Artist Playlists
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Elvis Costello may be a revered pop craftsman, honing his acidic wordplay like a Brill Building master, but he plays with the agitated energy of a born outsider. His New Wave-era anthems like "Pump It Up" still deliver an ecstatic jolt, blending the sharp riffs of the British Invasion with the bounce of Motown. Of course, they're just the beginning of Costello's endlessly shape-shifting but always inimitable songbook. He's hidden remarkably biting lyrics under gorgeous soul melodies ("Alison"), explored psychedelia at its darkest edges ("Beyond Belief"), and even reinvented himself as a Nashville crooner ("Good Year for the Roses”). - Elvis Costello has always drawn from an eclectic bunch of influences. Notorious for weaving his punk roots with threads pulled from nearly every style of music, he's been as quick to mine Motown classics as the confessional lyrics of Joni Mitchell or the straight-talking twang of George Jones. This mix jumps from genre to genre, just like his decades-long career.
- It's difficult to imagine an alternative-rock landscape without Elvis Costello's guiding influence; artists as varied as No Doubt, Lambchop, and Radiohead have cited him as an inspiration. His legendarily sharp lyrics, whether witheringly witty or candidly revealing, have been a beacon for several generations of singer/songwriters, including Billy Bragg, Liz Phair, Ben Lee, Tori Amos, and dozens of others.
- One of the most versatile, literate songwriters in modern pop, Elvis Costello has inspired plenty of his peers. Massive pop icons like Duran Duran and The Bangles, songbird Dusty Springfield, and the Man in Black himself have all paid tribute to Costello's achievements in New Wave, country, soul, and more.
- Given albums like My Aim Is True, it's easy to think of Elvis Costello as a New Wave lifer. But focus too narrowly on his skinny-tie years and you'll miss the curveballs that make his catalogue so dynamic—like the Burt Bacharach collaboration "In the Darkest Place," or "Walk Us Uptown," an Afrobeat-inspired outing with The Roots. With The Brodsky Quartet, he even offers stark, brooding chamber pop.