Billy Joel’s classic and popular songs
Let me introduce a song by Billy Joel, the American pianist and singer-songwriter.
Influenced by his parents, he began playing the piano and worked as a pianist in a bar during high school, but he ended up failing his credits and dropping out.
At the time, he reportedly said, “I’m not going to Columbia University—I’m going to Columbia Records, so I don’t need a high school diploma.”
It shows his determination and strength of spirit—so cool, right?
One of his great charms is his powerful yet warm singing voice.
Watching him sing while playing the piano is absolutely captivating.
Billy Joel’s Greatest and Most Popular Songs (1–10)
New York State of MindBilly Joel
After his debut, Billy Joel was temporarily based in L.A., and in 1976 he released this song expressing his feelings about life in New York City.
It features a classic, mature melody that conveys a bittersweet nostalgia for New York.
It’s Still Rock and Roll to MeBilly Joel
Released from the album Glass Houses, it reached No.
1 on the U.S.
singles chart for two weeks starting July 19, 1980.
The song criticizes music that changes with the times and expresses love for the good old days of music, and is regarded as an anthem of defiance against the media.
Just the Way You AreBilly Joel
This is one of Billy Joel’s signature love songs in Japan, known by the Japanese title “Sugao no Mama de.” Dedicated to his then-wife Elizabeth, it features a bossa nova–tinged melody and a pleasantly relaxed slow tempo.
It was released in 1977 as the first single from the album The Stranger.
Say Goodbye to HollywoodBilly Joel
Billy Joel is a singer-songwriter who achieved worldwide popularity with a catchy musical style that blends pop and adult contemporary.
He has produced numerous classics, and his works are still used in many contexts today; their popularity shows no signs of waning even on TikTok.
His song “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” is used in a variety of videos, and lately it seems especially common in clips that show scenes a few years into the future.
The River of DreamsBilly Joel
Released as the lead single from the 1993 album “The River of Dreams,” this song reached number 3 on both the U.S.
and U.K.
singles charts.
While it has an easily approachable rhythm, its lyrics deal with the struggles of life.
PressureBilly Joel
This is a track from the 1982 album The Nylon Curtain and was released as the lead single.
Set to an up-tempo rhythm with a melody that conveys a sense of frantic urgency, it expresses the feeling that “the world is nothing but unbearable pressure!”
No Man’s LandBilly Joel
This is a track released as a single in the UK from the album “River of Dreams,” and it reached number 50 on the UK Singles Chart.
Billy Joel was 44 at the time of the album’s release, but it’s a number that conveys the fiery soul of a rocker.