Name at birth: Declan Patrick McManus

Elvis Costello's 1977 debut, My Aim is True was a hit with both critics and audiences and is now considered to be a new wave punk classic. With hits such as "Alison" and "Watching the Detectives," Costello helped bring underground punk sensibilities to pop tunes and demonstrated his talent as a songwriter. He has recorded solo and with The Attractions (and, later, The Impostors), and his other hit songs include "Radio, Radio" and "Pump it Up." His many albums include: This Year's Model (1978); Trust (1981); Imperial Bedroom (1982); Almost Blue (1994); All This Ageless Beauty (1996); and When I Was Cruel (2002).