Is/was Elvis Costello very famous in the USA?
Posted by aldiwinegums@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 484 comments
Elvis Costello is a UK singer who had a few hits here in the UK in the 70s/80s. Very few people here seem to be aware of his music, especially those who aren't old enough to have listened to him back then.
However, he's come up in US pop culture a few times, with the implication he's a household name: he played himself in a Simpsons episode in the 90s, and a 30 Rock episode in the 00s; and in New Girl his song Alison is a running joke, presented like it's well-known.
All these shows could conceivably be referencing him in a layered way where the joke is that he isn't actually well-known, but they could also just be referencing him as a popular musician. Did he have a lot of success in the US?
Roboticpoultry@reddit
My parents where really into 80s alternative (think anything played on XM’s 1st wave station) and because of them I have a copy of every record from My Aim is True through Spike. Love Elvis Costello, saw him when he was in town back in October
Away-Squirrel2881@reddit
I'm from California USA, and Elvis Costello was on the radio a lot in the 80s
ThirdSunRising@reddit
Yeah he was pretty big here. Not David Bowie big, but pretty big to the point that everyone has heard of him. I still have a couple of his albums.
Sir_Auron@reddit
He was going to really blow up with Armed Forces but just as the tour was kicking off there was a very unfortunate drunken argument that led to the tour being cancelled and his album being blacklisted in America. Kinda kneecapped his fame just as it was set to explode.
Sans_Seriphim@reddit
Hey, what can I say. I was only 7 at the time and couldn't hold my liquor. I didn't MEAN to have it turn into a drunken brawl with him.
Sir_Auron@reddit
It wasn't a brawl, he used some inflammatory racial epithets as part of trying to get someone to leave him alone (his story) and they ran it to the press. IIRC he also then didn't apologize for a number of years, which gave plenty of room for people to think that he just was taking 2edgy4u rebelliousness too far, a particularly difficult marketing hurdle in the context of the Oliver's Army album because it is a wildly political album with a lot to say about right wing European politics. Back in the early 80s, if a brash young English dude is getting drunk and throwing around the N-word, suburban America was probably not going to be convinced to listen to album with track names like "Two Little Hitlers".
AlanofAdelaide@reddit
Any Americans know Graham Parker who's similar vintage to E Costello and did New York Shuffle?
spandexcatsuit@reddit
I’m Gen X, he’s famous but not my thing. Older Gen X is more into him than the younger end
219_Infinity@reddit
Yes, he's well known.
GaiaIsaHarshMistress@reddit
For Gen X, yes, he's famous.
parksgirl50@reddit
Yep. Gen X here, loved him. He had enough name recognition to be on Saturday Night Live back in the late 80's.
GasmaskTed@reddit
And to get semi-banned from SNL!
AAA515@reddit
What he do?
Cats-And-Brews@reddit
He stopped playing ‘Less Than Zero” in mid-song, the song they rehearsed and agreed to play, and launched into “Radio, Radio”, a more upbeat song as well as one critical of the industry.
net_zer0@reddit
Regardless of the reason, as a musician who has performed on stage, switching to a tune that wasn't rehearsed literally mid-song during the actual show is a massive dick move. Thats crazy lmao
Powerful-Scratch1579@reddit
Chill dude. The band knew the song, they just didn’t tell the producers what they were going to do.
Skithiryx@reddit
I’ve heard a lot of stories about bands doing it when they feel like they’re being censored.
Rage Against the Machine did it to the BBC, for instance.
Bright_Ices@reddit
Similar but different: That time Nirvana refused to sing along to a pre-recorded back track on “Top of the Pops” in Britain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzRAZ1uS-Ao
net_zer0@reddit
As a band, sure, but the way the commenter about my original reply phrased it made it sound as though he changed the tune completely on his own without letting anyone else know who was playing with him. (It should be noted thag I haven't actually seen or heard the performance. If it was a solo performance then it doesnt matter as much. I'm mainly speaking to the way any other musicians who might've been playing with him could have felt if/when he switched up on them)
Bright_Ices@reddit
It was planned with the band, just not the SNL execs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD_24nDzkeo
TakingYourHand@reddit
It was before the song started, and they didn't change due to "Radio Radio," being more upbeat, but because "Less Than Zero," was about a racist British politician and irrelevant to USA viewers.
Bright_Ices@reddit
As the song started: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD_24nDzkeo
TooManyDraculas@reddit
A song he'd been told not to play because it was critical of the broadcast industry. And didn't just switch midsong, he called out that he'd been told not to play it live on the air.
Queasy_Animator_8376@reddit
Played Radio Radio instead of what was planned. It was in the 70s.
Non-Normal_Vectors@reddit
Lorne Michaels notoriously hates ad-libbing and not following the script
caiaphas8@reddit
Really? But how does live comedy work without some ad-lib?
segascream@reddit
Lorne's whole thing is keeping the show on track, which can mean cutting a sketch on the back half of the show if one in the first half goes long for some reason. So he schedules the entire show knowing he's only got 90 minutes of airtime to play with. So ad-libbing is fine, to a point.
He has always maintained that Costello was banned not because of the song choice, but because switching to an unapproved musical number like that threw off the timing for the rest of the show that night. I don't necessarily believe him that that's the only reason, but I think it certainly played a part.
AggravatingBobcat574@reddit
90 minutes minus 21 minutes worth of commercials.
comrade_zerox@reddit
He pulled a re-do when he "interrupted" a Beastie Boys performance, and had them be his backing band for "Radio Radio" 8n the late 90s or so
hoopermanish@reddit
Sabotage
CalmRip@reddit
Famous with a few boomer musicheads, too.
imalittlefrenchpress@reddit
I’m a young boomer, and I know who he is. I grew up in NYC and he was big in the NY music scene.
Bright_Ices@reddit
And some Xillenials, maybe even half of Millennials
Fred-Mertz2728@reddit
Hear,hear.
ProveISaidIt@reddit
I have two of his albums
davdev@reddit
Monster ate my Red 2 is a banger song
ELMUNECODETACOMA@reddit
And in the late 70s. I remember seeing the intro to his infamous 1977 appearance but didn't watch the whole thing as it wasn't my bag, baby.
hexadecimaldump@reddit
And older millennials. I didn’t find out about him until Austin Powers, but after that, and listened more, I really liked him.
Calculusshitteru@reddit
Austin Powers, and he has a song on The Wedding Singer soundtrack. "Everyday I Write The Book"
Test4Echooo@reddit
He made a cameo in Talladega Nights as well, which is one of the most American things he could’ve done lol.
kah43@reddit
He was on an episode of Two and a Half Men also playing himself.
Bright_Ices@reddit
There was a strangely high number of famous guys called Elvis in the '80s and '90s, and Costello was the most famous among them (even though his given name is Declan).
LexiD523@reddit
He also co-starred in Stephen Colbert's Christmas special.
porkbuttstuff@reddit
This right here. No idea until Austin powers.
maxsmom0821@reddit
Hey, he belongs to the young boomers. Watching the Detectives in 1977. I was 18.
joekryptonite@reddit
Join us on r/GenerationJones
We prefer to not be lumped in with old boomers. And, yes, we know this Elvis well, more than the other guy.
KevrobLurker@reddit
I can be so described. EC for Me, See!
I bought My Aim Is True in 1977 & have been a fan ever since.
Lothar_Ecklord@reddit
My parents are the last year of Boomer (depending which definition is used), and they’re the reason my Millennial ears enjoy his music to this day!
shelwood46@reddit
I am the first year of Gen X (1965) he was a major part of my teen soundtrack. And the book Less Than Zero references only his various songs (the movie, not so much).
sfdsquid@reddit
I was 4, but I got into him in high school. I haven't listened to him in awhile. I'm glad this thread reminded me. So many good songs.
Selling off all my physical media 20 years ago was a huge mistake. I forget to remember stuff.
GaiaIsaHarshMistress@reddit
I don't speak for y'all, I'm just saying the part I know.
Somethingisshadysir@reddit
Also for elder millennials
bearfootin_9@reddit
Also for late Boomers. I saw him in concert in 1979. Quite the expensive ticket for those days (US$25, I think.)
oldfarmjoy@reddit
I know every word of the King of America album. Yes, ALBUM! 😁
thatotterone@reddit
another Gen X weighing in:
YES!
*sets up a playlist immediately!*
bannana@reddit
ya, till that one incident.
susandeyvyjones@reddit
Elder millennials love him too
Help1Ted@reddit
Huh! Is this older Gen X? Although I’ve heard the name, I still don’t know who he is. After listening to some songs I can say I’ve never even heard him before.
Some-Cartographer942@reddit
You need to get out more. His music was all over the radio in 80s.
Lothar_Ecklord@reddit
You know, radio is a sound salvation and I’ve also heard it’s cleaning up the nation!
Nemoudeis@reddit
I say you'd better listen to the voice of reason. Lorne Michaels don't give you any choice, because he thinks that it's treason.
So you had better do as you are told, or he will ban you for that Reddit post.
nderdog_76@reddit
I'm younger Gen-X (I turn 50 in a couple weeks), and I definitely have known about Elvis Costello for decades. I believe my first exposure was from Austin Powers, but not really sure this many years later.
crtclms666@reddit
I love him. I think Every Day I Write the Book is my favorite.
Help1Ted@reddit
Ok, I looked up this scene. And actually remember it.
LiqdPT@reddit
His biggest US hit came out in 1989...
GrowlingAtTheWorld@reddit
You might have heard the song Veronica, it got a lot of air play.
GaiaIsaHarshMistress@reddit
'73 here. Saw him on MTV, heard him on radio.
Help1Ted@reddit
Interesting! I’m only 2 years younger, but can’t say I’ve heard his music before. At least not the songs I listened to.
ShadA612@reddit
Depends on where you grew up. If you had a good radio station playing alt. then you probably got some Elvis mixed in.
Help1Ted@reddit
I’ve definitely never heard the songs I listened to. Before looking him up I thought he was on an older sitcom. I didn’t even know he was a musician
paperblob@reddit
This young Boomer is also a big fan.
QuercusSambucus@reddit
And for millennials - I couldn't even name one of his songs, and I was born in 1982 so I'm just barely not genx.
KevRayAtl@reddit
And Gen Jones.
BreadStoreRefugee@reddit
Tru dat.
Ear_Enthusiast@reddit
Older Gen X. Younger Gen X knows who he is but not much about him.
EdgeCityRed@reddit
Yes. Saw him live (about...ten years ago?) great show.
Dorsai56@reddit
From Boomers on he's famous. "My Aim is True" came out in 1977, at the beginning of New Wave. He's perhaps a bit less well known from 2010-15 on, as younger listeners might not have known who he was.
theycallmethevault@reddit
Elder Millennial checking in, he’s famous to me too!
Willow_Winnifred@reddit
Blood & Chocolate is still one of my favorite albums!
WingHuge2185@reddit
Barely
jk_pens@reddit
Yep!
MondaleforPresident@reddit
He's quite well known, yes.
AggravatingBobcat574@reddit
TIL Elvis Costello isn’t American.
loweexclamationpoint@reddit
He was huge in the New Wave era. Considered a more serious musician, and more political lyrics, than Blondie or The Cars. I don't remember him having a lot (as in maybe none) of good videos on MTV. That was a big driver of fame in the day.
One thing that led to a decline in popularity was that he lost interest in the musical style that made him big in the first place. Made a country album, then some alt-rockish, then even some jazz. Oddly, hr never embraced rockabilly.
I went to an EC show on last year's tour. Unfortunately, the Milwaukee show where he sounded terrible. Audience was almost all boomers and Xers, a few brought their grandkids.
Upbeat_Call4935@reddit
“A few hits”? 🤣🤣
He’s a legend!
Saw him in concert a few months ago.
Leverkaas2516@reddit
Yes, he was famous in his heyday if not now. I wasn't aware he was from the UK.
Tabitheriel@reddit
Absolutely. I was a teen working after school cleaning the office of the Visiting Nurse Association. There was a sign in the ladies' toilet that said, "Watch Your Step", and I wrote with a marker above it, "You'd better", and underneath "-Elvis Costello". That was a laugh. I loved his songs, and his geeky look, even though I usually like hard rock.
VeronaMoreau@reddit
Millennial here. I know the name, but I couldn't name any of his songs off the top of my head.
1337b337@reddit
Yeah, he's a big name in the New Wave scene.
WannabeSteveHolt@reddit
I’d say he’s a very, very big deal among certain types of listeners (“rock snobs,” basically) who appreciate his clever lyrics and musical versatility. He was never a top 40 type success but his song “Pump It Up” seems to play on the PA system whenever I go to a sporting event. Could most people identify it as an Elvis Costello song? Nope.
AKA-Pseudonym@reddit
I'm a fan, and he's very famous, but if he was ever huge in the States it was pretty brief. I think the whole Ray Charles thing kind of killed his momentum.
BroCanWeGetLROTNOG@reddit
The most I can say is that I've heard of him
winterboo@reddit
Same. I’ve heard of him but couldn’t name a single one of his songs.
Small_Dog_8699@reddit
Alison
What’s So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding?
Radio Radio
Accindents Will Happen
Welcome to the Working Week
notacanuckskibum@reddit
Watching the detectives
Last years model
Ship building
Pump it up
Good year for the roses
I may own his greatest hits album
kah43@reddit
Oliver's Army
Small_Dog_8699@reddit
So many great tracks
Wallter139@reddit
I've... never heard of those.
PacSan300@reddit
I think “Allison” is the only song I know by him.
Mykidsfault@reddit
Veronica
lightupletterB@reddit
I’m a millennial and would be in the “I’ve only heard of him” camp, but I had a teacher in elementary school who would sing this one at me (because my name is Veronica)
I did not like the attention and I have avoided Elvis Costello on principle since then.
Spirited-Way2406@reddit
WTF! What kind of shit teacher would do that!
Mykidsfault@reddit
I can sympathize. I can’t count how many people have sung “867-5309” at me and thought they were so clever.
bloobityblu@reddit
Oh, hey Jenny!
I've got your number!
(Sorry had to. I got sang "Barbara Ann" growing up, all the time, myself.)
GrowlingAtTheWorld@reddit
It’s not a happy song to sing to a child.
slugboi@reddit
Oh man, if forgotten about this song, but now I am reminded of that depressing-ass video that kicked me deep in the nuts of my fear of my own mortality.
hoopermanish@reddit
Watching the Detectives. Oliver’s Army. Welcome to the Working Week. All kinds of goodies lurking in his catalogue.
No-Koala1918@reddit
Give the album This Year's Model a listen.
shelwood46@reddit
The various Best of albums give a pretty nice overview.
Sir_Auron@reddit
Best Of albums give you a high level overview of an artist but there's no real rhyme or reason to song order or marriage of theme.
My Aim is True, Armed Forces, and Imperial Bedroom are all very good albums, but This Year's Model is as close to a flawless album as I've ever heard.
No-Koala1918@reddit
They do. It's just I like every song on TYM. Every one. That's not common.
cghipp@reddit
Every day I write the book
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
As I said above, I'm not a super duper in depth music fan but I've heard of Elvis Costello. However, I'd be hard-pressed to name a song. I haven't really recognized any of the other people have mentioned but that one I totally recognize.
🎶 Every day,
every day,
every day I write the book
I can hear the rhythm in my head.
ubiquitous-joe@reddit
Yep, you’ve got it.
“Watching the Detectives” has a distinctive opening musically which you might recognize more than the lyrics. For comics fans, it’s also quoted in Watchmen (the book).
His cover of “She” from Notting Hill you might know without realizing it. I don’t even really know the lyrics, I just recognize the rhythm of the phrasing.
He pops up in several movies thru the 80s and 90s. Including actually appearing in Austin Powers 2.
Semi-Pros-and-Cons@reddit
"Even in a perfect world, where everyone was equal, I would still own the film rights and be working on the sequel."
I always thought that lines was really funny.
JosephBlowsephThe3rd@reddit
Pump It Up is the only song of his I know of by name, and that's because I watched PCU a good bit on Comedy Central in the 90s.
Mackie_Messy@reddit
What's So Funny About Peace, Love, and Unnnnderstaaanding??
nickalit@reddit
A Nick Lowe song, but Elvis's version is the one I heard first.
pacododo@reddit
Days. One of my favorite songs.
toomanyracistshere@reddit
If you’re talking about the song I think you’re talking about, his version is a cover. The original is by the Kinks.
appleparkfive@reddit
His debut album is really, really good. I'd highly recommend it. Completely different style than I was expected. I never gave him a shot because I expected a sort of mellow kind of thing. Instead it's this really energetic and angry sound
Help1Ted@reddit
Same! Before looking him up I was guessing he was a comedian or actor.
Innuendo64_@reddit
You might have been thinking of comedian/actor Lou Costello
BroCanWeGetLROTNOG@reddit
Adding that I'm Gen Z
kah43@reddit
If you have good taste he is.
DesignByChance@reddit
Yep, pretty famous in the USA. My favorite artist of all time.
Alarmed-Cod-7606@reddit
Feel like he's bigger in the US than the UK. No one really mentions him in the UK. He used to appear in lots of American tv shows and films in the 90s.
Brilliant_Dig_8962@reddit
The Simpsons?? Pffttt: he had a couple of cameos on Frasier!
dapperdavy@reddit
He also appeared in Frasier
Spirited-Way2406@reddit
Thank you for the flowers; I threw them on the fire, And I burned the photographs that you had enclosed...
The hours I spent trying to write down the lyrics to the latest Elvis Costello while the song was playing--before you could just look them up!
Tristan_Booth@reddit
I'm 64, and I was at his first Phoenix concert (in the Symphony Hall, no less).
Honest_Road17@reddit
Right up there with Joe Jackson and Billy Bragg for late 80's "Modern Rock" radio format.
Fuzzy-Advisor-2183@reddit
oh, joe jackson! love him too!
xXselfhaircutXx@reddit
I’ll be honest I thought he was American, that’s how well he’s known.
Wonderful-Ad5713@reddit
Face the deep, dark, truthful mirror and you'll have your answer.
Wen60s@reddit
Yes, back when.
caesarhb@reddit
YES! I love him to bits
nosidrah@reddit
The only album I ever bought based on television appearance. Saw him on SNL and bought it the next day. I probably still have it.
leeloocal@reddit
Do you mean Declan McManus, world famous art and jewel thief?
Penguin_Scout@reddit
I came here for this. Thank you.
soupcan314@reddit
MILTON GREENE MILTON GREENE MILTON GREENE MILTON GREENE MILTON GREE-EE-EENE
He needs a kidney!
Accomplished-End-799@reddit
This song lives in my head with too much frequency. And it's different parts that pop in. That part, A hand would be a much harder thing to give, and the amazing Beastie Boys dog math are the most common haha
phoenixRisen1989@reddit
I’m one of the drunk ones!
soupcan314@reddit
Yeah, that’s right. I’m the only one getting paid.
PrestigiousSmile4098@reddit
Napoleon Dynamite?!
leeloocal@reddit
No, I mean Declan McManus.
PrestigiousSmile4098@reddit
I was referring to the pseudonym he used on Blood & Chocolate (1982 album) LOL
PepinoPicante@reddit
I’m one of the drunk ones.
PeculiarExcuse@reddit
Jewel thief??
ccroy2001@reddit
Elvis Costello and the Attractions “Armed Forces” was one of the first LPs I bought. I must have been 13 or 14? I really got into New Wave, and some Punk (Mainly X b/c I grew up in Los Angeles). Most of my friends were into Metal. I would think a lot of us that were teens in the late 70s, early 80’s would know who he was if you mentioned him today. He’s still performing.
MattieShoes@reddit
He was well known. I'd say if you're age 45+, you mostly likely know him, that he's a singer, might recognize a song, etc.
The younger you get from there, the less likely for somebody to know. Like unless mom was a fan, maybe you've never heard of him -- that sort of thing.
imperial1968@reddit
I have his first three albums on vinyl
Standard-Outcome9881@reddit
I remember him being on the radio and MTV quite a bit in the 1980s.
Similar-Chip@reddit
Yeah as a younger millennial who knows him through my boomer dad I really like My Aim Is True, but Veronica is the only one of his songs I'd expect people my age to know.
spintool1995@reddit
That's literally the only song of his I'm familiar with. I'm in my 50s, mid Gen X. I just listened to a couple of his other supposedly famous songs and realized I've never heard them before. I knew his name before Veronica, but I think because he's the kind of quirky musician other musicians appreciate so he gets mentioned a lot.
jk_pens@reddit
One of his most approachable songs perhaps because it was a collab with Paul McCartney.
G1431c@reddit
Absolutely
Mundane_Wombat_2446@reddit
Born and raised in Nebraska, USA. My son is named Declan because of Elvis Costello. Also adore Diana Krall.
NPHighview@reddit
Reasonably well known. Both for his own music, and for being married to a pretty well known jazz vocalist.
Boring_Kiwi_6446@reddit
I recall seeing him in a Friends episode.
Parking_Champion_740@reddit
Yes among a certain type of Gen X people he was popular. I wasn’t ever too crazy about him myself
ImportanceNational23@reddit
Always wondered if he did what he said he’d do in Tramp the Dirt Down.
MrRaspberryJam1@reddit
I’ve heard of him but I wouldn’t be able to tell you a song
redheadMInerd2@reddit
I have been a fan of his for over 40 years. He’s an amazing musician and writer.
Hamiltoncorgi@reddit
Elvis Costello has been famous and his music listened to starting in the late 70s. Younger Boomer's and Gen X mostly, but older millennials may also know who he is. He had several songs that were played heavily on US radio and videos on MTV.
comrade_zerox@reddit
In general, hes the kind of artist thats popular amongst "serious" music people, but the general public not so much
Calaveras-Metal@reddit
He had a few top 10 hits. But mostly he was a critics darling. They loved his writing and he was punk adjacent enough to have street cred.
And there were his two peformances on SNL. The one of radio that got him banned, and the one with the Beastie Boys that introduced him to a new generation.
the_vole@reddit
He used a very bad word in the city that I live in, and his introspection afterwards lead to Get Happy!! That album 100% owns.
That being said, it came out two years before I was born, and 37 years before I moved to this city, and it’s a very very bad word, but it’s neat to know that his life (and music) changed for the better in my town.
comrade_zerox@reddit
It certain circles. Quite popular amongst gen x folks who fit alot of hipster stereotypes. My friend's dad was really into him, and he introduced us to Costello's music back when we were teenagers almost 20 years ago.
I'm hardly a devotee, but I've seen him live at a music festival and he puts on a decent show.
Pop singer Olivia Rodrigo took alot of inspiration from "Pump It Up" on her song "Brutal" and I've enjoyed sharing that fact with my young students (im a guitar teacher), so theres definitely teenager today who vaugly know he exists
02meepmeep@reddit
He was somewhat popular in the 80’s I think. I never really got into his stuff.
tlollz52@reddit
Millennial here. Only people I've met who liked him are my friends parents lol.
I think he's great though.
Monthra77@reddit
Amongst the Gen-x music nerds he has/had a pretty solid following. Not quite a mainstream household name even though he cracked into it a few times but a sizable following. Not a lot of top 40 hits but sells out every live show he plays.
Your favorite musician’s, favorite musician comes to mind.
Crazy-Squash9008@reddit
Thousands of girls named Alison after that song say yes. 😄
notthegoatseguy@reddit
I've seen him twice, once was one of the best concerts of my life.
He's a bit infamous for his 'ban' from SNL when he played a song besides the song he rehearsed for, and played Radio, Radio instead. 20+ years later he 'sabotaged' a Beastie Boys performance and they launched into Radio, Radio
Low_Roller_Vintage@reddit
I saw that same lineup in 07, I think? Elvis Costello was amazing! I was only 21 then, my exposure to him was kind of limited, now I'm a big fan.
Dylan oddly had a very off night too...
notthegoatseguy@reddit
Yep. I think it was a college/university tour. I saw it at IU-Bloomington.
Ad_Infinitum99@reddit
At Assembly Hall. Dylan sounded like a caricature of himself. Elvis was great.
Low_Roller_Vintage@reddit
Columbus, OH. 🙃
CupcakeSeaShanty@reddit
Dylan has been having an off night for the last 20 years. Love the guy, but yeah...0
appleparkfive@reddit
Not true. He has 30% bad shows, 67% neutral shows, and 3% amazing shows. Those are the rules. I don't make em.
I saw one of those good amazing ones, once. He stood front and center, sang very well, played songs I could actually recognize, all that. Spoke a little bit even. It was 2016. He was doing the Shadows in the Night material. If anyone listens to it, they'll notice that he sounds like the young Bob Dylan grew old. Sings better there than other albums.
Outside of that, I've seen one neutral show (last few years) and one terrible show (the 2000s, his worst performance period by most accounts. Saw him as a teen, hated it)
CommercialExotic2038@reddit
I remember Bonnie Raitt beat him up in a bar in the seventies
Zealousideal_Draw_94@reddit
IDK if it’s because he was the other Elvis, but I had heard of him long before I ever heard his songs.
I actually heard 1995 Duran Duran’s cover of ‘Watching the Detectives’ and really liked it. My roommate then Turned me on to a few of his other songs.
Sad_Sympathy_9432@reddit
In college (82-86) me and all of my loved Elvis Costello. I still know the words to quite a few songs. A lot of them what we listened to was from the UK
Whatever-ItsFine@reddit
"Everyday I Write the Book" was everywhere in 1983 or so. What a great bassline too.
Narrow_Lake_9651@reddit
I bought his first six albums, starting with My Aim Is True. I remember when he got banned from SNL for playing " Radio, Radio ".
RikkiLostMyNumber@reddit
Yes, but maybe mostly among GenX given the time of his greatest notoriety. I'm a fan.
Somethingisshadysir@reddit
Also elder millennials
BrooklynGurl135@reddit
I am a boomer/Generation Jones and have his first two LPs, which came out in 1977 and 1978. He was one of the most popular New Wave musicians, up there with Talking Heads, Blondie, the Cars and the B-52s. I loved that genre and still do.
HorusClerk@reddit
Boomer/Jones here: I have the first *eight*, including a couple I bought in the last year.
I also have his album of songs he wrote with Burt Bacharach, which is amazing. (Growing up, I was annoyed by Bacharach because my mother loved his stuff. I’m sure she was not a Costello fan!)
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
Yeah, they all whipped it good.
BigOil88@reddit
Generation Jones as well. Yeah people had heard of him if they paid attention to the radio - music. And listen to the FM album stations perhaps. Some of the smaller towns and rural areas didn’t get air wave diversity country may be a rock station, not album oriented, and then maybe a pop station. And then some adult Herb Albert type stuff stuff. So he was a little bit less common because he wasn’t completely top 40 popor rock. But the album credits really liked his stuff. And his records were definitely reviewed in the trendier magazines.
So if you listened to albums or FM rock, watch SNL you probably heard of him. You listen to top hits and hits rock maybe not so much.
Non-Normal_Vectors@reddit
Arguably the best show I ever saw was Elvis Costello in 82.
Fairly well known, had a bunch of songs in regular rotation on US radio since the beginning.
erilaz7@reddit
His cameo in Spice World — a scene about the fleeting nature of fame — had me laughing out loud!
TooManyDraculas@reddit
He's been a critical darling for his whole career. But while he's had a number of songs in the top 100 charts, he's only had one in the top 20.
He subbed in for David Letterman somewhat regularly in the 00s, including for a long run when Letterman was ill. And while his own talk show in the late 00s was a UK/Canadian production. It was apparently more successful here in the US. His 1977 appearance on Saturday Night Live is a bit legendary, and he was recognizable enough to cameo as himself in Austin Powers as a bit of cross promotion for his album with Burt Bacharach.
So he's reasonably well know, definitely quite famous. But he was never the biggest artist going here. He tours regularly and tends towards large theaters rather than arenas. The kinda guy that doesn't headline a music festival, but anchors like day 2.
dylan651977@reddit
he’s famous but in a way best exemplified by David Lee Roth’s quote—“rock critics love Elvis Costello because he looks like a rock critic.” it’s not entirely fair but it’s also not inaccurate. most fans with a deeper knowledge of his catalog probably had to listen to college radio in the ‘80s to hear him.
SBG214@reddit
Saw him at the Ryman quite a few years ago and he was terrific. Rocked the house! A lasting favorite since the early 80s.
Longjumping-Ad8065@reddit
Mr Diana Krall!
Deep_Joke3141@reddit
Saw him perform a couple of years ago. He had the coolest on stage persona I’ve ever seen.
makestuff24-7@reddit
Geriatric millennials know him best from his duet with Fiona Apple, but Gen X know him well.
unparked@reddit
About Elvis Costello, David Lee Roth said, "Music journalists love Elvis Costello and hate me because they look like Elvis Costello."
El_Culero_Magnifico@reddit
He’s pretty dang famous to me, but I aint no spring chicken..
ghjm@reddit
People have heard of him (if they're old enough) but can't name an actual song of his.
EBweB76@reddit
I’m GenX, with boomer parents and siblings who were much older so I’m typically very well-versed in a large span of media eras, but I’ve always been confused who Elvis Costello is.
figsslave@reddit
This boomer is a fan
LastCookie3448@reddit
I don’t think he’d get mobbed walking down the street, at his peak he wasn’t getting a ton of play on mainstream pop stations, and he wasn’t in *heavy* rotation on MTV, but there is a solid chunk of Generation Jones, GenX, and some kids of GenX, who like him and will gladly go to his shows. Personally, I love him.
Contrarily@reddit
Certainly more famous than Robbie Williams.
Shoddy-Secretary-712@reddit
I am a millennial, born in 87, and I listen to music older than me 90% of the time.
I read this and immediately thought, of course he is. Then I realized I cant name a single Elvis Costello song. But I do know what he looks like.
MundaneHuckleberry58@reddit
I’ve known his music since the 90s but I have always been into “alternative” & indie bands….so I’m kinda an outlier. But he’s definitely not obscure.
limbodog@reddit
I mean, he was in Austin Powers 2...
Veronica was big for a while. But I think outside of my generation he's not well known.
Otney@reddit
Yes.
UltraShadowArbiter@reddit
Who?
RepresentativeAir149@reddit
Who?
Ethanhuntknows@reddit
Late 70s and into the 80s at university he was rocking…
kcdaren@reddit
He had potential and then out of the blue he thought that singing Bacharach was a good career choice. It wasnt!
Decent_Cow@reddit
I'm relatively young and I know nothing about him. I think I've heard the name but I couldn't name a single song of his.
Perdendosi@reddit
He's won multiple grammys, worked with some of the best in the industry, written amazing songs, and is in the rock and roll hall of fame.
But his music doesn't get airplay (it's certainly not attractive to mainstream pop or rock stations), he hasn't had a gold-record selling album since 1979, and he doesn't do TV, commercial slop, or lots of public appearances.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Costello_discography
So people who know music, especially indie, or 70s-style rock singer-songwriter, stuff will of course know him and lots of his music. But the average current American may just know his name.
spintool1995@reddit
He's kind of an eclectic guy that other musicians appreciate, so he got mentioned a lot in the musical press and by the creative types that make TV shows.
theHAREST@reddit
He was a household name although maybe not so much anymore, I wouldn't be surprised if Gen Z didn't know him. But I'm a younger millenial and I definitely know of him, even though I've never really listened to him
bloobityblu@reddit
Yeah, he's pretty well known. Weird that he's not as well known in the UK.
meestah_meelah@reddit
He was also in Frasier AND his original stage name was…Napoleon Dynamite so he was played by Joaquin Phoenix in that Ridley Scott movie a couple of years ago.
Grafakos@reddit
He was on fire during that first decade, from his debut album to Blood and Chocolate. Eleven albums plus two odds and ends collections that could well have been albums in their own right. Only a few duds.
TheJokersChild@reddit
Not the best-known but adored by those who do know him. My Aim Is True is new-wave canon - great first album. He was infamous for being banned from Saturday Night Live by switching songs at the last minute. And he's married to American chanteuse Diana Krall, so he's likely got some jazz fans crossing into his circle from that.
I do wish his talk show Spectacle were better known.
cellrdoor2@reddit
For Gen X probably? I saw him two years back handing out candy for Halloween with Steve Buscemi and while most people knew Buscemi I saw very few younger people that seemed to recognize Costello.
TritoMike@reddit
He was a little before my time, but I knew the name and got more into his music after watching the documentary where he was one of the people making The New Basement Tapes.
jungl3j1m@reddit
I’m Gen Jones and I’ve seen him live.
Mayor_of_BBQ@reddit
Elvis Costello is a guy who is very well respected and well known, but doesn’t have a huge fan base based on a bunch of hit songs.
I think a lot of people (at least in america) perceive him as culturally relevant and influential, even if they can’t name more than 1-2 songs of his (I can only think of Pump it Up and Allison at the moment but I know i’d recognize a bunch more if i heard them).
A good parallel might be like Grateful Dead… everyone has heard of them and knows they were a big deal, but those who aren’t big fans only have heard Truckin, Casy Jones, and Touch of Gray.
I’m a gen-x indie music nut and i love a lot of british groups. I’ve never gotten into Costello and consider him ‘not my cup of tea’ but I know he’s important or well regarded in that space
Aggravating-Kick-967@reddit
Not to be confused with Costello Presley
One_Recover_673@reddit
He had limited commercial success and his biggest hit wasn’t a big hit. But he was an exceptional talent had lots of name recognition but dude wasn’t filling arenas.
Like Jack White-ish. Uber talent. You know the name. Everyone wants to play with him…but he plays Theatres
lantana98@reddit
I loved him!
Wonderful_Shower_793@reddit
I’m aware of his name, but not his work. However, I was in my 20s before I ever heard Sweet Caroline and people think that is really weird. So I’m not a barometer.
kwiltse123@reddit
I would say he's borderline. Not famous, but known.
life_experienced@reddit
Elvis Costello isn't famous in the UK?
Flat_Tumbleweed_2192@reddit
Elvis Costello was very famous in the 80s and 90s. I loved him and had over 6 of his albums. I went to several concerts. He played huge venues and went on national tours.
TheGreatTiger@reddit
He was in Austin Powers 2 along with Burt Bacharach. But somehow he was a blind spot in my musical exposure.
RodeoBoss66@reddit
Famous to knowledgeable American music fans in the late 70s and 80s, but not VERY famous to the general public. Most Americans who lived during that time could not name one of his songs without looking them up, unless they happen to be a fan of his. He never had a Top 10 hit. The fact that his name was a combination of Elvis Presley and Lou Costello engendered a rather bizarre impression.
jda404@reddit
I've never heard of him. Just listened to the beginning of a few his top songs (according to Spotify) and none I recognized. I was born in 1990 so kinda just missed when he was big, and guess my parents and family didn't listen to him.
Looks like I am in the minority in this thread though. Seems many do know him.
Maurice_Foot@reddit
He is for me.
/ancient gen-x fuk who likes old music
EnthusiasmAny8485@reddit
Love him!!! Seen him in concert in Florida twice
Federal-Membership-1@reddit
Massive presence on the radio in the 80s in Philly.
Cats-And-Brews@reddit
He’s awesome! Saw him multiple times live.
magpie13@reddit
As an American I first heard him in the movie "Americathon". For years I assumed he was American and was a huge fan. He doesn't sing with an accent and looked like a comic book nerd. I've seen him live multiple times now and still not convinced he's a Brit.
notonrexmanningday@reddit
Yes. Very very famous.
I've seen him live a few times, once opening for the Rolling Stones at Soldier Field
normiepitbullmom@reddit
He is so much that I didn’t even know he was from the UK!!
TheJunkmother@reddit
Not as famous as I thought for a second, because I mixed him up with Eric Clapton.
JosephBlowsephThe3rd@reddit
Elvis Costello is certainly more famous with US audiences than whoever that British singer is that had the recent biopic starring one of the background apes from the modern Planet of the Apes movies.
Ok-Flight-1504@reddit
I know one song by him - “The Other Side of Summer”.
ubiquitous-joe@reddit
Yes. You have to say his full name, because “Elvis” is the Elvis, but Elvis Costello was quite known. Less by Gen Z, but even many of them will have heard of him. Infamous for an SNL stunt. Had several songs in movies through the 90s, including appearing in Austin Powers 2. You’d see him on American talk shows from time to time.
TheJunkmother@reddit
Famous enough, at least with my wife. My daughter is named Layla.
TTHS_Ed@reddit
I know him as Diana Krall's husband.
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
Yes, but I'm old and listen to a lot of 80s alternative and new wave.
carry_the_way@reddit
Define "very famous." At the height of his fame, was he a household name? No. But he was pretty big in the US, especially if you were into punk and new wave, and most people that were into rock music would have at least known the name well in the 1990s.
He's been on major labels, so..."famous," for sure, "successful" definitely, but not to the level that everyone could identify his music.
As a Black kid in the 80s, I grew up being told what he had to say about Ray Charles, so I've always thought he could get effed. But he wrote some good songs, I guess.
skadi_shev@reddit
Yes he is a household name
AjoiteSky@reddit
I've been to one of his concerts.
pikkdogs@reddit
For a short time in. the 90s. I’ve heard folks talk about him, yet couldn’t tell you a single song.
MadiMarionberry@reddit
My Dad loves his stuff, but I couldn’t name a single song
Fire_Mission@reddit
Vaguely. GenX. I knew who he was but couldn't name a song. My kids don't know who he is.
Forward_Tank8310@reddit
Pump It Up, Alison & Watching The Detectives were hits in the U.S. in 1977. I can’t say I’ve heard any of his music since then. I know Linda Ronstadt. Can’t covered three or four of his songs.
OldJames47@reddit
Old Millennial/Young Gen Xer, the cool kids knew Elvis Costello
tmckearney@reddit
He was very good in concert. I saw a concert with him and Bob Dylan.
He went first. He was great. Bob. Dylan followed him and was horrible. I left
IconoclastExplosive@reddit
He was, about 40 years ago, but dropped off pretty hard after the SNL switchup
Agamenticus72@reddit
Definitely loved by many here
Otherwise-OhWell@reddit
I'm a fan. Gen X.
EtchingsOfTheNight@reddit
I'd say he's maybe B- name recognition here. Depending on your age, where you live, how into music you are. I've heard of him and could name a few songs, but I doubt my mom has heard of him.
BioDriver@reddit
He was in the 70s to early 90s, so Gen X probably knows of him. I know he played on SNL a few times before Lorne blacklisted him for some reason
shelwood46@reddit
lol it was a pretty good reason
BioDriver@reddit
Just looked it up. Absolute legend
___HeyGFY___@reddit
I'm 56. I'm somewhat familiar with him, but I don't know many songs other than his hits. His catalog will be an interesting deep dive.
scoschooo@reddit
Super huge star in rock and on the radio in his time. Anyone over 56 will probably know him.
El-Viking@reddit
Probably not famous but, at least, a household name in my generation (xennial). Gen X definitely knew the name, at least. Millennials probably less so. In the Gen X/older xennial crowd I'd say, 90% knew the song "Veronica", 75% knew the name Elvis Costello, 35% knew Costello sang Veronica, and 8% could name another Costello song.
I'd be kinda curious to see what actual poll numbers would come back (as opposed to the numbers I just made up) but I ain't got time for that.
razzberrytori@reddit
Yes. I know his music from the radio my mom would listen to. (62/82)
Ponchyan@reddit
Yes. I bought My Aim Is True when it was his new release. Saw him on his first U.S. tour. He still tours here regularly. I still listen to his recordings.
shelwood46@reddit
He was pretty big here in the late 70s/early 80s. I am Gen X, love him, along with Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds and Squeeze and all that crowd. I still have a ton of his songs (sung by him and/or written by him) on my playlists. His performance on SNL is legendary. Alison was a pretty big hit here, it is, in fact, well known.
Traditional_Trust418@reddit
Yes, Elvis is very famous. My grandma was in love with him and would play his music all the time. She'd always brag that she'd met him in person
BriefQuantity1931@reddit
Famous enough to be in the Simpsons!!!
JellyfishFit3871@reddit
Older GenX. He wasn't like Michael Jackson or Madonna huge, but most people my age knew/know him and recognize at least one or two of his songs.
I'm a huge fan.
lovemesomezombie@reddit
Seen him 3 times in Orange County, CA. He played with Eddie Vedder and Lana Del Ray the last time I saw him at a festival. IMO, as a Gen X'er, he is famous here.
cool_weed_dad@reddit
I believe he was pretty big in the 80’s. A bit before my time but I’m aware of him and have heard a couple songs.
I’m not sure most younger people would know who he is.
Jolee5@reddit
I'd say yes. But probably not so much with the younger folks.
sfdsquid@reddit
Another GenX Elvis Costello fan here.
Durham1988@reddit
59 y/o from the Midwest and yes, he's one of my lifelong favorite artists. He's always been popular in the US.
Radar1980@reddit
Gen X - dudes a legend.
SteelGemini@reddit
Famous enough for me to recognize his name, know that he's famous for music, and yet for me to be completely unfamiliar with his work.
rumpledshirtsken@reddit
Imperial Bedroom and King of America are among my favorite albums. I had most of his stuff through around KOA, but *mostly* stopped buying new stuff from anyone several years after KOA.
Saw him solo (and his guitar army), front row, way back when (Thanks, George, if you're out here!).
No_Seaworthiness8176@reddit
Adding to the GenX endorsement. I still listen to him, "Veronica" is one of my personal top 20 favorites.
In the 90s he did a guest appearance on the tv show Frasier as a cafe musician that drove the title character out of his usual cafe.
G00dSh0tJans0n@reddit
Honestly I'd never heard of him until I saw Lost In Translation
loveshercoffee@reddit
I'm 57 and yep.
New-Process-52@reddit
Elvis is.
ScatterTheReeds@reddit
Yes, very, back in the ‘80s
LowCress9866@reddit
He's a few decades past his prime now, but yes, he was rather popular in the 20th century
benz58@reddit
Boomer says, very famous.
21stCenturyJanes@reddit
Yes, he was very popular. Probably younger people today haven't heard of him but anyone around in the 80's did. We loved him.
GrowlingAtTheWorld@reddit
I love Elvis Costello.
SameBodybuilder3263@reddit
Elvis Costello and the Attractions rock!
YarnSp1nner@reddit
My dad roadied for him during a US tour! My dad refuses to talk about that time I'm his life because he was basically a womanizing alcoholic, but he said elvis was not only an amazing artist, but also a generally good dude.
My dad also refuses to talk about the 6 months he spent in a cult, but admits he quit when the cult stopped doing drugs so they could be more pure.
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
Your father should do an AMA. It doesn't sound like he'd want to, though.
YarnSp1nner@reddit
Yeah he says he's not proud of that stuff. Seems fair.
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
It does.
drumzandice@reddit
Yes, I would say he’s very popular here. He’s one of my favorite artists.
anneofgraygardens@reddit
Yes. My boomer dad was a HUGE fan. I grew up listening to his songs all the time. I could sing along to most of his discography very easily.
jessek@reddit
He was about as famous as other big new wave musicians like Talking Heads, Blondie, etc. were. Not Michael Jackson famous, but he was played on most rock radio stations and was on MTV a lot back in the 80s.
kreativegaming@reddit
What you gonna ask next? Is Elton John or tinnie tempah famous? Yes, we have YouTube we can watch your television shows.
itdoes_doesntit@reddit
He was famous in US in the 80s (late Boomer/Gen Jones here)
Toad_da_Unc@reddit
More fame-ish
Cock--Robin@reddit
Tail end of the boomer generation (aka “Gen Jones”) here. I saw him live in a dive bar in Birmingham in 1978. He was big for people my age.
sundial11sxm@reddit
Yes, for Gen X, but his wife is possibly more known than he is these days.
Puzzleheaded_Age6550@reddit
Gen Jones weighing in. Yes, we heard him, I saw him live ((I think 1980 or 81?).
PTO_OLDTIMER@reddit
GenXer here, lord how I loved Elvis Costello. Still get that feeling when I hear one of his songs.
Current_Poster@reddit
I remember when MTV was a relatively new network, they showed a LOT of Elvis Costello. So in that time period, I expect a lot of people would know who he was (at least in a certain age-range). There was a big deal where he decided (mid performance on Saturday Night Live) to switch songs mid-performance, and they still sometimes refer to it during anniversary shows and so on.
Do, say, Gen-Z people know who he is? No idea.
poundmycake@reddit
I love him bc my dad really loved him
cardifan@reddit
Gen X here. Grew up listening to Elvis Costello and will still go see him play when he's in town.
L_canadensis@reddit
Met him in Nashville. Nice guy.
ashleyfoy@reddit
I am 43 and have loved lots of Elvis Costello, like owned full albums on CD and listened through the whole thing on repeat in my 20s. I think he was on Sesame Street at some point too
PlayingDoomOnAGPS@reddit
He also had a cameo in Austin Powers.
No_Treacle_1130@reddit
Boomer here. He's famous.
Former-Fig-9686@reddit
Yes. He was well known.
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
Here's a data point. I've never been super big into music my whole life but I was alive in the seventies and eighties and I know who Elvis Costello is. I meannot really clearly, I couldn't give you a lot of details, but his name is totally recognizable.
Anchovypirate@reddit
Very famous, no. Niche famous, yes And more famous for Gen X age bracket.
SadieGeorge01@reddit
Saw him in concert twice in a market where there wasn’t much action. Gen X
JustAnotherDay1977@reddit
Famous? Yes.
Very famous? For a time he was.
Equivalent-Pin-4759@reddit
For anyone listening to rock in the late 70’s and into the 80’s, yes. The fact that he played on SNL 4 times should be enough.
AtheneSchmidt@reddit
I recognize the name but I can't recall any of his songs off the top of my head. I'm usually ok with music going back to the late 40s and early 50s, but I admit the 70s are an era I tend to know a lot less about.
However, the fact that I know his name is enough to indicate that he was decently popular in the US.
TheBoss2777@reddit
He’s my dogs favorite artist. If I ever put on one of his records she comes to sit in the room. I don’t know why
CoachOpen1977@reddit
The other Elvis!
Neuvirths_Glove@reddit
He's pretty well known, yeah. Had a few big hits on the American side of the pond. Watching the Detectives (an absolute banger), Alison, Pump It Up, Radio Radio, Accidents Will Happen, Everyday I Write the Book were all pretty well known hits in their day and I would say I still here the first couple here and there.
She's filing her nails while they're dragging the lake....
ChalkLicker@reddit
Oh yes
Terrible-Image9368@reddit
I’ve never heard of him
AlltheFerns@reddit
I’d say famous but not very famous. I’m Gen X and I definitely know the name but I have no idea what he looks like or sang.
skyedearmond@reddit
Elder millennial here (1984), and my friends and I listened to plenty of Costello. But we were also somewhat audiophiles. Primarily into the hardcore/punk/metal/indy scene(s), but our tastes were all over the place. Costello is/was just good jams.
Massive_Dirt1577@reddit
Yes. Less so now but anyone who is passing familiar with pop music in the 1980s knows his hits.
misanthropymajor@reddit
Yes he was very famous here.
donuttrackme@reddit
Not for recent generations, but yes he used to be pretty big in the US a couple decades ago.
Ghoulish_kitten@reddit
Yes in the ‘80s, and among the cool crowd.
He is undeniably great IMO.
LopsidedGrapefruit11@reddit
For my age and musical preferences, absolutely. For your average 15 year old? Probably not.
tuberlord@reddit
I'm in my mid 40s. Most people I know like his music but that's about as far as it goes. I haven't met anyone who'd describe themselves as a fan. I also hadn't met anyone who hates what he does either.
Vandal_A@reddit
He was, but you're a couple generations late
anonymouse278@reddit
"Very" famous is hard to quantify. But I would be more surprised to find out an adult between the ages of, say, 35 and 65 hadn't heard of him. He was never a superstar, but he was much more than a one-hit wonder.
Probably not well-known among Gen Z and younger.
syncopatedchild@reddit
My dad was really into him, but I couldn't name an Elvis Costello song of the top of my head.
No_Perspective_242@reddit
I know the name would not recognize the face
Woodinvillian@reddit
He was well known for Generation Jones
SmallKillerCrow@reddit
I knew him growing up from lilo and stitch
Donohoed@reddit
If he did comedy sketches with Abbott then yeah, if not then I have no idea who that is
biggreasyrhinos@reddit
Depends how old you are.
44035@reddit
Yes, legendary controversial appearance on Saturday Night Live, a fixture on early MTV, the kind of artist your pretentious older brother loved. He was part of that wave (let's call it a New Wave) of acts like The Police and Talking Heads and Blondie that were like a breath of fresh air.
GiantRobotBears@reddit
Legitimately only know him because of Austin Powers.
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Elvis Costello…”
FargoJack@reddit
Late boomer checking in. Yes, he's famous (in my circles at least). Allison, Oliver's Army - great.
azyoungblood@reddit
He was on MTV a lot in the 80s. I’d love to have the opportunity to see him live.
adkredsoxfan@reddit
For a guy whose biggest hit in the US barely cracked the top 20, he's pretty well known (though he did have four top tens, including two number ones, on the alternative charts).
WidderWillZie@reddit
For an "obscure" British singer, the fact that I instantly go to 200 Cigarettes and the Steven Colbert Christmas Special, he does alright in the US.
ABelleWriter@reddit
Gen X here, and absolutely yes!
seifd@reddit
I mostly know him because he was in that Austin Powers movie.
Narrow_Roof_112@reddit
Back in college in Chicago in the 80s we wore those records out. Knew a guy who claimed he saw him 20 times!
NervousDogFarts@reddit
He was more popular in the 80-90’s. As a late-Gen X kid, my mom introduced me to him in the 80’s.
I saw him play a free set at Amoeba Records in San Francisco around 2009. That was fun. It wasn’t super packed. He sounded really good.
NorwegianBlueBells@reddit
I saw him play at my college in Chicago in the late 80s, and then saw him again probably about 35 years later at an outdoor venue in Vermont.
My wife, who is pretty ignorant about music, at the Vermont concert asked me if he was going to play the only song of his she knows, “… something about the detectives.”
“Yeah, Honey, that’s ’Watching the Detectives,’ and he just finished playing it.”
she-dont-use-jellyyy@reddit
Pretty famous, yeah. His wife might be more famous than he is though.
UncleAlbondiga@reddit
Who is his wife?
NorwegianBlueBells@reddit
I saw him play at my college in Chicago in the late 80s, and then saw him again probably about 35 years later at an outdoor venue in Vermont.
My wife, who is pretty ignorant about music, at the Vermont concert asked me if he was going to play the only song of his she knows, “… something about the detectives.”
“Yeah, Honey, that’s ’Watching the Detectives,’ and he just finished playing it.”
steelfork@reddit
Diana Krall
UncleAlbondiga@reddit
I looked it up, I had never heard of her
steelfork@reddit
Maybe there should be a post: Is/was Diana Krall very famous in the USA?
TheEvilOfTwoLessers@reddit
A lot of people in certain age ranges know him. I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan, but I like a lot of his stuff.
Neb-Nose@reddit
For people like me, absolutely. For most Americans, not really.
Hey-Bud-Lets-Party@reddit
He had 14 Top 10 albums and 16 Top 40 hits in the UK. What are you on about? He’s probably more famous there than he is in the UK.
No-Koala1918@reddit
Elvis Costello and the Attractions albums This Year's Model and Armed Forced sold almost 2 million copies in the US. This Year's Model was voted Best Album of 1978 by the Village Voice. A judgement I have a hard time disputing. I like every song on that album. Tight little band, some amazingly good lyrics.
Several_Ad2072@reddit
he Grooved with Garcia and balladed with Bacharach his aim was true.
LovingNaples@reddit
He was hugely popular with friends and I in the Boston area in the 80s. Saw him with Squeeze as the opening act, great live performance. We probably saw him at least 5 more times around New England.
TypePuzzleheaded6228@reddit
i was a huge elvis costello fan! (new york and boston)
mytthewstew@reddit
Everyone I knew in 1980 knew who he was. He was considered the best of the New Wave songwriters
Tricky421@reddit
Yep Loved him
notrobert7@reddit
My dad ADORES Elvis Costello. I grew up listening to him.
SabresBills69@reddit
For some generations hes known quite well. ( those who were teens/young adults) at his peak
Inevitable-Ebb2973@reddit
I thought he was. I grew up with him, but my husband didn’t. I thought everyone pump Costello.
Dr_MJI@reddit
A friend rear ended him while he was In the states to record an album like 15 years ago. It was a small town and we all knew he was around.
DowntownEmu@reddit
My high school history teacher was OBSESSED with him
forgetfulsue@reddit
Sure, he was on the Simpson’s episode when Homer went to Rock Camp! (I knew who he was before then, in case you think I’m an ass)
RonPalancik@reddit
In about 1983 a boy who worked in a record shop had a crush on my sister and made her a set of very detailed cassettes with not just every album up to that point but every b-side, rarity, etc.
On vinyl we had My Aim Is True and Punch the Clock (still my favorite albums) and I think a 12-inch of "The Flirting Kind."
Very big for me, and when "Everyday I Write the Book" was on the radio I could nod knowingly because I already knew of him. Ditto, later, when "Veronica" and "Other Side of Summer" were radio hits of a sort.
That said, most people didn't know a lot about Elvis. Only record store dorks.
Quirky_Commission_56@reddit
I adore Elvis Costello!! I still have all of his albums and listen to them when I take a shower via a waterproof speaker
SLCamper@reddit
He was for me, but I'm old. He was big with my fringe boomer/gen-x punky friends in the late 70s and early 80s.
PinchedTazerZ0@reddit
I dig some of his stuff but not sure people around my age really know him (I'm 29)
I was listening to that
"THIS IS HELL, THIS IS HELL, I AM SORRY TO TELL YOU, IT NEVER GETS BETTER OR WORSE"
Song while I was working one day and one of my servers was like "... you okay chef? What the fuck are you listening to?"
Bvvitched@reddit
He's the second most famous Elvis
I wouldn't say he's a 2026 house hold name, but he 100% was a success here, especially in the 1980's. My boyfriends (late) dad used to work at ASCAP and was obsessed with him and has photos with him from the 80's, saw him every time he was in chicago. my boyfriend has seen him live a few times with his dad and we went to see him in Nashville a few years ago.
Most people over 30 would either know his name or recognize a song or two. He's not selling out 20,000+ seat venues but 2-5,000 ticket rooms easy.
Glenncinho@reddit
Ngl I didn’t know it was from the UK (makes sense, they spit out literal musical geniuses in every genre)
But yeah he’s very famous and way before my time (29 now)
CG20370417@reddit
I know him, I know a few of his songs, but honestly for my cohort (born '89) he is most famous for being the punchline of a very brief joke in Austin Powers.
Minute-Of-Angle@reddit
As was said, this is generation specific. My parents would say “no, you mean Presley” and my kids would probably say the same thing, but my generation? Or anyone who likes music? We all know who he is.
movielass@reddit
Can't believe I haven't seen anyone mention yet that he was in an Austin Powers movie
t_huddleston@reddit
HUGE fan here. I think most serious music fans would recognize the name, at least, and people who were plugged in to the post-punk, art-rock scene in the 80's would be very familiar. He would have been recognizable to the general public as more than a one-hit wonder, but he was never Michael Jackson famous or anything like that. He had some pretty popular songs; Alison, Pump It Up, Veronica, Every Day I Write the Book, all were radio and MTV hits, and Radio Radio was infamous as the song that got him banned from SNL.
Today I don't know how well-known he is outside of music circles, but he's certainly still well-respected as a songwriter and performer.
tmrika@reddit
I don’t really know him, but I think that’s more related to my age (late 20s) than my nationality haha
toastedclown@reddit
He is probably slightly more famous here than in the UK, and also lived here. He was on SNL as a last-minute replacement for the Sex Pistols and pissed off Lorne Michaels by starting to play the song he was told to play and then cutting the band off and playing "Radio, Radio" which he was not only explicitly forbidden from playing but also fucked up the show's schedule.
Enough people remembered it that when he was finally invited back ten years later, he did a gag with the Beastie Boys that alluded to it.
ReeMayRe@reddit
He is well known in NYC
MammothReputation298@reddit
Yeah, I feel like interest in Elvis Costello in the US varied quite a bit by region as well as age demographic. He was popular in NYC when I was a kid but his music had a sort of urban appeal and I don't think he was as popular in suburbs.
VariegatedPlumage@reddit
Yeah, I’m also from NYC and he’s always been quite popular here
ReeMayRe@reddit
You are 100% right, his music was very urban. Back in the 80s when I was in my teens, I thought his music was for older people who lived in Manhattan. I can kind of appreciate his music more now. But I never really got into his music
Help1Ted@reddit
While I’ve heard the name, I didn’t know who he was. Even after looking him up.
No-Conversation1940@reddit
He is WXRT fare in Chicago, so he has a respectable following among middle aged white guys in the area who have some money.
octogonjim@reddit
As my Aunt Terry used to say; “if your Elvis’ is dead try mine. “
PrestigiousSmile4098@reddit
Elvis Costello is my absolute 1000% favorite artist, I've loved his music for over 30 years (I'm 46 now). My parents didn't listen to him, I discovered his music on my own.
That being said, I've never met any other American my age or close who loved him even 1/10th as much as me, most are barely aware of who he is at all. His cameos on shows/movies/etc. sail right over their heads - they're kind of like for people "in the know."
AMERICANS: START LISTENING TO ELVIS COSTELLO SO I DON'T FEEL LIKE A WEIRDO thank you for your attention to this matter
brains_and_tits@reddit
As a GenX’er, I can say he was all over MTV in the 80s and since those of us who were teens in the 80s were, for the most part - watching MTV consistently, we say a lot of him!
Zardozerr@reddit
It's hard to quantify how well-known he is in the US. He's certainly well-known among people in-the-know about music, but I don't think he was hugely mainstream in his prime. It makes sense that he's referenced in those shows, because all the cool people liked him and they became writers for those shows. I mean, both he and his wife play Pete the Cat's parents!
blametheboogie@reddit
I know him from his acting and TV appearances. I know he's a musician but I don't listen to the genre of music he does and don't know any of his songs.
vashtachordata@reddit
I’m a millennial and yes, I know Elvis Costello. I have Alison and my name is true on my playlist.
Anyone into music is likely aware of him, especially my age and older.
VariegatedPlumage@reddit
I learned about him in the late 90s/early 2000s and listen to him a lot! I know a lot of other millennials who are familiar with his music and have very strong opinions pro or con. I don’t know anyone who is just middle of the wrong on Elvis Costello.
claudiatiedemann@reddit
Don’t know if he’s a household name but I’m 55 and I listened to him a lot in the 80s and 90s. Still have one of his albums.
Aggressive_Dot5426@reddit
Absolutely he’s famous.
During the 80s and 90s he had a ton of songs on the radio.
Now he’s basically on adult rock radio and independent stations.
I’ve seen him 4 times since 86 and he never disappoints.
Allison , Veronica , pidgin English. Watching the detectives. Oliver’s army. Every day I write the book. Accidents will happen.
Everyone one these songs were played like crazy
No-Boat-1536@reddit
Among those of us who liked real music and not drum machines in the ‘80s, yes. He is still my favorite. I saw him in concert a few months ago and it was sold out.
smashrot@reddit
Yeah 👍
KKWL199@reddit
Love him!
Suitable-Elk-540@reddit
It's surprising and enlightening to me that anyone would even ask this question. Yes, Elvis Costello qualifies as very famous in the US. Or at least to my generation.
Adventurous_Bit1325@reddit
Definitely well known. His music is easily recognizable. Famous? Depends on what that means.
TwoMinute920@reddit
Absolutely, most British bands/singers/ entainers are well known in America.
Pretend_Variation305@reddit
Wasn’t my cuppa back in the 90s. I was more into AC/DC and INXS…
Trick-Property-5807@reddit
I would definitely put Elvis Costello in the fairly famous/relatively well known category and in the very famous category for music nerds born before 1990 category (The New Basement Tapes = absolute magic).
Remember: in the 60s/70s British pop and rock were pretty dominant in the English speaking world. The yard birds (and the later projects and solo artists they spawned), the Beatles, the stones, and Black Sabbath were all at least as big here as they were in the UK. That carried over to Gen xers and older millenials who made it to adulthood before hyper customized listening via easy and legal to access streaming platforms became a thing.
geeweeze@reddit
I don’t know if he’s a household name necessarily but yes well-known especially for Gen X demos, like the ones who created The Simpsons and 30 Rock. Elder/millenials would also be familiar from a general interest in alt/indie/new wave and from watching 200 Cigarettes in the late 90s
schec1@reddit
He’d be booking a few thousand seat venues for a tour, not stadiums.
Ecstatic-Seesaw-1007@reddit
Not really. More for Gen X.
And if you’re a guitar nerd, he was one of the early famous Jazzmaster players.
PeculiarExcuse@reddit
I've heard of him, but I'm not sure I even knew he was a singer 😅 I never hear anyone talk about him anymore though
Seawolfe665@reddit
I went to a concert of his in San Diego in 1984, it was great!
Mind you, I had just moved here from the UK and I went with a British friend. But surely everyone knows most of these top 10?
Oooh I forgot about Accidents Will Happen <3
HottestestestMess@reddit
Alison was pretty huge, Veronica did numbers, Radio and Angels want to wear my red shoes were also popular here.
deptofnahmsayns@reddit
PBS used to air a show called History Detectives that used “Watching the Detectives” as the intro
calcato@reddit
Love the guy. Have only seen him in concert in Canada. 🤷♀️
ParadoxPath@reddit
Everyone in the US knows 1 Elvis. A good many people know two and the second is Costello. There is no third Elvis, and there may never be.
IrishGorilla9497@reddit
Grbac
JThereseD@reddit
Very famous. I have seen him a few times and he was awesome. He likes to hang out in New Orleans and appeared in the show Treme. I also saw a social media post from him around town recently.
Prairie_Crab@reddit
I used to listen to him in the early 80s.
DNSGeek@reddit
You mean the husband of Diana Krall? I think I’ve heard of him.
Texan2116@reddit
I have heard of him, but that is about it.
HottestestestMess@reddit
I was a massive fan in the 80s/90s and I still listen to him pretty often. Everyone I know is familiar with him to some degree. But, I’m 50, so do with that what you will
whatisakafka@reddit
I don’t think he’s really had a recent enough pop culture moment to gain much recognition for a younger generation (like Kate Bush had with Stranger Things for example), but he’s certainly famous to a reasonable extent, especially among people old enough to remember the 80s and 90s or those who are plugged in to a particular kind of music
bachmanis@reddit
There's someone by that name on National Public Radio as a music critic. Is that the same guy? I'm not familiar with him outside that context.
jvc1011@reddit
No… he’s been interviewed a number of times, but he’s never worked for NPR nor has anyone with his name.
Amy Costello was an NPR producer for some time.
bachmanis@reddit
Oh, I must be blending the two in my head! I guess that answers the question of how well-known he is?
jvc1011@reddit
My guess is you are neither gay nor over 40. He continues to be quite famous in some circles!
Which_Case_8536@reddit
I. LOVE. HIM.
-Millennial
bunkie18@reddit
Love him! Great artist
suze_jacooz@reddit
Yes. My son is semi- named after him. More like we decided on Declan and then found out that was his actual name and were pleased with the connection as I saw him live at like 8 months pregnant
kinnikinnick321@reddit
As a Gen X who is very much into music, he had a time in the late 90’/early 2000’s with some sub niches. I doubt though any of my 25-30 friends at the time though could say any song title.
LABELyourPHOTOS@reddit
Yeah, he's famous. Not now really but was very widely know back in the day. He literally had 20 popular songs here.
17Girl4Life@reddit
I’ve been a fan since the 70s, but I don’t know if younger people know who he is anymore. He had several hits here and memorable performances like on SNL.
HegemonNYC@reddit
Any Gen X has heard of him. Partially because of the memorable name. I’d say he isn’t famous with young people anymore, and even with Gen X they knew his name but he was only truly popular in certain indie crowds.
AcadiaRemarkable6992@reddit
I heard ‘Radio Radio’ on the radio this week in NY. Every classic rock station plays his biggest hits
Gold-Traffic632@reddit
He was famous enough to be on an episode of The Larry Sanders Show.
Bogside_Bibliophile@reddit
Yep. Saw him in concert here in the states a few years ago.
belowsealevel504@reddit
Yes
lucasssquatch@reddit
You mean Declan McManus, international art thief?
He's probably the second most famous Elvis, just behind Presley and just before Stojko.
hauloff@reddit
Huey Lewis has been compared to Elvis Costello, but I think Costello has a far less bitter and cynical sense of humor.
Nice_Point_9822@reddit
I've been a huge fan for 41 years, I've seen him about 50 times. I'll say yes
Kenai-Phoenix@reddit
I have listened to a great deal of his music, as well as his wife’s. I bought his albums back in the day, everyone I hung out with did the same, a household name? Yes!
aftercloudia@reddit
i like his music, and we have the same birthday
sharkycharming@reddit
Aw, August 25th! I always remember because it's also Jeff Tweedy's birthday (and sadly, the date my grandmother died).
Old-Vermicelli7116@reddit
Somewhat known to those of us in the 55-65 year old range.
I actually just had Spotify play "Pump It Up" for my wife as an example of a great work out song a couple of days ago.
He got a little bit of MTV play back in the day. Never really hit it big here though.
howieinchicago@reddit
Same. I’ve seen him live and have loved his music since I was a teen. Gen X.
CommandAlternative10@reddit
Gen X and yes, I have one of his albums and I would assume people my age would have at least heard of him. People younger than me probably not.
_Bon_Vivant_@reddit
He had middling success in the 80s.
Prize_Consequence568@reddit
"Is/was Elvis Costello very famous in the USA?"
Is?
No.
Was?
For a moment.
Lumpy_Branch_552@reddit
Yes. His songs are regularly on my local radio station.
CtForrestEye@reddit
I was enjoying him in the 70s and 80s.
WritPositWrit@reddit
Oh Allison
sixstringsikness@reddit
He's been on Sesame Street.
Ok-Temporary@reddit
Yes. Famous. I adore him and see him live whenever possible.
minnick27@reddit
He’s not a super popular artist, but most people have heard of him. His albums seem to peak between 50-80 on the charts, but he has had some go higher. And Radio Radio is still gets a decent amount of plays.
ancientastronaut2@reddit
Absolutely!
I love wreckless eric too.
Jazzlike_Ad_5832@reddit
No. He had 1 top 40 hit in the 80s.
peanutismint@reddit
He’s one of those rare acts who might actually be MORE famous in the US than in the UK. He definitely had a moment here in the 80s.
mmarkmc@reddit
Yes quite famous and has been since pretty early on. Also rewatching Treme and enjoy his appearances (as himself) on the show.
Jazzlike_Scientist_7@reddit
I'm in my mid 40's and am well aware of Elvis Costello even though I couldn't name one of his songs. I'm not exactly sure why. I do recall hearing about him being banned from Saturday Night Live after playing a song he was told not to, or something along those lines. I'd say he's pretty famous here, but I couldn't tell you why haha.
meenadu@reddit
I’m a huge Elvis Costello fan. I just saw him live in DC a couple of years ago
Darryl_Lict@reddit
He was pretty huge at the forefront of New Wave in the 70s and 80s with a bunch of hit albums. He was as big as Talking Heads and Blondie.
FreeStateOfPortland@reddit
“Very famous“? Back in the 78/80s. Still famous but not “very famous”? Definitely.
evil_burrito@reddit
You mean Mr. Krall?
Sure, he was quite well known in kinda altpop circles.
JudgeWhoOverrules@reddit
Sorry but I only know of a Lou Costello
witchy12@reddit
When you say the name Elvis in the US, 95% of people will be thinking of Elvis Presley. I have no idea who Elvis Costello is.
InvestigatorJaded261@reddit
True for your generation, but not for mine.
TheBimpo@reddit
I’m a reasonably big fan, but….Not really.
Most people over the age of 45 would be familiar with a few of his hits, but perhaps not recognize he’s the one who performs it. He wasn’t a major act even at his peak.
He hasn’t had a hit in 30+ years. He plays medium sized theaters in major cities, college auditoriums, small outdoor venues. He’s far from a household name.
darwinsidiotcousin@reddit
He's old enough that probably most would recognize his name but many wouldn't be able to name any of his work, but yes he was/is famous in the US
Pepper_Pfieffer@reddit
I loved him and named pets after him.
Mistletokes@reddit
Like abbot and Costello?
HappyJoie@reddit
Me and my college friends are fans, but we are the exception.
I've seen him in concert 3 times. He puts on a great show!
Astrofunkadunk@reddit
One of my musical heroes, but not known among the general public. If you know, you know.
Trick_Photograph9758@reddit
He's well known. I mean, not like the Rolling Stones, but I'm familiar with a lot of his songs.
Quenzayne@reddit
Maybe he was at one point but I think here he’s mostly known for the Geico gecko, and even then I imagine most people probably don’t know it’s him.
jvc1011@reddit
LOL, what? Yes, he’s famous, not universally, but certainly among specific demographics.
GradientVisAtt@reddit
Yes - he was very popular a couple decades ago. Maybe he still is; I wouldn’t know. Radio is dead and people listen to whatever they want to on streaming.
GotMeAMuleToRide@reddit
Very famous. I've seen him several times. Apparently he's playing a festival with Neil Young in Cork this summer and I really wish I could go.
RandomPaw@reddit
Yes
Ifyougivearagamuffin@reddit
yeah, I'd say so
MrLongWalk@reddit
Yes, he’s pretty famous
Frenchitwist@reddit
Yes