Trivia to Enjoy in Quiz Form about Billy Joel, the One-and-Only Piano Man

POPS writer/editorKEI
Since discovering music during my school days, I’ve mainly listened to Japanese and Korean pop. I have experience writing articles for sites like Utaten. 2000s J-pop and 2010s K-pop were especially the soundtrack of my youth. With the mindset that “good is good,” I enjoy music across genres. Thanks to past work environments and their influence, I was exposed to lots of classic rock and kayōkyoku (Japanese popular songs), which may have broadened the scope of what I love. At RAG MUSIC, I currently focus on K-pop and J-pop. I strive to edit with a feel for the scene and an eye for hit potential.

Billy Joel radiates a one-of-a-kind charm as the Piano Man.

Active since the 1970s, he has given us classics like “My Life,” “Just the Way You Are,” and “Honesty.” Even if you don’t know much about him, chances are you’ve heard at least one of his songs.

In January 2024, his long-awaited concerts in Japan were a huge success, and he continues to be beloved there.

In this article, we’ll introduce topics related to Billy in a quiz format.

Let’s have fun getting to know Billy, whose straightforward pop sensibilities captivate people!

[The One-and-Only Piano Man] Fun Trivia About Billy Joel in Quiz Format (1–10)

Billy’s first performance in Japan was on the same day and at the same venue as another artist. Who was that artist?

Spiders
Scorpions
Cars

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Scorpions

It was the German hard rock band Scorpions. Because the Nakano Sunplaza Hall they had originally reserved overlapped with Billy’s preferred dates, a proposal came up to hold a performance during the daytime on the same date, April 23. Nowadays, two-part shows by the same artist are fairly common, but having different artists perform at the same venue on the same day must have been quite rare back then.

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Which of the following is the work by Billy Joel that was the first CD ever sold in the world?

Cold Spring Harbor
52nd Street, New York
Innocent Man

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52nd Street, New York

The album 52nd Street by Billy Joel was the first CD ever sold in the world. Philips first manufactured CDs in 1982. The first title they produced was The Visitors by the Swedish group ABBA, but due to various circumstances, the first CD to go on sale appears to have been 52nd Street.

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Which of the following characteristics does Billy Joel, who is involved in the production, have?

absolute pitch
synesthesia
echolocation

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synesthesia

She is said to have synesthesia, the ability to perceive colors in sounds. And not only that—Billy sometimes even composes by imagining colors. Now that you mention it, her music does give the impression of colorful, radiant soundscapes.

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Billy Joel has visited Japan many times, but when was his first concert in Japan?

1977
the year 1978
1979

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the year 1978

They first came to Japan in 1978. They held a two-date tour with a show at Nakano Sunplaza on April 23 and another at the Osaka Kosei Nenkin Kaikan on April 24. The response seems to have laid the groundwork for their later success in Japan.

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Which of the following ballads is particularly popular in Japan compared to its popularity in its home country?

The Longest Time
Honesty (Onesuti)
Uptown Girl (Apptown Gaaru)

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Honesty (Onesuti)

A ballad in pursuit of sincerity, it has been loved across the boundaries of music fandom in Japan, even being featured in commercials. Although it isn’t performed very often, it was played for fans during their visit to Japan in 2024.

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