Elvis Costello
Referencing prodigies of rock lyricism may not bring Elvis Costello to mind for some, but he does deserve consideration. Through the course of over four decades, the former computer programmer has maintained a career as a singer-songwriter, giving the likes of Bob Dylan himself a reckoning. He was born Declan MacManus in London, England, on August 25, 1954. He took the moniker Elvis Costello in 1977, adopting his first name from Elvis Presley and the last part from the maiden name of his mother. Also in '77, Costello's debut album My Aim Is True was released, drawing connections to the new wave and punk movement while showing musical variance. That year, Costello's band The Attractions was assembled. The group released a number of albums, including This Year's Model, Armed Forces, and Trust. 1986's Blood and Chocolate produced memorable, literate gems, such as "Tokyo Storm Warning" and "I Want You."
After the Attractions' final show in 1996, caused by conflict between Costello and the band's bassist Bruce Thomas, two of the group's other members would become part of his new backing band, The Imposters. Costello has released over 30 albums.
Photos
Movies (105)
The Voice Still Carries: The Aimee Mann Story
2026 · Self (archive footage)
McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass
2026 · Self
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
2025 · Self
Elvis Costello & WDR Big Band @ Leverkusener Jazztage 2025
2025
Alma Naidu @ Levekusener Jazztage 2025
2025
Record On: The Specials - A Message to You
2024 · Self
Sounds of Liverpool at the BBC
2023 · Self (archive footage)
Roy Orbison Forever
2022 · Self
Lindisfarne's Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story
2021 · Self
Johnny Cash: The Man in Black in Britain
2020 · Self
Ringo Starr’s Big Birthday Show
2020 · Self - Performer
Sesame Street: 50 Aniversario ¡Celebremos!
2019 · Self
Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen
2018 · Self - Performer
Ex Libris: The New York Public Library
2017 · Self
Roy Orbison: Black and White Night 30
2017 · Self
The Beatles: Ocho días a la semana
2016 · Self
Elvis Costello - Detour Live at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
2015 · Self
Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued
2014 · Self
Elvis Costello: Mystery Dance
2013 · Self
Experience Montreux
2013 · Self
Elvis Costello & The Imposters: The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook
2012 · Self - Performer
A MusiCares Tribute to Neil Young
2011 · Self
I Was There: When the Beatles Played the Cavern
2011 · Self (archive footage)
Love Shines
2010 · Self
Hard Rock Calling 2010
2010 · Self
A Prairie Home Companion Live in HD!
2010 · Self - Singer
Live From Bonnaroo 2009
2009 · Self
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!
2008 · Self
Memento Mori
2008 · Self
If It Ain't Stiff: The Stiff Records Story
2007 · Self
Delirious
2007 · Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello: Live: A Case for Song
2007 · Self - Vocals, Guitar
Tony Bennett: Duets - The Making of an American Classic
2007 · Self
The Old, Weird America: Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music
2007 · Self
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint: Hot as a Pistol, Keen as a Blade
2006 · Self
The Harry Smith Project Live
2006 · Self
Before the Music Dies
2006 · Self - Musician
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
2006 · Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello & Friends
2006 · Self (archive footage)
Putting the River in Reverse
2006 · Self
Grand Ole Opry Live
2006 · Self
The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder: Punk & New Wave
2006 · Self
From the Big Apple to the Big Easy: The Concert for New Orleans
2006 · Self
Johnny Vegas: 18 Stone of Idiot - Unseen and Uncut
2005 · Guest
The Pretenders: No Turn Left Unstoned
2005 · Self
Elvis Costello: The Right Spectacle - The Very Best of Elvis Costello
2005 · Self - Performer
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
2005 · Self
Off The Beaten Path: A Road Trip With Elvis & Pete
2005 · Self
Live Aid
2004 · Self
Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile
2004 · Self
De-Lovely
2004 · Musical Performer - "Let's Misbehave"
Johnny Cash: The Last Great American
2004 · Self
Elvis Costello & The Imposters: Club Date - Live in Memphis
2004 · Self
Cold Mountain
2003 · Songs
Emmylou Harris: From a Deeper Well
2003 · Self
I Love Your Work
2003 · Self
Elvis Costello: North
2003 · Self
The Shape of Things
2003 · Original Music Composer
Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'
2003 · Self
Freedom Beat
2003 · Self
There's Only One Paul McCartney
2002 · Self
A Tribute To Burt Bacharach & Hal David
2001 · Self
Prison Song
2001 · Public Defender / Teacher
Unleaded
2000 · Elvis Costello, Songs
Behind the Scenes of 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me'
1999 · Self
In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story
1999 · Self
Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special
1999 · Self
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
1999 · Elvis Costello
Here, There and Everywhere: A Concert for Linda
1999 · Self
200 Cigarettes
1999 · Self
Classic Albums: U2 - The Joshua Tree
1999 · Self
Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach: Sessions at West 54th
1998 · Self
Brian Wilson’s Imagination
1998 · Self
Burt Bacharach: One Amazing Night
1998 · Self
Spice World
1997 · Elvis Costello
Tony Bennett's New York
1996 · Self
Grace of My Heart
1996 · Songs
Tony Bennett: MTV Unplugged
1994 · Self
Dusty
1994 · Self - Interviewee
Philip K Dick: A Day in the Afterlife
1994 · Self - Interviewee
September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill
1994 · Self
Weird Nightmare
1993 · Self
Rabbit Ears - Tom Thumb
1991 · Music
Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet - The Juliet Letters
1991 · Self
Paul McCartney: Put It There
1989 · Self
Elvis Costello & Friends Live at Sweetwater
1989
Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night
1988 · Self - Guitar/Electric Organ/Harmonica
Red Shoes In the Land of the Midnight Sun: Elvis Costello & The Confederates Live in Tokyo
1987 · Self - Performer
Straight to Hell
1987 · Hives The Butler
Chet Baker Live at Ronnie Scott's
1986 · Self
Club Paradise
1986 · Theme Song Performance
The Way They Were: Punk and the New Wave 1976-1978
1986 · Self
No Surrender
1985 · Rosco De Ville
Live Aid
1985 · Self
The Bullshitters: Roll Out the Gunbarrel
1984 · Stone Deaf A & R Man
The Last Chance Dance
1984 · Songs
George Jones: With a Little Help from His Friends
1981 · Self
Concerts for the People of Kampuchea
1981 · Self
Elvis Costello & The Attractions Live in Montreaux
1980 · Self - Performer
Americathon
1979 · The Earl of Manchester
Elvis Costello and The Attractions: Live at The Capitol Theatre
1978 · Self
If It Ain't Stiff, It Ain't Worth a Fuck
1978 · Self
Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson
· Self
Little Red Robin Hood
· Self, Music
Elvis Costello & the Attractions live in Boston & Detroit 1978
TV shows (44)
Words + Music
2025 · Self
This Is Pop
2021 · Self (archive footage)
Pete the Cat
2017 · Pete's Dad (voice)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015 · Self, Self - Musical Guest, Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014 · Self - Musical Guest
Hamburg Journal
2011 · self
Treme
2010 · Elvis Costello
Live from the Artists Den
2009 · Self
Spectacle: Elvis Costello with...
2008 · Self, Executive Producer
El show de Graham Norton
2007 · Self
Legends
2006 · Self
30 Rock
2006 · Elvis Costello
The Colbert Report
2005 · Self
Dos Hombres y Medio
2003 · Elvis Costello
Real Time with Bill Maher
2003 · Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003 · Self - Musical Guest
One Million Stars Falling from the Sky
2002 · Theme Song Performance
CMT Crossroads
2002 · Self
Classic Albums
1997 · Self
The Daily Show
1996 · Self
TFI Friday
1996
3rd Rock from the Sun
1996 · Elvis Costello
Die Harald Schmidt Show
1995 · Self
The Frank Skinner Show
1995 · Self
Lo + plus
1995 · Self
Frasier
1993 · Ben
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993 · Self - Guest, Self - Musical Guest
Late Show with David Letterman
1993 · Self - Musical Guest
Later... with Jools Holland
1992
The Larry Sanders Show
1992 · Elvis Costello
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992 · Self - Musical Guest
G.B.H.
1991 · Music
Have I Got News for You
1990 · Self
Los Simpson
1989 · Elvis Costello (voice)
MTV Unplugged
1989 · Self
Scully
1984 · Henry Scully
The Comic Strip Presents...
1982 · Stone Deaf A & R Man
Champs-Elysées
1982 · Self
The Kenny Everett Video Show
1978 · Self
The South Bank Show
1978
Saturday Night Live
1975 · Self - Musical Guest
Austin City Limits
1975 · Self
Top of the Pops
1964 · Self (archive footage)
The Oscars
1953 · Self