The difference between the previous record, 52nd Street and Glass Houses is astonishing. It was also an album very well received by everyone. This one is all about guitar, bass, drums and synths. The piano is not as dominant throughout the record as it was on his previous work. # 6 – Glass HousesĪt a time when punk music had developed into a new genre called new wave, the Sound of “Glass Houses,”echoed the heavy synthetic and choppy rhythms of the new wave era of the early 80s.
which was released only five years before Storm Front. It was very similar to what Columbia Records did with Bruce Springsteen’s Born In The U.S.A.
Almost every song on the album was released as a single. The success of the songs led to seven more singles being released from the album. The song became a number one hit for Billy Joel. It was a song that introduced an entire new generation of young people to the music of Billy Joel. The album’s mega hit “We Didn’t Start The Fire,” became one of the most popular songs used by middle school school teachers in the late 20th century. Our favorite tracks on the record were the album’s opener “ Running On Ice,” and the soulful duet with Ray Charles entitled “Baby Grand.” # 7 – Storm Frontīilly Joel’s Cold War album was heavily influenced by twentieth century popular culture and Billy Joel’s tour of the Soviet Union. Also appearing on the album were legendary artists Ray Charles and Steve Winwood. Jazz legends Ron Carter, Michael Brecker, Eddie Daniels and Ronnie Cuber all performed on the track “Big Man On Mulberry Street.” These were some of the best Jazz musicians of the twentieth century. What made Billy Joel’s The Bridge album stand out from the rest of his work were the amount of legendary guest musicians that appeared on the record. Billy Joel’s chops were especially displayed on the great ragtime piece “Root Beer Rag.” The album yielded a top 40 single entitled “The Entertainer.” Our favorite track on the album will always be the poetic and depressing song “The Great Suburban Showdown in the Sky.” # 8 – The Bridge This album contained some of Billy Joel’s most virtuosic piano playing. It was the follow up album to 1973’s Piano Man. Some of the best pure pop songs ever written.īilly Joel’s Streetlife Serenade album was released in 1974. They were meant to be songs written as tribute but the songs themselves were so well written they became classic themselves. However, the songs were so well written and performed, it proved inevitable that Billy Joel’s original songs overshadowed the tribute concept. Every song was written as a tribute to a specific musical artist from The Four Seasons to James Brown. # 10 – An Innocent Manīilly Joel’s An Innocent Man album was an ode to the music of his youth. It’s impossible to pick the top 10 Billy Joel albums, but it’s fun to try. Although each Billy Joel album had a distinctive feel to them, they all presented the public with a collection of timeless material that has sustained popularity since their initial releases.
Complete billy joel discography full#
So the next question would be why? The answer is really rather simple great songs! However Billy Joel did not just write and record great songs, the man recorded entire albums full of great songs. Obviously not everyone loves Billy and Paul, but I think it’s safe to say that they probably cover the most ground as far as range of fans. Our personal favorite is Elton John, but for some reason, Elton John has not appealed to the youth of the 2000s like Billy Joel has. So it could be argued that Billy Joel and Paul McCartney are really the only living single artists that have captured the everlasting ears of music fans that range from elementary school age to senior citizens.
Of course, Paul McCartney has had a long distinctive solo career since the breakup of The Beatles. Only The Beatles and Billy Joel have sustained a generous mass appeal for their entire careers. However, it could be argued that Sinatra and Presley have had limited appeal with the youth culture of the 2000s. The only other artists in popular music history that attracted the mass appeal that a Billy Joel has attracted would be Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and of course The Beatles. Photo: “Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden” flickr photo by slgckgc shared under a Creative Commons (BY) licenseĬan you think of any other songwriter that is more universally loved than Billy Joel? The answer is probably not with maybe one exception.
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