- My Aim Is True (1977): Recorded before The Attractions were formed, this album used musicians from the band Clover, which later became the basis for Huey Lewis and The News.

- This Years Model (1978)

- Armed Forces (1979): Originally to have been titled "Emotional Fascism," a phrase that appeared on the LP's inner sleeve, many die-hard fans consider this one
of his finest albums.

- Get Happy! (1980): 20 tracks in fewer than 50 minutes

- Trust (1981)

- Almost Blue (1981): An album of country music cover songs; The first pressings of the record in the UK bore a sticker with the message: "WARNING: This album contains country & western music and may cause offence to narrow minded listeners."

- Imperial Bedroom (1982): Chet Baker records the trumpet solo on "Almost Blue."

- Punch the Clock (1983): Another trumpet solo by Chet Baker on "Shipbuilding"

- Goodbye Cruel World (1984): Daryl Hall sings backup on "The Only Flame in Town."

- King of America (1986):

- Blood and Chocolate (1986): Costello creates an obnoxious emcee charter named "Napoleon Dynamite," which he plays on stage during the album's tour. (The pseudonym had previously been used in 1982, when the B-side single "Imperial Bedroom" was credited to Napoleon Dynamite & The Royal Guard.)

- Spike (1989): The album spawned his biggest single in America, the Top Ten hit "Veronica," one of several songs Costello co-wrote with Paul McCartney.

- Mighty Like a Rose (1991)

- The Juliet Letters (1993): Costello tested the classical music waters with a critically acclaimed collaboration with the Brodsky Quartet.

- Brutal Youth (1993): Costello returned to rock and roll with this project that reunited him with The Attractions.

- Kojak Variety (1995): An album of cover songs recorded five years earlier

- All This Useless Beauty (1996): An album of songs Costello originally wrote for other artists

- Extreme Honey (1997): This greatest hits album fulfilled his contractual obligations to Warner Bros. It contained an original track titled "The Bridge I Burned", featuring Elvis' son, Matt, on bass.

- Painted From Memory (1998): A collaboration with famed sixties pop songwriter Burt Bacharach

- When I Was Cruel (2002): The first rock 'n' roll album in many years, and the first album recorded with a new band, the Imposters (essentially the Attractions but with a different bass player, Davey Faragher, formerly of Cracker)

- Il Sogno (2004): Costello's first full-scale orchestral work was a ballet after Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and was commissioned by Italian dance troupe Aterballeto. It received critical acclaim from the classical music critics, while being scorned by the popular music press.

- The Delivery Man (2004): Recorded in Oxford, Mississippi, this blues, country, and folk album received acclaim as one of Costello's best albums, and continues Costello's personal quest to release an album on each of Universal's record labels. Included on the album is the Academy Award-nominated song "Scarlet Tide" -- co-written by Costello and T-Bone Burnett and used in the film Cold Mountain.

- Piano Jazz (2005): A CD recording of a collaboration with Marian McPartland on her show, "Piano Jazz." It features Costello singing six jazz standards and two of his own songs, accompanied by Marian McPartland on piano.

- The River in Reverse (2006): A collaboration with New Orleans R&B powerhouse Allen Toussaint, the album combines The Imposters with Toussaint's horn section and guitarist. Most tracks were cut with the entire group in one room and Costello singing live.

How the album happened: Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, Toussaint relocated to New York City where he and Costello renewed their musical friendship at several benefits and club gigs, leading to discussions of this new album. Costello wrote the title track, "The River in Reverse," Sept. 24th, 2005 and performed it that same night at a benefit.