Costello, Elvis

Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus OBE (born 25 August 1954), better known by his stage name Elvis Costello, is an English songwriter, singer, record producer, author, television presenter and occasional actor. Critics consider Costello to be one of the most gifted and versatile songwriters of his generation. His first album, My Aim Is True (1977), is widely regarded as one of the best debut albums in the history of popular music. The album spawned no hit singles, but contains some of Costello's best-known songs, including the ballad "Alison". Costello's next two albums, This Year's Model (1978) and Armed Forces (1979), recorded with his backing band the Attractions, helped define the music genre of new wave. From late 1977 through early 1980, each of the eight singles he released reached the UK Top 30. His biggest hit single, "Oliver's Army" (1979) sold more than 400,000 copies in Britain. He has had more modest commercial success in the US but has earned much praise among music critics. From 1977 through the early 2000s, Costello's albums regularly ranked high on the Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics' poll, with his 1978 album This Years Model and his 1982 album Imperial Bedroom voted the best album of their respective years.[a] His biggest US hit single, "Veronica" (1989), reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.