'Brutal Youth'

Elvis Costello has six albums on the 1,001 Records You Have To Listen To Before You Die. That's pretty good for just about anyone. Six albums considered some of the best records since pop music began.

Costello is the epitome of the pop-rock musician, who never truly had hooks. His songs were poppy and digestable. But he was hardly ever going to get radio airplay even though his songs were ideal for it. There are catchy songs (like Costello's) and then there are songs with hooks (like Kelly Clarkson).

The difference is that Costello gets six albums on the list of the albums you've got to listen to before you die. Clarkson just makes money singing about breaking up with her boyfriend.