Elvis Costello is taking it back to the beginning with a massive 49th anniversary box set reissue of his debut album, My Aim Is True. Out October 2nd via UMe, the 5xCD collection features dozens of unreleased songs, including demos, live recordings, and outtakes.
Touted as “telling the story of how Declan MacManus became Elvis Costello,” the collection is spread across 104 tracks, featuring a new 2026 remaster from the original analog tapes. A total of 52 of the included demos, masters, outtakes, live performances, interviews, and other rarities are previously unreleased.
Accompanied by a new 72-page essay with contributions from Nick Lowe, John McFee, Gregg Geller, Bill Flanagan, Warren Zanes, Rosanne Cash, Peter Wolf, and Jim James, the box set also includes new writing from Costello himself alongside rare and unseen photos, handwritten lyrics, and diary entries from 1976. Pre-orders are ongoing.
In anticipation, Costello has shared four previously unreleased recordings tracing the origins of his early favorite “Watching the Detectives.” In addition to the “Pathway Studios Trio Version” without the introductory “Spy Guitar” figure or keyboards in the mix, the preview includes a solo electric performance from a 1977 episode of the UK show Good Afternoon, a short excerpt from Costello’s first TV interview, and a live recording of him playing the track with The Attractions at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom in July 1978.
Nearly five decades later, Costello is still actively touring alongside The Imposters with Charlie Sexton. They have a show in Edgartown, Massachusetts scheduled for later this month, followed by a string of September shows.
Tickets can be purchased at Vivid Seats, where new customers can use promo code CONSEQUENCE20 to receive $20 off their first order of $200 or more. The Vivid Seats Rewards program also offers members a free ticket for every 10 tickets purchased.
My Aim Is True (49th Anniversary Edition) Packaging:
My Aim Is True (49th Anniversary Edition) Tracklist:
CD1: My Aim Is True
01. Welcome to the Working Week – 2026 Remaster
02. Miracle Man – 2026 Remaster
03. No Dancing – 2026 Remaster
04. Blame It on Cain – 2026 Remaster
05. Alison – 2026 Remaster
06. Sneaky Feelings – 2026 Remaster
07. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes – 2026 Remaster
08. Less Than Zero – 2026 Remaster
09. Mystery Dance – 2026 Remaster
10. Pay It Back – 2026 Remaster
11. I’m Not Angry – 2026 Remaster
12. Waiting for the End of the World – 2026 Remaster
13. Watching the Detectives – Single Version
CD2: The Blue Print
01. I Turn Around – Hope & Anchor Studio **
02. Losing You – Hope & Anchor Studio **
03. Leverman – Hope & Anchor Studio **
04. Citizen Junction – Hope & Anchor Studio **
05. I Hear a Melody – Pathway Studios
06. Poison Moon – Bedroom Recording
07. Wave a White Flag – Bedroom Recording
08. Mercury Wings – Ms. Dore’s Tape **
09. Jump Up – Hope & Anchor Studio **
10. No Star – Hope & Anchor Studio **
11. Walk On – Hope & Anchor Studio **
12. Radio Soul – Hope & Anchor Studio **
13. Clean Money – Hope & Anchor Studio **
14. Don’t Put a Levy on My Love – Hope & Anchor Studio **
15. Play It Safe – Hope & Anchor Studio **
16. Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver) – Hope & Anchor Studio **
17. I Can’t Turn It Off – Hope & Anchor Studio
CD3: The Stranger in the House
01. Radio Sweetheart – My Aim Is True Outtake
02. Cheap Reward – Bedroom Recording
03. Mystery Dance – Bedroom Recording
04. Stranger in the House – My Aim Is True Outtake
05. Running Out of Angels – Hope & Anchor Studio **
06. Just Like a Jukebox – Hope & Anchor Studio **
07. I Don’t Want to Go Home – Pathway Studios
08. Blame It on Cain – Bedroom Recording
09. Blue Minute – Ms. Dore’s Tape **
10. Pay It Back – Bedroom Recording **
11. Exiles Road – Flip City – Hope & Anchor Studio **
12. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Flip City – Hope & Anchor Studio **
13. Sweet Revival – Flip City – Hope & Anchor Studio **
14. Pay It Back – Flip City – Hope & Anchor Studio **
15. Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver) – Flip City – Hope & Anchor Studio **
16. Living In Paradise – Hope & Anchor Studio **
17. Welcome to the Working Week – Pathway Studios
18. Miracle Man – Bedroom Recording **
19. Miracle Man – Pathway Studios
20. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes – Ms. Dore’s Tape **
21. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes – Pathway Studios
22. Waiting for the End of the World – Pathway Studios
23. Living in Paradise – My Aim Is True Outtake
24. Call on Me – Pathway Studios
25. Watching the Detectives – Pathway Studios Trio Version **
26. No Action – Pathway Studios Trio Version
27. Poison Moon – Ms. Dore’s Tape **
28. Stranger in the House – Ms. Dore’s Tape **
CD4: Becoming the Attractions
01. Alison – What’s on Granada Reports
02. Introduction by Dave Robinson – Live, The Nashville Room
03. Mystery Dance – Live, The Nashville Room
04. Pay It Back – Soundcheck, The Nashville Room
05. Radio Sweetheart – Soundcheck, The Nashville Room
06. Sneaky Feelings – Soundcheck, The Nashville Room
07. Crawling to the U.S.A. – Soundcheck, The Nashville Room
08. Lip Service – Pathway Studios **
09. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes- with Introduction Top of the Pops **
10. Interview No. 1 – Good Afternoon with Mavis Nicholson
11. Watching the Detectives – Good Afternoon Broadcast **
12. Interview No. 2 – Good Afternoon with Mavis Nicholson
13. Hoover Factory – Good Afternoon Rehearsal**
14. I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself – Live Stiffs, University of East Anglia, Norwich, U.K.
15. Whole Wide World – Live Stiffs, University of Leicester, Leicester, U.K. **
16. KSAN Intro – Old Waldorf, San Francisco, CA
17. Pump It Up – Old Waldorf, San Francisco, CA **
18. Lip Service – Unknown Field Recording**
19. Mystery Dance – Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA **
20. Blame It on Cain – Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA **
21. Less Than Zero (Dallas Version) – Warner Theater, Washington D.C.
22. Waiting for the End of the World – The Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH **
23. Miracle Man – Warner Theater, Washington D.C.
24. Watching the Detectives – Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA **
25. I’m Not Angry – Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA **
CD5: Covered in Clover
01. Welcome to the Working Week (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
02. Miracle Man (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
03. No Dancing (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007)**
04. Intro to Blame It on Cain (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
05. Blame It on Cain (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
06. Alison (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007)**
07. Intro to Sneaky Feelings (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
08. Sneaky Feelings (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
09. Intro to Red Shoes (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
10. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
11. Less Than Zero (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
12. Mystery Dance (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
13. Pay It Back (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
14. I’m Not Angry (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
15. Waiting for the End of the World / Gloria (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
16. Watching the Detectives (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
17. Mr. Moon (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
18. Intro to the Love Trilogy (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
19. Love Has No Pride (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
20. Love Is Gone (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
21. (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007) **
** = previously unreleased
Elvis Costello & The Imposters 2026 Tour Dates:
08/08 – Edgartown, MA @ Old Whaling Church
09/10 – Lancaster, PA @ American Music Theatre
09/12 – Niagara Falls, ON @ OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino
09/13 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre
09/15 – Warren, OH @ Packard Music Hall
09/16 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
09/18 – Muskegon, MI @ Frauenthal Center
09/20 – Chicago, IL @ Riot Fest 2026 – Douglass Park
09/24 – Victoria, BC @ Botti at Sea III
