The Best Elvis Costello Albums of All Time

Updated August 19, 2019 1.9k votes 283 voters 5.4k views36 items

List RulesThis list includes studio albums only, so if you add an album make sure it's a proper studio release.

Not only is Elvis Costello known as one of the best singer/songwriters, he's also considered one of the best musical artists of the 70s. This list of the best Elvis Costello albums includes pictures of the album covers when available. The Elvis Costello discography is ranked from best to worst, so the top Elvis Costello albums can be found at the top of the list. Costello emerged from the pub rock movement of the early '70s, later evolving into his own unique, geeky version of New Wave. The Attractions were his longtime backup band.

To make voting for your favorite records easier, we haven't included Elvis Costello singles, EPs, or compilations, so everything you see here should only be studio albums. If you think the greatest Elvis Costello album isn't ranked highly enough, vote for it so it receives proper credit. Make sure you don't just vote for critically acclaimed albums; if you have a favorite Elvis Costello album, vote it up, even if it's not necessarily the most popular.

If you want to know what is the best Elvis Costello album of all time, this list will answer your question. Albums range from My Aim Is True (1977) to This Year's Model (1978) to Spike (1989). These popular Elvis Costello CDs have been voted on by music fans around the world, so the order isn't just one person's opinion.

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1
103
35
This Year's Model
1978
Artist: Elvis Costello, Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Tracks: Lipstick Vogue, No Action, Radio
Label: Columbia
Genres (Music): Rock music, New Wave, Punk rock, Power pop
2
97
35
My Aim Is True
1977
Artist: Elvis Costello
Tracks: Alison, Waiting for the End of the World, Less Than Zero
Label: Columbia
Genres (Music): New Wave, Punk rock, Power pop, Pub rock
3
92
32
Armed Forces
1979
Artist: Elvis Costello, Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Tracks: Accidents Will Happen, Watching the Detectives (live), Busy Bodies
Label: Columbia
Genres (Music): New Wave, Pop rock, Punk rock
4
97
40
Imperial Bedroom
1982
Artist: Elvis Costello, Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Tracks: Tears Before Bedtime, You Little Fool, The Loved Ones
Label: Columbia
Genres (Music): Psychedelic rock, New Wave, Post-punk, Baroque pop
5
85
31
Get Happy!!
1980
Artist: Elvis Costello, Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Tracks: Beaten to the Punch, Man Called Uncle, B Movie
Genres (Music): Mod revival, New Wave, Punk rock, Post-punk, Blue-eyed soul
6
75
24
King of America
1986
7
74
30
Trust
1981
Artist: Elvis Costello, Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Tracks: Clubland, Luxembourg, Different Finger
Genres (Music): Rock music, Pop music, New Wave, Power pop
8
59
25
Blood & Chocolate
1986
Artist: Elvis Costello, Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Tracks: Next Time Round, Tokyo Storm Warning, Battered Old Bird
Label: Columbia
Genres (Music): Alternative rock, Rock music, New Wave, Post-punk
9
50
25
Punch the Clock
1983
10
51
30
Spike
1989
Artist: Elvis Costello
Producer: Elvis Costello, T Bone Burnett
Tracks: God’s Comic, Baby Plays Around, Any King’s Shilling
Genres (Music): Rock music, New Wave, Jazz, Post-punk
11
40
25
Brutal Youth
1994
Artist: Elvis Costello
Tracks: London’s Brilliant Parade, Rocking Horse Road, Just About Glad
Genres (Music): Alternative rock, Rock music, Punk rock, Pop punk, Power pop
12
34
24
All This Useless Beauty
1996
Artist: Elvis Costello, Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Tracks: Shallow Grave, Why Can’t a Man Stand Alone?, Complicated Shadows
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Genres (Music): Rock music
13
30
20
When I Was Cruel
2002
Artist: Elvis Costello
Tracks: 45, ...Dust, Tart
Genres (Music): Alternative rock, Rock music

14
31
23
Painted From Memory
1998
Artist: Elvis Costello, Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach
Producer: Elvis Costello
Tracks: This House Is Empty Now, Such Unlikely Lovers, I Still Have That Other Girl
Label: Mercury Records
Genres (Music): Rock music, Pop music
15
27
21
Almost Blue
1981
Artist: Elvis Costello, Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Tracks: Sweet Dreams, A Good Year for the Roses, Colour of the Blues
Label: F-Beat
Genres (Music): Rock music, Country, New Wave, Alternative country, Cowpunk
16
27
21
Wise Up Ghost
2013
Artist: Elvis Costello, The Roots
Tracks: (She Might Be a) Grenade, Come the Meantimes, Sugar Won't Work
Genres (Music): Funk
17
20
18
Momofuku
2008
Artist: Elvis Costello, Elvis Costello & The Imposters
Tracks: Stella Hurt, No Hiding Place, American Gangster Time
Genres (Music): Alternative rock, Roots rock
18
14
12
The Delivery Man
2004
Artist: Elvis Costello & The Imposters
Tracks: Nothing Clings Like Ivy, There's a Story in Your Voice, Needle Time
Genres (Music): Alternative rock, Rock music, Roots rock
19
24
27
Mighty Like a Rose
1991
Artist: Elvis Costello
Tracks: Broken, Couldn’t Call It Unexpected No. 2 (interlude), After the Fall
Genres (Music): Rock music, Baroque pop
20
15
16
National Ransom
2010
Artist: Elvis Costello
Tracks: A Voice in the Dark, All These Strangers, Jimmie Standing in the Rain
Genres (Music): Roots rock, Alternative country
21
23
28
Goodbye Cruel World
1984
Artist: Elvis Costello, Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Tracks: Joe Porterhouse, Home Truth, Peace in Our Time
Label: Columbia
Genres (Music): Rock music, Pop music, New Wave, Power pop
22
14
17
The River in Reverse
2006
Artist: Elvis Costello, Allen Toussaint
Tracks: All These Things, Tears, Tears and More Tears
Genres (Music): Rhythm and blues, Rock music, Pop music, Jazz, Soul music
23
17
20
North
2003
Artist: Elvis Costello
Tracks: When It Sings, I'm in the Mood Again, Someone Took the Words Away
Genres (Music): Rock music, Pop music, Jazz

24
12
14
Secret, Profane & Sugarcane
2009
Artist: Elvis Costello
Tracks: How Deep Is the Red?, Changing Partners, I Dreamed of My Old Lover
Genres (Music): Americana, Pop rock, Country rock, Country folk
25
17
24
The Juliet Letters
1993
Artist: Elvis Costello, Brodsky Quartet
Tracks: Expert Rites, The Letter Home, The First to Leave
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Genres (Music): Rock music, Classical music