
- F ^ "(I Don't Want to Go To) Chelsea" was not included on US versions of This Year's Model. "Radio Radio" was a stand-alone single in the UK but was subsequently is included on US versions of This Year's Model.
- G ^ The Attractions played on almost all of Costello's singles from 1978 to 1984 (and sporadically thereafter), but note that 1980's "New Amsterdam" was a solo single on which Elvis Costello played all instruments. Accordingly, The Attractions were not credited.
- H ^ "I Wanna Be Loved" / "Turning The Town Red" was tracked as a double A-side in the UK, with both sides charting. "Turning The Town Red" did not initially appear on Goodbye Cruel World, although it has been added as a bonus track to some CD reissues of this album.
- I ^ Although the Attractions played on "Sulky Girl" and "13 Steps Lead Down", these tracks were credited simply to Elvis Costello.
- J ^ The backing musicians on "Tear Off Your Own Head" and "45" were Steve Nieve, Davey Faragher, and Pete Thomas, later to be collectively billed as "The Imposters". However, these releases are credited solely to Costello.
- K ^ "Brilliant Mistake" was released as a UK single in 2005, 19 years after the track first appeared on the album King of America. Though the album was credited to The Costello Show, the single release was credited to Elvis Costello.
Contributions
| Year | Title | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | A Bunch of Stiff Records (UK only)
|
||
Hits Greatest Stiffs (UK only)
|
|||
| 1978 | Stiffs Live
|
||
| 1989 | A Black & White Night Live
|
||
| 1994 | The Unplugged Collection, Volume 1[17]
|
| |
| 2013 | Boardwalk Empire Volume 2: Music from the HBO Original Series
|
| |
| 2014 | Boardwalk Empire Volume 3: Music from the HBO Original Series
|
|
Tribute albums
- 1998: Bespoke Songs, Lost Dogs, Detours & Rendezvous – (various artists)
- 2002: Almost You: The Songs of Elvis Costello – (various artists)
- 2003: The Elvis Costello Songbook – Bonnie Brett
- 2004: A Tribute to Elvis Costello – Patrik Tanner
- 2004: Davis Does Elvis – Stuart Davis
- 2008: Every Elvis Has His Impersonators: 7 Homemade Remade Elvis Costello Songs – Elastic No–No Band
References
- ^ a b c d e Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 122/3. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives,N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help)Note: This reference gives Australian albums and singles information. It is used for chart peak positions as the early albums were released before ARIA regulated the Australian charts itself (1989). - ^ a b c "australian-charts.com – Discography Elvis Costello". 2006–2011 Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 January 2011.Charts from 1989 onwards
- ^ a b Okamoto, Satoshi (2006). Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ a b "Elvis Costello Album discography". Original Confidence. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)Note: Reference indicates chart positions from 1988 onwards, and part of the information are currently unavailable - ^ a b "Dutchcharts.nl Elvis Costello discography". Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
- ^ a b "norwegiancharts.com Elvis Costello discography". Hung Medien. VG-lista. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b c d "charts.org.nz – Discography Elvis Costello". 2006–2011 Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
- ^ a b "swedishcharts.com Elvis Costello discography". Sweden. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b c d "US — Album positions". allmusic.com. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Album artist 83 – Elvis Costello". 2007–10, Steve Hawtin et al. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
- ^ a b c d e RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums by Elvis Costello
- ^ Press release on Marketwire.
- ^ Press release on Marketwire.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". chartstats.com. Retrieved 12 January 2011. Searchable database
- ^ a b c "US — Singles positions". allmusic.com. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Unplugged Collection, Vol. 1 – Various Artists at AllMusic. Retrieved 25 November 2011.