Billy Joel Albums Ranked
William Martin Joel aka Billy Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and pianist. Commonly nicknamed the “Piano Man” after his first major hit and signature song of the same name, he has led a commercially successful career as a solo artist since the 1970s, having released twelve studio albums from 1971 to 1993 as well as one studio album in 2001. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, as well as the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, with over 150 million records sold worldwide. His 1985 compilation album, Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2, is one of the best-selling albums in the US.
Across the 20 years of his solo career, Joel produced 33 Top 40 hits in the U.S., all of which he wrote himself, and three of which (“It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”, “Tell Her About It”, and “We Didn’t Start the Fire”) managed to peak at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Joel has been nominated for 23 Grammy Awards, winning five of them, including Album of the Year for 52nd Street. Joel was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1992), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1999), and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (2006). In 2001, Joel received the Johnny Mercer Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2013, Joel received the Kennedy Center Honors, for influencing American culture through the arts. Since the advent of his solo career, Joel has held a successful touring career, holding live performances across the globe in which he sings several of his written songs. In 1987, he became one of the first artists to hold a rock and roll tour in the Soviet Union following the country’s alleviation of the ban on rock and roll music. Despite largely retiring from writing and releasing pop music following the release of River of Dreams, he continues to tour; he frequently performs at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. Here are all of the Billy Joel albums ranked.
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8. Storm Front (1989)
“Listened to this on tape all the time as a kid with my dad. Brings back a lot of memories when I listen to it. One of the greatest albums of all time in my book, with great songs like “That’s Not Her Style,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire, “Go to Extremes,” “Shameless,” and the list goes on. It was great to listen to on tape, but sounds even better on vinyl!”
7. The Nylon Curtain (1982)
“I have to be in a certain mood to listen to this CD, and for the first couple times I heard it I didn’t like it much. But then it started to grow on me, and I realized what a fantastic achievement Billy Joel’s realized here. This is the exact opposite of his subsequent album, the ’50s-inspired “An Innocent Man”; while the content of that album is light, happy pop, the music on “The Nylon Curtain” is pensive and thought provoking. Joel does indeed “musically overreach” on this album, and it works out amazingly: the piano is still front and center, of course, but listen to the acoustic guitars on “Allentown,” the strings in “Surprises” and the military drums in “Scandinavian Skies.” The true genius of this album, of course, is Joel’s subject matter: not only does he tackle some of society’s most compelling issues head-on (Vietnam, the Bethlehem Steel layoffs), he probes the human spirit with a depth he doesn’t quite get anywhere else. Even the upbeat “A Room of Our Own” (a song which is as close as possible to a Beatles song without actually being a Beatles song), while chuckling over how confining marriage can occasionally be, reminds us that a room of our own is something we all need. The album’s finale, “Where’s The Orchestra,” is the most poignant question of all… and the ethereal sample of “Allentown” at its end brings the album full circle even as it acknowledges that life is about the search for the answers. “The Nylon Curtain” is Billy Joel at his most inquisitive, most restless and most inspired.”
6. Piano Man (1973)
“This limited edition of the classic Billy Joel album is not to be missed, even by a casual fan. Mobile Fidelity has taken the original analog master tapes and reconstructed the sound quality that rivals the best vinyl (note that this album is also available in 180 gram vinyl now). Always speaking to the middle-class heroes, Joel’s 1973 release was an instant hit and the start of an amazing career. How many people memorized the lyrics to “Piano Man” or the hilariously, bittersweet song that is “Captain Jack”. In fact the latter song makes a rousing anthemic closing song. Nearly all the songs on this album are pop classics.”
5. An Innocent Man (1983)
“Billy really showcases his flexibility as a performer on this, one of his best albums. Each song has its own distinct style, taken from the music he loved as a kid, and it’s amazing how he handles each one in its own special way without losing his own signature style. The title track, “An Innocent Man”, is a classic for a reason — somehow he can make his voice go from delicate and understanding to strong and passionate in the very next line. “Easy Money” and “Christie Lee” were just MADE for his piano-rock sound — you’ll find it hard to sit still, and even harder to imagine HIM sitting still while he plays. They’re just fun songs! “Uptown Girl” is of course his homage to Franki Valli and the Four Seasons (and similar groups), and stands the test of time as one of those songs that almost everyone knows and sings at least a few lines of whenever they hear it. The doo-wop of “This Night” will have you swaying in your seat, and “For The Longest Time”‘s light-hearted ode to the hopefulness of new love tells the tale of a place we’ve all been. The whole thing is just a real feel-good album, and one of my favorites. In short, if you’re only going to buy one Billy Joel album (I recommend buying all of them!), you can’t possibly go wrong with this choice.”
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4. Turnstiles (1976)
“I guess one could argue that Piano Man, The Stranger, and 52nd Street had more hits and were more accessible but for me, this album strikes all the right chords. From its Phill Spector-like opening ( Say Goodbye to Hollywood ) to it’s apocalyptic but funny and ultimately poignant closing ( Miami 2017 ) Tunrstiles barely misses a beat. Summer, Highland Falls could possibly be Joel’s best song. It has a lyrical beauty and a musical subtlety that is unique in the singer/songwriters canon it’s almost like an art song from the late1900 century by the composer Gabriel Fuare. There are a couple of songs that may not be classics like James and All You want to is Dance but even those are worthwhile and don’t suffer from being overplayed. Another wonderful thing about Turnstiles is the reoccurring lyrical theme of leaving a place like LA and returning home to New York especially on Side A with Say Goodbye to Hollywood and New York State of Mind but the overall record seems to be one of reflection and moving on. Combine that with some the best melodies of his career and Turnstiles is the hidden gem of Billy Joel’s albums.”
3. Glass Houses (1980)
“I really like this album. “Glass Houses” contains a harder rock edge. Billy Joel proved not only can he sing a beautiful and heartfelt ballad, but he can also rock! Definitely a deliberate departure from his signature sound but that’s okay because Billy is a versatile artist. “You May Be Right” and “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” were the hits from this album. Still sounds fresh and timeless (this album was released in 1980). I LOVE the deliciously risqué, “Sometimes A Fantasy”. His voice on that track reminds me of Elvis Presley. “Don’t Ask Me Why” has a cool and laid-back calypso feel. “Through the Long Night” and “C’etait Toi (You Were the One)” are stunning and underrated ballads. “Sleeping with the Television On” and “I Don’t Want to Be Alone” have excellent and catchy choruses. “Close to the Borderline” and the explosive gem, “All for Leyna” will get stuck in your head for days and days. “Glasses Houses” tends to get overlooked compared to Billy’s other albums released during this era. That’s a shame because I think he made some smart choices. He took a chance and the results are stellar. I highly recommend it. Enjoy!”
2. 52nd Street (1978)
“As is the case with most of Joel’s albums outside the greatest hits compilations, there is so much on this record (CD, Tape, whatever format you buy or have) that slips under the radar. Once a person gets past the first three songs that are well known (big shot, honesty, and my life), Joel uncovers something of a rawness and less polished genre that is almost a completely different Joel both musically and in word. “Zanzibar” speaks of a struggling musician that when considered perhaps lacks the ability to go too much further than he already has gone, but with it comes an acceptance and a certain comfort. This sets the tone for the rest of the album, with Joel singing about this edge on which he lives socially, financially, and vocationally. How songs such as ‘Stilleto’ and ‘Until the night’ vanished from Joel’s later catalog is beyond me. I believe they are better songs than classics like ‘uptown girl’ and ‘the longest time’, which I find myself invariably skipping whenever they arrive on a playlist. ‘Rosalinda’s eyes’ and ‘half a mile away’ sing about an escapism that has more power and sway over the listener than much of Joel’s more charted hits.”
1.The Stranger (1977)
“An all-time classic. Only Billy Joel album better than this would be the Greatest Hits Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. and that collection has six tracks from The Stranger and I bet they left off Vienna just so you have to buy The Stranger. Something great about all of Billy’s albums, would recommend quite a few of them.”