Top Ten Greatest Billy Joel Albums
Simply the BEST! Joel's popular radio hits ("Piano Man," "Tell Her About It," "My Life," etc.) are what first got me listening, just like most people. However, this album is what pulled me into the rest of his music and made me a legit FAN!
"The Stranger" (the song) resonates with many who question intentions, love, and identity. "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant," with its three sections, is a terrific sampler of all the reasons to love his music (not to mention it's Joel's personal favorite).
And yes, "Only the Good Die Young" and "Movin' Out" more than qualify as Joel mainstays. As a whole, this one album rules all others!
If you only had one album on a desert island, this is it!
One of the best pop albums ever. Six solid pop classics.
Rosalinda's Eyes and Until the Night are two of my favorites. My Life sounds like it could be from An Innocent Man, and Honesty has a bit of a The Stranger style.
Zanzibar and Stiletto are just so much fun.
Even the non-hits are hidden gems. 52nd Street is the only weak track, but it could have been great if it were just longer.
Great jazz album. My favorite songs are Rosalinda's Eyes, Zanzibar, Stiletto, and Honesty.
I think of this as Billy Joel's Revolver or Hunky Dory - somewhat overshadowed by the classic it preceded, but every bit as good.
Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway) on the album is one of the most underappreciated songs of all time!
Say Goodbye to Hollywood, New York State of Mind, Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway, and Summer, Highland Falls are all standout tracks. All You Want to Do Is Dance is the only clunker.
An amazing album and definitely his best. Billy Joel literally became famous with this album. From upbeat songs like "Worst Comes to Worst" and "Ain't No Crime" to Billy Joel classics like "The Ballad of Billy the Kid," "Captain Jack," and of course, his greatest song of all time, "Piano Man."
Billy Joel wrote this album when he was down on his luck and working at a piano bar. He changed his career with this album. It deserves the #1 spot for sure! My top three would be Piano Man, The Stranger, and 52nd Street.
Although most people say The Stranger is their favorite, this one was actually his highest-ranked album when it originally came out.
His rock album. Sleeping with the Television On should've been a huge hit. His best album of the '80s.
Think this album is the best?
You may be right.
An amazing album with so many gems on it - No Man's Land, Two Thousand Years, Lullabye, and the title track rank among his best songs, in my humble opinion. It's so much more focused and captivating than the somewhat lukewarm 52nd Street.
What probably put many fans off was Joel's harder rock attitude and sound, but that's how I like him best.
Very underrated. The decision to put five pessimistic songs on side one and five optimistic songs on side two was a stroke of sequencing genius.
His only album of the '90s. Some obvious standouts with a few subtly great tunes.
Often unfairly maligned by Billy Joel fans, Storm Front is a tremendous mix of rockers and ballads. I've never really understood why it isn't regarded as one of Billy's strongest albums.
Billy Joel's loudest album, probably influenced by his trip to Soviet Russia. The loud songs are pretty good, but it's ironic that most people believe the best song is the softest one.
It has many of today's favorites, like We Didn't Start the Fire.
The Bridge doesn't have the popular appeal of some of Joel's other albums, but it might be his catchiest. Songs like "Code of Silence" and "Pressure," as well as "Getting Closer" and "Temptation," are underappreciated gems. Pure greatness.
Underrated but great. Not his best, but definitely not his worst.
This album, for some reason, is one of my favorites. I cannot tell you why exactly, but I think it is an amazing LP.
The Newcomers
Well, at least it has Souvenir and The Entertainer. Plus, Streetlife Serenader also has some style.
This is my favorite live album ever. In fact, it's one of my favorite albums, period. The versions of these songs, including She's Got a Way, are absolutely fantastic. A+.
Great live album. Showcases some overlooked gems and gives them their time to shine.
I think this album gets way too much hate, even from Billy Joel himself. Yes, it sounds a bit odd, but this album includes classics and fan favorites like "She's Got a Way" and "Everybody Loves You Now."
Other great songs include "You Can Make Me Free," "Why Judy Why," "You Look So Good to Me," and "Tomorrow Is Today," which he wrote based on his own suicide note. The only mediocre song on this album is "Turn Around," but considering that the last two songs on The Stranger are fairly forgettable as well, this album should be up there with The Stranger and 52nd Street.
An almost perfect little album that should not be overshadowed by Piano Man, which is actually not as good in my opinion.
