Reviews (page 2 of 15)
Every song is a stone cold hit. Short and sweet, leaves you wanting more.
One of best pop albums of the 70s, of all-time indeed. An inspired man at the peak of his powers.
The theme of this week's albums so far appears to be "fun and a 4/5." This was my first time listening to a full Billy Joel album (instead of just the hits I know) and it was a great one to start with (thanks generator!) Fun, catchy piano driven tunes from top to bottom. There were a few songs I knew going into it (I didn't realize how much I enjoyed "Only the Good Die Young"), and couple I knew but didn't know the name. The songs that I was unfamiliar with didn't do anything to dim my impression of the album and became some of my favorites such as "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant." We've been on a great streak this week and I hope it keeps going tomorrow. 4/5 Side note: I was surprised to discover this is the only Billy Joel album on this list. Surprising given that Elivs Costello gets like 6
prva pesma hvata paznju ceo album je super
- 🔥🔥🔥 - always a good listen - it’s hard to pick a favorite
4 estrellas solo por billy Joel, un clásico el vago la verdad
It was good. My favorite songs were The Stranger, Vienna, and Everybody has a Dream. There was nothing bad on here, and every song was good. Overall, I would give it a 4.3/5!
Arguably Billy's creative peak, many of his classic songs can be found on this record. Not a bad song out of the bunch, but the last two (the only tracks here that a casual fan wouldn't know) don't hit as hard as the rest of the album. And if I never hear Just the Way You are again, I will be very okay with that. Four out of five Ack-ack-ack-acks.
Love Billy Joels voice, new album for me but reminded me of his music. Will be getting inyo his music more!!
I can't imagine what it would have been like to come back to your NYC apartment to have Elle MacPherson waiting there for you...but you've got Christie Brinkley on your arm and you kick Elle MacPherson out. Not the move I'd have made, but then again I'm not Billy Joel. Every time I see him, I think of that story...and then I think of the "We Didn't Start The Fire" video which was burned in my young brain as I watched too much MTV and they played that video over and over. It's probably unfair for me to hold that song against him, but that's my first impression of Billy Joel...and I get that song is probably loathed by his diehard fans but my whole life I've been disappointed that he never rocks that hard anywhere else. I also don't like pianos and keyboards a whole lot, so I was surprised that I liked this album more than I expected. The Stranger is great, the chorus on Just The Way You Are is catchy...I can see myself returning to this album.
never listened to this album before, but i knew all the songs except “Get it Right the First Time”. this is a good one
It's undeniably cheese, but it's the kind of cheese that's also basically cocaine... like Roule. There's enough musical and vocal talent on display that the cheesiness is more than tolerable, and it's not samey such that each song blurs into the next. Good stuff Mr. Piano Man.
Great album. I always enjoy this one.
This would almost have been a 5 but the back half was a little weaker imo
I'm not usually a fan of this genre of music - I call it musical soundtrack music cuz that's what it sounds like to me. But Billy Joel is so skilled that I can understand the appeal to his musical style. Very impressive album with strong tracks and deep lyricism.
I enjoyed this album as more of an introduction to Billy Joel
WHO NEEDS A HOUSE OUT IN HACKENSACK? IS THAT ALL YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY????? What a throwback! Movin’ Out in particular immediately pulls The Stranger into the upper echelon of albums for me. I used to listen to that song when driving to my high school in Hackensack. It was my battle cry “I’m getting out of here” song. The nostalgia!! Great album, love the sax and love the piano. The Stranger, Vienna, She’s Always a Woman, Everybody Has a Dream. Classic
No. 204/1001 Movin' Out 4/5 The Stranger 4/5 Just The Way You Are 4/5 Scenes from an Italian Restaurant 4/5 Vienna 5/5 Only The Good Die Young 4/5 She's Always A Woman 5/5 Get It Right The First Time 4/5 Everybody Has a Dream 4/5 Average: 4,22 Wow! This was really a great listen from front to back.
Funny how I knew several tracks on this. It must be a testament to BJ's genius as a songwriter. He's not my normal listening material, but this is very good. No Rock songs on here and I don't care! A 4 star album.
generally found that all the best songs were ones i already knew, the songs i was unfamiliar with will likely remain so even after this listen. I did enjoy the minutes of instrumental after songs concluded though, let’s bring that back
Billy Joel has just never really appealed to me. I even had a teacher back in grade school who was completely obsessed with him—probably wished she could’ve married him. Even back then, his music never seemed all that impressive to me. And now, while I can admit he’s clearly talented, his music still doesn’t really do much for me. I’m not saying it’s bad, but it just kind of exists. Nothing I’d ever seek out on my own.
Entertainingly naff at points, Scenes From An Italian Restaurant and Get It Right First Time were standouts for me. I liked it more than expected, just edging into a 3
It's okay. Every time I listen to Billy Joel I'm reminded of my college music theory professor who hated his guts for some personal slight.
Despite being named after the guy, I have never willingly listened to this album before. I enjoyed it enough, Vienna is definitely an excellent song. probably a 3.5 overall but will round it to a 3 because i did leave half way through and listen to a few DIIV covers
it was fine! i am so glad lyrics are back. instruments were nice
Nothing revolutionary here and although pretty straightforward and uninspired easy listening soft rock, this collection of songs is executed quite nicely. I do prefer albums with MUCH greater creative ambition, those offering real emotional depth to challenge my listening ears with embracing something edgy and far less mainstream (the comments on this being textbook elevator music are spot on!). Having said that, I do respect the musicianship on display with this recording and Mr. Piano Man can clearly carry a note as a singer. 🎧 Classic Track- Just The Way You Are 🎧 Hidden Gem- Vienna 🎧 Guilty Pleasure- Movin’ Out (‘ack ‘ack ‘ack ‘ack ‘ack) 🚫 Skip Track- Get It Right The First Time While this genre of musack is not quite my cup of tea, there is nothing offensively bad with the record and produced some notable big hits. Cheesy sure, but it’s fine :) 🖼️ Album Artwork: ❌- not impressed Click the thumbs up icon below if you enjoyed my take on the album :)
I never really liked what I had heard of Billy Joel. The first couple tracks really pulled me in, I started thinking maybe I’d been wrong about him. Then we hit the overwrought middle part of the album and he lost me again. The album rallies a bit at the end, but ultimately there were only 2 or 3 songs I really enjoyed
He's got such a great voice. Somewhere in between Paul McCartney and Elton John, but man some of those lyrics are so creepy. Even when he's trying to be nice comes off so condescending. I'll split the difference
*Slightly* better than the usual piano rock dross of Elton John.
Boomer music. I don't dislike it as much as I thought I would. I still don't really like it. It's generic-ass music for generic-ass people in the 70s (and beyond). He always has songs like Scenes from an Italian Restaurant where he sets up a totally predictable plot with easily-relatable themes of cheesy Boomer romance, coupled with origin stories of the good ol' days, all with a healthy dose of theatrical flair, and sax, that 70s sax that led to sex and birthed jerks like me. I think I don't like it 'cause it reminds me of Boomers and I don't like Boomers.
A talented guy but too cheesy for me.
This thing is random, right? Three albums so far for me, all of them from 1977. Billy Joel (always pronounced Joh-El by me, as if he's related to Superman) is one of those artists... Let's put it this way, there's a bloke I know - just turned 30, so still young as far as I am concerned - he loves Billy Joel. Loves Elton John too. And Barry Manilow. He's been to see them all live. Loves artists who put on a "show", and if they can play the old Aunt Joanna, even better. "Safe" music, I call it. That said, I've got respect for Billy Joel. He digs The Beatles, and he obviously knows his stuff - in fact, I like to watch him talk about music, his own and other people's, and he generally makes a lot of sense and seems like a good guy (well, there was that time he totally lost his shit in Moscow). A talented guy though. I own all of his studio albums (yeah, even that classical one) and have given each of them ample chance to impress me over the years. Sadly, I always find them all just a bit... meh. Fine greatest hits album, of course, but the LPs themselves are just too inconsistent and, well, bland. But I was willing to give The Stranger another try, it does, after all, contain probably my favourite Joel composition. Even the slightly tongue-in-cheek accordion solo can't detract from the brilliance of Vienna. Melodically irresistible, it weaves its way between sentimentality and uplifting optimism without ever tumbling completely over either side of the precipice. A bit of a guilty pleasure for me, laid back, but the delivery is totally suited to the lyrical themes and the melody is convincing and compelling throughout. Not quite as successful, but still something of a guilty pleasure, Just The Way You Are does eventually plunge into the depths of mushiness. Again, melodically strong with a undeniably touching sentiment, but the execution is just too sickly for these ears. Saxophones? Good god, no. Elsewhere, The Stranger never reaches the same heights, hit singles notwithstanding. Scenes From An Italian Restaurant is just a bit pretentious, isn't it? As is that bloody whistled The Stranger theme (and not too far removed from the soundtrack to that Turkish Delight advert from the 80s). The car noises on Movin' Out really confused my dog while I was listening, which provided a rare moment of genuine entertainment for me. Joel's music tentatively dips its toes in various popular genres, but never dares to get soaking wet in any of them. And therein lies the key, great singer-songwriter though he may be on paper, Billy Joel's music works best when he finds a suitable hook to hang it on. Much of The Stranger just seems lacking in style. At heart he's an old school rock 'n' roller operating at the nexus point where music fractured and split off in a thousand different directions. Vienna works so well because it wears its Kurt Weil parody on its sleeve and fully commits to the pastiche. It's no surprise Joel would come out the other side of the 1970s and enjoy his greatest success by completely embracing his roots and paying homage to his own favourite music of the past. I can't give it any more than two stars, and even then Vienna and Just The Way You Are are doing all the heavy lifting.
I really dislike this artist, always have. He’s written a few lovely songs (e.g., Just the Way You Are on this album), but he has other cringy-to-me hits like Uptown Girl, Piano Man, We Didn’t Start the Fire, and worst of all, It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me — he seems so completely non rock and roll to me. I was a tiny bit excited/curious for this since I’ve always had it in the back of my mind that I should give him a serious listening. This is due to a favorite author, Chuck Klosterman, writing copiously about BJ in one of his books, arguing he’s a great artist. Chuck also loves Radiohead, Nirvana, REM, Wilco, Weezer, and even The Cardigans. So his loving BJ stuck with me (he also loves Kiss). This would be a 1 without Just the Way You Are…
The popular songcraft here is strong but the problem is that it doesn’t serve much of a purpose. If you took Paul McCartney at his schmaltziest, added some overproduced Paul Simon with all the substance trimmed away, and finished with a dash of Elton John glitz, this is what you’d get. He absolutely nailed what he was trying to make, it seems, but it’s all so flavorless I can’t imagine why you’d want to try it. Plus the second half really reveals a core of misogyny that poisons anything decent there.
Wow, all I see are 4 and 5 star ratings for this so I'll probably take flak for this. Someone already stole my line that he's a less interesting and cheesier version of Elton John and I fully concur. There's no doubt that he has a knack for writing catchy pop songs, but the shmaltz factor here is simply too high for me. He somewhat redeems himself with the less commercial songs like the Stranger and Get it right. But he knows his audience and and I guess he hits the nail right on the head with this album that is loaded with bestsellers.
This album is basically filled with every one of his radio hits save "Piano Man". Overall, was never a Billy Joel fan, and this just reconfirms that. Somewhat of an off-brand Elton John, who I'm also not a fan of.
I have been dreading this one since early on. Well, I've been dreading any Billy Joel album and the task of facing what may be an irrational hatred on my part. For as long as I can remember, I have been turned by The Pianoman - the song and, by extension, the writer who inserted himself into its gross act of self-mythologisation. While I think there are artists who regard their audience with an understandable scepticism, the contempt that Joel expresses towards the bar patrons in that song has always been palpable - they are all losers and he's the one who can give them a win at nine o'clock on a Saturday. What a smug arsehole. That's one song. It's not on this album. However, the oblivious self-regard carries throughout this record - never quite humanising other people and always seeing himself as apart from others. His relationship with the woman in Always A Woman is baffling, not because she sounds insufferable, but because she doesn't sound real. The totem pole of misogynistic tropes which Joel mistakes for contradictions or fatal flaws are no more than you would expect to hear rhymed off about manic pixie dream girl or a psychotic ex - the narrator doesn't recognise that the problem isn't that she can't be understood, but that he is not capable of understanding her. It's wilfulness on his part though - humanising her would diminish him. Similarly, if he recognised that he was playing in a piano bar, he would have to concede he was just a loser like the people who hang out there. Unlike Springsteen and Bon Jovi, other songwriters from the Tri-State area who write about working class lives, Joel never really puts himself in anybody else's place. He is always the observer, the storyteller - like Randy Newman, although Newman never denies the contempt for his subject, because his subjects are the self-aggrandisers. Joel may not know realise that the subjects of his writing never seem as anything more than songwriting fodder, but he must recognise the chasm between him and them. On Only the Good Die Young, he sings "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints; the sinners are much more fun," associating himself with, but never reducing himself to, flat stereotypes. (Against my will, I'm forced to think of the braindead binary of the Uptown Girl who has never had a backstreet guy! It's supposed to be about his real girlfriend and he still can't write a real person!) All this would be easy to ignore if some of the tunes weren't infuriatingly catchy. But, even here, it is nursery rhyme melodicism. I suspect that Billy Joel doesn't believe his audience couldn't handle anything more challenging or engaging. I was right all along. 1 I am on a package holiday at a resort hotel this week. We arrived in the afternoon and took our dinner as our half-board for the day. The package set-menu was a miserable affair of watery soup, cheap bread rolls, frozen vegetables and a main course consisting of a little insole of frying steak masquerading on the menu as ‚Beef Rib-Eye‘. We were a party of 8 and I was the only one who felt ill-used. Everyone else had ‚a lovely meal‘ and so we are returning tonight for another kicking. Naturally I thought of the popularity of Billy Joel. How did this square, reheated, miserable little lump of a songwriter come to be regarded as one of America’s greatest? ‚And they say there's a heaven for those who will wait/ And some say it's better, but I say it ain't/ I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints‘ It’s not that these are bad lyrics exactly, but they are almost impressively bland. A breezy regurgitation of a worthless commonplace; no drama, no insight, not even the sort of weird non sequitur, rhythmic pratfall, or grammar brainfart that keeps one awake through a Bernie Taupin lyric. Other songs are just a dull unfolding of the song’s title. The Italian restaurant, Joel is pleased to immediately point out, has white, red and rosé. Relatable. There’s ‘Get it Right the First Time’ - great title, thought Billy Joel, now what else should I say about that? Well, I could point out the difference between first and not first: Get it right the first time/ That's the main thing…/ You get it right the next time/ That's not the same thing‘ Oh right. Elsewhere there is a bloodless approximation of the style of other, better songwriters - the lyrical style of Movin’ Out recalls Paul Simon to no value; She’s Always a Woman is simply playschool Dylan. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant is an absolutely tiresome 7 and a half minutes. Brenda and Eddie sound like a couple of squares - although it isn’t clear that Billy Joel thinks so - and presumably they each bought a copy of The Stranger wherever they ended up and enjoyed it as much as their paintings from Sears. The second evening’s dinner was far better than the first. I had a set menu - cream of almond soup, spinach and ricotta cannelloni, and fish for the main. All very nice. We had red wine (I should mention that white and rosé were also options). There was a piano player knocking out instrumental versions of popular songs in between Chopin and Für Elise. ‘Always a Woman’ made an appearance. It’s a pleasant wee tune. You can see why people like this shit. 1.5/5
I hate Billy Joel. This album is all too well known to me, and I probably would have given a much higher rating before these songs were ground to dust in the last 40 years. One Star.
Great pop album, bunch of iconic songs.
Billy joel 🐐'd album All the hits are great and the songs in-between are so good. No idea what that album covers about tho
this was so nice
Amazing album
It is like a greatest hits album. Such good songwriting and storytelling
Stand-out tracks: Movin' Out, The Stranger, Just the Way You Are, Vienna, Get It Right the First Time A perfect late night listen. I especially enjoy how pleasant the piano is on some tracks. It is a nice blend of more energetic and mellow songs, the latter being ones I prefer. The only track that is kind of a miss for me is Scenes from an Italian Restaurant as it is far too drawn-out in my opinion.
Highlights: everything This is one of those records that I consider immaculate. There isn't a single dud. No track in particular is a bore, even after a dozen listens. Looking at it now, it's amazing how this is his only record on the list. Not that I know if they are any good, I haven't listened to any other, but he can't be that popular for no reason. Oh well... The performances are so good and they never get stale, even in the slower parts, which sure are plentiful. There's a nice balance between a mellow and a playful sound which is something that is often messed up. His vocals too were never monotonous. I often feel like the sound takes me to some place, but I'm not sure if it's NYC or Paris. Heck, Vienna doesn't sound Viennese at all, I always think how the accordion makes it French.
Dritbra damn
Someone in my family died recently. Yesterday we went to their house to sort through their things. We looked through their huge record collection, decided which ones we’d keep, which we’d give away. We found this album and put it on the “to keep” pile. Today the generator gave this album to me. It’s strange how the universe does little things like this. I listened to it on the coach journey home and cried. This will be an emotional rating and I don’t care. Tell your people you love them.
🗣️IF THATS MOVING UP THEN IM MOVING OUT🗣️ This album makes me think of Kevin, Drew and Michael from high school .
Amazing album, some absolute classics including some really good ones I had not heard before
Absolute classic. Every song on here is awesome
Adorei
Absolutely stunning album. Life changing if I may.
peak
brenderaneddie
pleasenet 8/20
Perfect
I get it if you don't like some of the theatricality in these songs, but I really do.
4.5
Initially, I rated this one as a 4. But it's been some days and I keep coming back to this album again and again.. I really liked it.
10/10
I loved this album! There isn’t a bad song on it. Each song is a story, a beautiful story.
Vienna as a ultimate classic 🙂↕️🙂↕️ but the whole album was impressive
Listened before? Yes Thoughts: - This is one of those albums that feels like it should be a greatest hits compilation. I think there are 5 or 6 big hits on here? - I love a long story song :) Also love a good piano ballad. - Great songwriting; not sure what else to say here! Favorite track(s): Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
Great album, each song is better than the last. Vienna and Scenes from an Italian Restaurant are truly fantastic!
He’s never going to be cool, but I don’t think he cares, and he’s kind of the best. Hit after hit after hit: ballads, epics, stupid teenage lust, aching melancholy. Does anyone capture the post 60s malaise better?
Bops
Sometimes I try to pretend I’m a real intellectual who looks down on Billy Joel, the most middlebrow bland Americana artist of all time, beloved by all the most basic couples you went to college with who go to Disney every three years and dress their baby up like Loki for Halloween. But the facade never holds because I can’t help but rock out to Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, plus I went to school in North Jersey so it’s basically my heritage now. This is the perfect album to spend the weekend with, the hit rate is crazy, really only the last track is a dud. Billy Joel is at his best when he’s writing slice of life songs about normal working people. Life feels so much simpler and easier listening to this. Second act montage needle drop in my biopic: “Movin’ Out”
We are all Italian American today........ Baba booey............. The title song the stranger?? Are you fucking kidding me??? How can he make something so sad and so danceable at the same time, this shit is right up my alley. Listening to this right now with my coworker Desneige on the last night of the ASLA conference. Unrelated to this album specifically but i kept saying baba booey this week and she asked me if that's something the kids are saying nowadays or if it was just me and I had to say it's just me. Desneige gave this a five. I'm hovering between a four and a five, I really do love this album but there are a few songs I don't care about quite as much. However. The repeat theme with the whistle is beautiful and ties the album together so well that I think that pushes it over into a five. I love you william. Desneige liked that there are so many different sounding songs on this album and I agree with that. I must admit that I accidentally listened to this on shuffle, I'm so fucking mad at myself. Will relisten tomorrow. Relistened all weekend in fact, I love this album. Absolute five especially in order.
i am not ashamed to be a billy joel enjoyer every single song on this is a banger
somethin bout a cadillac ACK ACK ACK ACK ACK
Extraordinary, soul-full
Man I love Billy Joel. Everything on this album is stellar. It's an equal mix of tender and fun songs. Like Chris de Burgh (sorely missing from the list), Billy Joel is one hell of a storyteller, and that's what makes his music so riveting. You can absolutely enjoy his songs without listening to the lyrics, but you're missing something. Billy Joel has a deep understanding of the human soul. All of his songs, even those with pretty mundane themes (love and longing for a woman!), manage the delicate balance between mellow, somber, joyful and melancholic. It's this emotional richness that makes Billy's music so poignant, so resonant. It's a shame the Piano Man album isn't on the list, and that this is the only Billy Joel representation, but well, it's a perfect album nonetheless, with everything from danceable bops to songs that will make you lay in bed for hours, eyes fixed on the ceiling. I love every second of it.
Almost perfect. Almost every song is a banger. Lots of range.
movin' out is so good and ye (Kanye west )sample it on his leaked song mamas boyfriend. 10/10 very good
Absolute no-brainer, 5 stars.
A classic
I’ve always liked the Piano Man’s output and this album in particular. It was the first of his I ever heard and it remains my favourite. I think the last two songs are less than perfect and let down the rest of the record for some reason. Nevertheless, the reprise of the title track is a great way to end the album and I absolutely love the rest anyway. I like the tinkly piano, the stories in the lyrics, his voice, his haunting whistling on The Stranger and the album’s production overall. This a very fine album. My favourite of his despite the multitude of future great songs he released. This is also one of my all-time favourites of any artist.
Genius, I tell ya. Genius. You can see why that Catalina Wine Mixer guy wasn't fuckin' with An Innocent Man. He was tryna get some of this heat, skank hooker wife or not. Book it (10/10, 5/5 on this scale)
Great albun
What an album of absolute hits. Incredible and easy to listen to. I don't know what else to say other than it's just fantastic. Billy Joel can write a ballad that you'll enjoy listening to. What goes on the playlist: Movin' Out (Anthony's Song), The Stranger, Just The Way You Are, Vienna, Only The Good Die Young, She's Always A Woman Overall Score: 9/10, (5/5 stars)
It's pretty much what I expected, right down to a T. And I'm not disappointed in the slightest. Most of the songs were new-to-me, but they still are unmistakable Billy Joel. I don't really have a lot to say to this one. A bunch of pretty tunes, book-ending a message about how one should feel safe and confident to be themselves. Perhaps it's a message that we need to be reminded of from time to time.
Many of the reviews of this record start with some stray shot at Billy Joel. A reminder - none of those people have sold out the Garden for a decade, none of them have substantially contributed to the corpus of great American songwriting, and frankly, most of them should not be permitted in your life. This is a classic. A classic’s classic. The songwriting is perfect. The storytelling evocative. The playing raw and real. The arrangement full of life. It’s a treasure, written by a treasure; a god-tier work of American art. Don’t associate with people who need to wear a sense of irony on their sleeve while enjoying Billy Joel. It’s more fun to laugh with musical sinners and die with those saints.
5⭐️ 10/10 album genuinely! my favorite song it's obviously vienna, and it's actually one of my favorite songs ever!
Every song is good but there are some absolute bangers! Such a classic album
A+
I have this album, along with 4 others, listened to it countless times. Sad there is only one on this site, but at least the *&+$#Brit included this one.
Favorite track(s): Movin' Out (Anthony's Song), The Stranger, Just the Way You Are, Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, Vienna, Only the Good Die Young, She's Always a Woman, Get It Right the First Time How did I go on for so long only listening to Movin' Out? Well played, Billy.
A work of art I think I just became a Billy Joel fan because i'm enjoying this album so much. JUST THE WAY YOU ARE!!!!!!!! EVERY SINGLE SONG IS A WORK OF ART!!!!!
I’ve already heard this one
Essential
Pre Listen: Bruh! This project's gotta slow down with banger after banger album, it's completely destroying my rating average! I've listened to this one many times before, it may even be my favorite Billy Joel album. Expecting this one to be a 5/5 right from the get go. Notable Tracks: Movin' Out | Vienna | Only the Good Die Young - Classics! Total bangers, love em. The Stranger - Favorite track, I love how the track goes from melancholy, to jazzy, to more pop-rock. Lyrics are superb here too. A song worthy to name an album after. Get It Right the First time - Least favorite track, not because it's necessarily bad, but it's the most forgettable song on the album in my opinion. Just sort of meh. Post Listen: Yup, favorite Billy Joel album. Wonderful stuff right here if you enjoy musical story-telling and lyrical greatness. I adore this album's commitment to it's theme on the twists, turns, pits and peaks of life. It speaks of love, of struggle, just great lyrical content overall. The album both depresses and reinvigorates the soul, all backed by professional instrumental work. Billy's piano is always welcome, and he works with a great time. I really can't gush enough about how much Billy's lyrics resonate with me. Such a treat. Vienna waits for you! 5/5
Movin' Out - 8/10. Great tune. Somehow, Billy Joel always manages to create a very interesting cast of characters in his songs. The Stranger - 10/10. Outstanding songwriting, and the whistle gives the song a European, almost Film Noir feel. Just the Way You Are - 9/10. Another great song. Simple, clean, great saxophone at the end of the chorus and in the bridge and outro. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant - 11/10. Very slice-of-life and reminiscent of Side 2 of Abbey Road (lots of snippets welded together). One of my favorites. This one goes to 11. Vienna - 11/10. Another song that sounds very European in sensibility. We could all take the advice of this song. Very tight songwriting. This may be the best song on the album, and it also goes to 11. Only the Good Die Young - 9/10. Another banger. She's Always a Woman - 9/10. Great. Get it Right the First Time - 9/10. Old-school rock and/or Roll done very well. Everybody Has a Dream - 8/10. Has a Gospel feel to it. Excellent, but not up to the standard of the best of this album. Overall Rating - 4.67/5 (9.33/10). One of the first CDs I owned. Very much an "all killers no fillers" album. Incredible from beginning to end.
Billy Joel’s ridiculous talent level is on full display here. What a fantastic album. So much fun to listen to a master.
Super album Calme, passe super en musique d'ambiance comme en écoute active
He's so gentle and positive and truthful! Vienna is one of my favourite songs, from the message to the music of it. And each and every song on the album contains both beautifully written melodies and thoughtfully written lyrics. There's such simplicity and calmness and experience in everything he sings, I would believe him as if he's my grandpa. Billy Joel's an absolute treasure!
Quite possibly my favorite Billy Joel album, there isn't a single bad song on The Stranger
I've been a Joel fan since I was a 6-year old singing along to my babysitter's cassette tape in my upstairs bedroom. How can I rate this anything other than 5-stars? 7 solid tracks of the best of Billy Joel, followed by 2 not-quite-classic-but-still-solid tracks to round out the album. This is one of his best and finally something that deserves a spot in this project.
one of my most beloved albums of all time
No skip album
very beautiful album. i liked billy joel’s music before but this was my first time listening to a full album of his. i was surprised how much i liked it. the instruments used are beautiful, the story’s very clear throughout each song, not to mention how pretty billy joel’s voice is
Killer! Vienna is great!
10/10! No notes as it’s my favorite Billy Joel album.
This is pretty much a perfect album. One of my favorites with so few dips that I can’t at all complain. Everybody Has a Dream is the weakest song, and it’s a song that most bands wish they could write. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant is Joel’s Bohemian Rhapsody without being played to death. All aspects here are a mark of an artist at the top of his game.
Billy Joel rips and this is his best album. One of the best lyricists of the time and that's saying a lot. Not a miss on this album.
I like Billy Joel, but I get why a lot of people don't. I was still surprised to see that he only has this album on the list. After thinking about it, I realized most Joel albums have a couple of great songs, a couple good songs, and a bunch of duds. This one is different. Most of these tracks are great, and no duds (well, maybe Everybody Has a Dream). This is the Billy Joel album you want if you only get one. 4.5
Beautiful album crammed full of absolutely fantastic songs but it will always be Scenes From An Italian Restaurant that will hold a special place in my heart and my teenage nights!
didn't realise how severely i had been sleeping on Billy Joel - stunning
It’s a classic. Full of hits. Great songwriting. Excellent album. 5/5
A fantastic album that I own on vinyl. Love the title song, classics like movin out and everything in between. Billy Joel gets criticized sometimes for copying other people, but his writing and musical ability are absolutely underrated. His composition is superb.
This was my favourite from mom and dad’s record collection. Sentimental for me and scenes from and Italian restaurant is perfect.
Classic
This is a very youthful album, like I get it. I’ve heard the classics in passing but to listen to everything around it, i get it. To be a teen when this came out and to fast forward to today. This album is one of pure adolescence
This album is probably one of the best albums I have ever listened to. Surely, one of the sweetest (but in a completely delicious way). And probably one of the best albums of all time too. It's got great melodies, such a great storytelling, some fantastic arrangements, as well as lovely and catchy songs. It is a very bold album, every song is a masterpiece, and every song is a highlight in an album that feels very fresh and so wonderfully beautiful. It almost feels cinematic (well, it feels indeed), so warm, so joyful, so sweet, so fun and such a pleasure to listen to. The instrumental part of this record is also fantastic, the pianos are wonderful, with a lot of sentiment at many times, and the guitars just sound so beautifully. It is such a delicate and yet very enjoyable album. And one that unfolds to be more eclectic than what it seems to be at first. And it is a masterpiece of an album.
Someone please point to the bad song on this album.
yeyyyyy
This is THE Billy Joel album. Huge hits and no filler. 5/5
Banger of an album.
Perfection.
This is an absolute all timer. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant might be one of the best songs I’ve heard on this list. And Always a Woman my god it’s so beautiful. And that’s not to mention the big hits on it.
Absolutely incredible, short and to the point
Loved it
Stunning lineup of Billy Joel's most iconic anthems. Perfect balance between sentimentality and youthful spirit.
This is Billy's best. A diverse, ambitious album, this has some classic piano songs, some guitar riffs, and some love songs for good measure. Top tracks: "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," "Just the Way You Are," "The Stranger," "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," "Only the Good Die Young"
THE MAN
Incredible
I love Billy Joel! It’s crazy it took towards the end of this project to get anything by him. In my estimation, he should have like 3-4 albums on this list! He’s seriously over hated. This is one of those albums where almost every track was a hit, and it’s easy to see why! The lyrics! The hooks! It’s a pleasure to listen to it.
I've been a fan of the hit Billy Joel songs for a while, but never ventured into listen to any of his albums. I actually really enjoyed this one, and feel like I need to checkout his other works. The hits are still the standout songs, but everything here is really good. There was like 1 or 2 too many slow ballads for me, but otherwise a great album!!! Low 5!
Fire, start to finish. Favorite tracks: Movin' Out, She's Always a Woman.
Favorite songs: Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song), The Stranger, Just the Way You Are, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Vienna, Only the Good Die Young, She’s Always a Woman, Get It Right the First Time
A bottle of red, a bottle of white and a five-I’ve-I’ve-I’ve-I’ve. When will you realize Vienna waits for you? That only the good die young?
Increíble, amo este álbum con mi vida, no hay que escucharlo para ponerle las 5 estrellas 5/5
I love this album. Joel just has this certain lyricism that is hard to replicate. The piano playing as well is great, so are the rest of the instruments.
My first real album; still has my heart.
I like the story telling
Great! Classic tracks plus some excellent 'deeper' stuff.
Ahhhh Billy Joel. I know you either love him or hate him, but he has too many bangers for me to be a hater. This album has pretty much nothing but great songs. No one writes a musical vignette like Billy Joel, and he is truly a great musician. Also, She's Always a Woman is on this album and it might be my favorite Billy Joel song.
Blev förvånad! Aldrig lyssnat på en hel skiva av Billy Joel, bara hört hitsen liksom. Satan vad bra det var. Njöt av alla låtar och då finns också typ tre nästan fyra riktigt feta. Det blir fan en femma.
Discovered this a couple of years ago, couldn't believe it was a singular album.
Perhaps my favorite Billy Joel album??? They're all just SO GOOD. This is a no-skip album for me forsure.
ohhh billy joel i actually already know him! first song is a great entrance (shoutouts karsten) vienna auf die 1 otgdy auch ein banger haha
The thing is, this is a great album. I’ve tried to find a serious flaw with it. But even that final reprise of The Stranger at the end of Everybody has a Dream is well done. For what it is, it’s a 5. 5 Boolean:True
Sorprendida totalmente con este album
He is such a pop star. What a voice. Some beautiful melodies and the lyrics occasionally have surprising depth? They all make so much sense when you realize everyone he's writing about is from Long Island.
Only three deep, but this definitely is the best one so far. Great music, great vocals, awesome variety, but coherent. The others were perfectly pleasant, but this just has a higher entertainment value. There is constantly something going on and the piano throughout helps a lot and I do really like his voice. Maybe an 8.8?
Love Billy Joel, Love Vienna, Love Just the Way you Are
Lord, this album was amazing. Of course, I’ve heard the big ones from this album, but actually sitting and listening to it, I’ve got a few new favorites. Billy Joel is an amazing story teller, and every song I felt like I was being strung along a tale in his life personally. He is one of my dads favorites, and has always been one of mine that I now have a new appreciation for 5/5
What an incredible album. Hits from start to finish. Not a bad song in the bunch. This was peak Billy Joel. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant is 10/5. That song is an entire movie.
I mean, it’s just fantástico. Felt like I heard Vienna in a whole new way. Glad I listened to the hole album, there were some songs I had never heard before. Made me think of Vincenzo.
This has special meaning to me. It was the first album I ever bought; saved up my allowance money. Played it repeatedly.
Amazing
Buenísimo album, producción excelente, y musicalmente estupendo.
o billy joel é um contador de histórias nato e consegue transparecer poesia em histórias humanas e cotidianas como ninguém!! esse álbum é um primor amei
OMG
Another Billion Play song for "Vienna" but the album is filled with classics. A great album overall
It’s just THAT good, man, “Vienna” gets me every time :,)
Always a classic, the instrumental backings are so unique
I think this may be my favorite Billy Joel album. Movin' Out is definitely my favorite Billy Joel song. Growing up there was a band called the Supervillians that covered it and the drummer was the singer and at the time I thought that was so cool. Unfortunately, Spotify like to force Vienna on me any chance it gets so that's the only song I would skip on this album. Not because it's bad, but because at this point it would be my top song just because it's seems to be on every Spotify made for you playlist.
Such a classic
A classic!
I had never heard this full album, just knew a few songs and just so much better as a whole, start to finish listened twice so nice to hear good quality pop music Everything is on point, I have no complaints. The musicianship is perfect, recording is perfect. Billy Joel plays the pianos/keyboards himself and wrote all songs (remember when artists were musicians?) Every single song is great, everything sounds great, nothing is out of place.. its just an amazing album Highlights are obviously Vienna and Movin out Shoutout to Scenes from an italian restaurant, its like a cinematic song it has different parts or "scenes" , felt like a prog rock song or opera MORE OF THIS JA TAK
I used to only ever listen to Movin’ Out for the longest time and never thought once to venture beyond the first song, I was so stupid. This album is such an amazing listen, Billy Joel’s cadence and story telling is so good, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant is so perfectly crafted, and the Paul McCartney influence is so apparent not only in this song, but over the entire album. Joel uses his influences so well and manages to pay homage while also being so unique and personal. When I did an initial listen to this many months ago, I got stuck on the title track, there’s something so ear wormy about it, and no matter how many times I listen to it, it never gets old. I don’t know how I’ve gone my entire life without ever hearing Vienna, such a powerful song, he really puts his all into the performance it’s incredible. Having such a short track-list also helps this album a lot in that it allows every song to really stick itself to your mind. Overall, I can’t get enough of this album, I only hope to continue my Billy Joel journey!
I've struggled to break this one down today, even more because it's totally not what I expected. It's got more attitude, heavier guitar riffs and funky basslines, smokey bar pianos and great vocals and lyrics. It lacked pretention, whilst also feeling sophisticated. It was simply fantastic. It leans further into the piano-focused work as it progresses, but this does a great job of supporting the lyrics, which I am always shocked by how smart and aware they are. It felt, to me, like Joel was trying to tell more of a story in the lyrics, rather than trail out cliches to guarantee hitting emotions in listeners. Favourite songs: "The Stranger", "Just The Way You Are", "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant", "Only the Good Die Young", "Get it Right the First Time".
One of the perfect pop records. All songs are awesome, several classics. Well performed, joy to listen to.
The Stranger is an all killer, no filler American classic. It was Billy Joel's breakthrough album, and with good reason. It's rich with storytelling, brilliantly crafted songs, and an affable everyman behind the microphone. Coming Out has been my very favorite Billy Joel song, and that only adds to the special aura that The Stranger exudes. Highly recommend listening to any and all.
This is the type of album that I expect to find on a list of must hear albums. 5/5
Alright - I am GENUINELY embarrassed to give my first 5 star rating to a Billy Joel album but I do feel it deserves it. Every one of these songs is a HIT. Personally don’t care much for Italian Restaurant, but that still leaves Only The Good, Anthony’s Song, Vienna. I mean these are anthems and for some reason he was able to put them all on a pretty short album. I think most curiously, I wonder why Billy gets a lot of hate. Most ppl I know don’t like his music, but I do think his song writing and piano playing is really dope.
i will always love a good billy joel song, i will always love this album, i will always think of my friend eriks when i listen to it. makes me want to move to new york. 10/10 no notes
Only knew Billy Joel from the singles, this album is 10 stars.
Curti muito o álbum todo, e Viena sempre toca no fundo da alma... foda. Sempre quando ouço essa música tenho vontade de deixar o celular em casa e caminhar pela cidade sem rumo. Várias músicas no álbum que dão feels. Vou dar 5 estrelas sem medo.
This is up there with Thriller. Heat after heat. A perfect pop record. The best Billy Joel album by far. Cohesive and yet bouncy at every turn. He is truly himself here and does not shy away from his heritage. There is nothing to hate here. Every song is impactful and strong. This is a perfect record to throw on whether you want story or romance or background it’s the lyrical version of kind of blue
Chock-a-block with bangers. Billy Joel knows how to hit the mark.
Biko...Nuff said!
I had a cousin, his name was Tim. When we went on trips to Brisbane, I used to drive around in his ford fairlane listening to tapes of the Beatles and Billie Joel. I think him everytime I hear any Billie Joel, and especially “only the good die you young”. Tim passed away from stomach cancer well before his time, and I’m not saying he was the best person, but as Billie put it, “it’s better to laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints”. This album is amazing in its own right, and I hope you find connections with these songs and Billie Joel that bring a smile to your face, a spring in your step, or a tear to your eye. True art makes you feel, and this album is full of it.
classic
Love this album
These top-voted reviews are kind of startling. What, you're telling me a not-insignificant number of people agree with the idea of docking two stars from Billy Joel simply for him being the composer of Uptown Girl? (For the record, Uptown Girl is a great song. But even if it were heinously terrible, it was released six years after The Stranger. That's like knocking two stars off the Beatles' Please Please Me because they were the artists that released Revolution 9.) Now, this is one of the finest records of all time. Billy Joel has an almost untouchable 70s output, sort of akin to Queen's. That run starting with Turnstiles and ending with Glass Houses is ridiculous. Every one of his albums has a loose theme, and in the case of The Stranger, it's pure 70s pop. Every song has instant radio potential – so much so that the album as a collective sounds like a Greatest Hits record. Seriously. Many artists would kill to have just one of those first seven tracks on their album. Get It Right The First Time and Everybody Has A Dream are solid too, but it's the remaining tracks that push the album to "legendary" status. Movin' Out... "Ah, but workin' too hard can give you a heart attack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack–" "And he's tradin' in his Chevy for a Cadillac-ac-ac-ac-ac-ac–" "You should never argue with a crazy ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma–" Some people call it cheesy. I agree. But isn't that part of its charm? Couple those goofy lines with some seriously great storytelling (this quickly becomes a theme for the Joelster), great chords and melody, and excellent musicianship, and you have an instant classic track on your hands. Good job Anthony. The title track begins with another rock-solid melody on the piano (and human whistle), which oddly isn't reprised during the song but simply plays during the outro, as well as during the outro of Everybody Has a Dream later on. Instead Joel presents a hodgepodge of clever lyrics that don't actually mean anything if you pay too much attention. Nah, just enjoy the cool guitar part and the sassy vocal delivery. It contrasts excellently with Just the Way You Are, a beautiful keyboard-based love ballad with some great textural swells and a similarly great saxophone solo. There's so much to say about Scenes from an Italian Restaurant – first and foremost the fact that Joel considers this his own finest composition. I agree. I also think it's the best song of 1977 and easily in the top five songs of the decade. Multiple song sections that flow together seamlessly, a barrage of solos and witty, conversational lyrics, a full-on movie plotline that passes by so quickly you didn't even notice seven minutes have passed already. And to top it all off, the song is a blast to play on piano. Except for the piano solo a couple of minutes in, which is perhaps Joel's hardest-to-play keyboard part in his whole discography – beating out the likes of Root Beer Rag, Prelude/Angry Young Man, and Running On Ice. 10/10. No notes. Well, except you can get just a little bit closer to perfection... ...with Vienna, Billy Joel's singular "perfect" song. A whirlwind of slow, lilting, crushing-yet-hopeful piano chords accompanies one of the most painfully relatable anthems of all time. "Slow down you crazy child / You're so ambitious for a juvenile / But then if you're so smart, tell me why are you still so afraid?" "You can't be everything you wanna be before your time / Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight" "You've got your passion, you've got your pride / But don't you know only fools are satisfied? / Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true" Banger after banger after undeniable banger. And a dream to play live. It's no wonder Joel does so at pretty much every one of his concerts. And despite having over a billion Spotify streams, he still has the nerve to call this a "non-hit", an "album track". Heh. Only the Good Die Young is maybe a little in poor taste, but dang it, we seriously need a pick-me-up after the depressing reality-check that was Vienna. And some of Joel's wittiest lyricism, too: "The stained glass curtain you're hiding behind / Never lets in the sun" "You didn't count on me / When you were counting on your rosary" "You said your mother told you, all that I could give you was a reputation / Oh, she never cared for me / But did she ever say a prayer for me?" Couple that with shamelessly cheery acoustic guitar and a spirited, almost smug vocal performance, and you have a near-perfect pop song on your hands. The last in the seemingly-endless run of legendary songs is She's Always a Woman. A simple, sombre, beautifully performed ballad that is startlingly representative of the human condition: taking your anger out on an entire group needlessly because of one bad personal experience. Of course, if you take the lyrics literally, the song is a bit... sexist, I guess? If not, then certainly unnecessarily prejudicial. And maybe a little crazed, too. A similar sentiment (though aimed at the opposite gender) to songs like Lana Del Rey's "NFR!": "You're just a man, it's just what you do / Your head in your hands as you colour me blue" The last two tracks aren't anything to shake a stick at, either. A damn good finish to an absolute blitzkrieg of an album. Further proof that 1977 was the finest year of Western music. And that's a fact. 5/5 Key tracks: Movin' Out (Anthony's Song), The Stranger, Just the Way You Are, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Vienna, Only the Good Die Young, She's Always a Woman
Oh I really liked this. Thought I didn’t care about Billy Joel’s style but it definitely grew on me as I listened to it. I marked a few songs.
Have it on Vinyl! Another great one.
A masterpiece that brings you to a time and place.
Great album and soundtrack to the morning dog walk with the cool weather we had this morning. The vibes of this album are just immaculate.
Ah.. the best Billy Joel. And it’s his only offering from the book. Someone else pointed out that there are f*ing six Elvis Costello albums. And only this from Billy Joel. Really. Let’s see how I feel after today’s listen… Yeah this is a 5. What an amazing display of song writing. I just don’t care about haters. This is a tour de force. Elvis Costello has moments. He doesn’t have one album that even begins to rises to this level as far as I can tell. Whatever one might want to say about Joel’s later career- he could STILL write a great song. Costello can do word play and annoy us. 5 Boolean:True
man i just really love this album
Makes for a lovely shower album. The bathroom wall becomes a mesmerising thing when Just the Way You Are's saxophone solo is playing and you're massaging Philip Kingsley onto your scalp. Excellent sounds for reading essays on Kinuyo Tanaka's directorial works post-shower, too.
Excellent album there wasn’t a song I wanted to skip!
I love Billy Joel, so this being my first album made it very easy to get through. Thoroughly enjoyed it, and Movin' Out is such a good song.
I credit this album with being what brought me from kids music to adult music. I have owned in on vinyl, 8 track, cassette, and CD. I sang along with every track!
5 sterren
A tour de force from start to finish. Billy Joel in his prime. Probably the highest density of all-time greats on any album ever. If you count Scenes from an Italian Restaurant (my favorite Joel song) as three songs, there are more all-timers than tracks.
The strangest thing about this album is how The Stranger is one of the worst songs. But it all slaps so it's minor nits to pick
So good, short album but I already knew like every song that’s how you know Playlist add: "Vienna" but genuinely could be any of them
What a great album…a collection of stellar songs
music is love
Really pleasant album. Great tone and nice stories.
One of the greatest albums. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant would make this 5 stars by itself
Amazing album and multiple tops songs
5/5 Favorite Song: Moving Out or Vienna
Honestly felt perfect so it earned its 5. It was so good I moved onto the deluxe live album version
Definitely a reason there’s such a contrast between the last two songs and the rest of the album but truly hit after hit here
Just nonstop bangers.
loaded with bangers
No. 211 Every track is well made and quite different from each other making it a very enjoyable listen. No skips
Might be the best album on this site
Best of Billy. It´s just a great album
i was SO scared that i wouldn't like this because i haven't liked any of the other acclaimed albums ive listened to on here so far. so im really happy to report that i actually loved this masterful song writing. so easy to pick up and definitely a crowd pleaser but not at all dull. i think this is just music for everyone fave track: movin' out (anthony's song)
Great
I could rate this a 5 in my sleep. Vienna is my all time favorite Billy Joel song. This album hits even more deeply after watching his 2 part documentary on HBO. I could listen to Billy Joel all day every day.
Beautiful album, every song is a hit and all of them make for great listening. I've always loved Billy Joel, glad to get his album on here. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant was my fav song of the album. She's Always A Woman and Everybody Has a Dream (my fav first listen) were my other highlights
Every track is well made and quite different from each other making it a very enjoyable listen. No skips
Thriller for corny white boys
I’d like to say that Billy Joel is one of my guilty pleasures, but I don’t think I actually feel any guilt about loving his music. This is a fantastic record, everything from the lyricism to the instrumentation to the production is all stellar. I really think that our modern times underestimate just how good Billy Joel was. Smooth powerful vocals, catchy hooks, incredible guitar playing. There’s a vibe to this record that I find hard to describe, but it’s a great one. It’s such a great blend of rock n roll, really strong ballads, and that classic 70’s soft rock-pop. I think this almost counts as a concept album, as there seems to be a very reoccurring theme that seems to touch on one story throughout, at the very least that recurring theme of hardheadedness and stubbornness of Billy Joel himself in New York City in the 1970’s. There’s some biting sarcasm and occasional moments of true introspection, lyrically. I may be biased as I grew up with this record and “52nd Street”, but I really love this one. 5*
So many classics!!
Haven't listened much to Billy Joel, and what a mistake that turned out to be! Sounds like the American counterpart to Elton John. Perhaps not as successful (not many are), but this album proves he's a force to be reckoned with. The opening track 'Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)' sets the tone instantly. What a good track! And it never really lets off the gas from there. Couldn't find any song I didn't like in this, which is extremely rare. To add to that, there are a handful standout stellar ones like the aforementioned 'Movin Out', but also 'Just the Way Your Are', 'Vienna' to name a few. The singing is on point, the groove is on point, the guitar and piano playing is on point. Just a really solid album, hats off!
Also one of the top 10 ever recorded.
4.80
A masterpiece in every way. He changed the game with this album. All of these songs are classics now, for good reason! Songwriting is top tier. Top Songs: The Stranger, Just the Way You Are, Vienna
It’s kind of ridiculous how stacked this album is. Tracks 1 through 7 are certified classics. That’s seven (!) well known and loved songs on one album, all in a row. The two tracks that follow this insane run are solid too. The Stranger is up with the best of them in pop/rock whatever albums. An American classic.
Very good album, different styles but every one expertly done.
A classic. Billy Joel can write a great song - the booming piano, the memorable story telling. This is like a greatest hits album; there are so many standout tracks, including one of my favorites, Vienna. I mean who doesn’t love a good accordion solo.
Billy Joel is a premier talent and not only has tremendous songs, but puts on an amazing live show as well. The Stranger is debatably his best album with more than half of its songs being global favorites containing witty, and thought-provoking lyrics. This compilation is a timeless classic that is as good as it was on day one as it is now almost 50 years later.
One of the greatest songwriters of our time. His stories are timeless, his melodies infectious. So many great songs. So many great albums (only 1 on the list?!?!). A pure entertainer, he brings it every single show. Absolute legend!
an album full of bangers
So many hits on this. One to own on vinyl for sure.
It's Billy Joel, so
GOATEDDDDD
Knew wayyy more Joel songs than I thought. Absolutely banger album
His best album. Such a great collection of songs.
this is very much a groove
One of my all time favourites. Packed full of great songs
Is this a greatest hits album?
This feels like a Greatest Hits album, even though it's just one release. Tracks like "Movin' Out" and "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" show off serious skill on top of catchy tunes. It's got that New York romanticism with a touch of sadness, all wrapped up in a warm, polished sound that makes even the familiar songs sound fresh. And it also has killer, timeless songs like "Just the Way You Are", "She's Always a Woman", and "Only the Good Die Young". You can't deny the talent and knack for a good song. It's easy to listen to, gets you going, and makes you think, all while tackling those relatable things like who you are, love, and loss, without any filler.
Listened in the car. I think this album made me a Billy Joel fan. It honestly felt like a greatest hits album. So many great, classic songs. Really surprised by how much I enjoyed it!
love it
Top notch, really enjoyed this album.
top!
Enpä voi sanoa tunteneena Billy Joelilta muuta kuin biisin Piano man. Onneksi tämä levy oli listalla. Huikeaa soiton juhlaa, toki itse aina fiilistelen ennen muuta rumpu-basso-osastoa. Ihan älytön tyylitaju, dynamiikka, taito, sovitukset. Mahtavaa! 5/5
This is a great album
Meget viby late night album! Bedre produceret end jeg mindes. Standouts er selvfølgelig Just The Way You Are, Vienna og She's Always A Woman, men kunne også ret godt lide de to første tracks
All timer, grew up on these songs being played all the time. Every song is a hit.
One of those albums that feels unique for the early midlife crisis.
Looks like he did start the fire, because that's what this album is
Oh my goodness. A bit biased cuz this was basically my childhood soundtrack. I lurrve this one good ole billy joel 10/10
i LOVE this album. the first song i ever listened to by billy joel is ‘Vienna’ but i’d have to say that ‘only th good die young’ is definitely my favorite so far.
Five out of five already and I didn’t even have to listen cause I’ve listened to it so many times I absolutely love this album. It’s one of those if I ever bought it it would hang on my wall Billy Joel was a master at work on this album I can’t think of a better way to spend 42 minutes
Amo cualquier álbum que tenga sonidos de saxo. Es un álbum muy disfrutable, con un sonido bastante fresco, más allá de ser de 1977 y la mezcla de voces e instrumentos son el punto más fuerte del disco. . Diseño de portada: 4/5 → Diseño a blanco y negro con un concepto muy interesante con respecto al nombre del álbum, muy buena composición y elementos interesantes. . Canciones favoritas: "Scenes from an Italian restaurant", "Only the good die young" y "Get it right the first time"
Movin' Out is a fantastic album opener, and one of Joel's best songs. Great combination of blue-eyed soul and pop sensibilities. Overall, a great album...his very best, in fact.
awesome
Classics and less known greats. The dynamic range of the music is amazing and I found myself bobbing my head or humming along to all of the album.
First listen
Reallly liked it 100000/10
Ok, I need to start by saying that I don't really like Billy Joel. I find his songwriting too facile, and he's never really challenging the listener in any way. That said, this album is great...hit after hit! So, although I'm not a fan, I have to judge this fairly... and that's 5 stars.
Love this album! I’ve got the first pressing on vinyl
Frábær plata. Allt lög sem verða betri saman.
An incredibly produced, sung and performed piece of pop music that defies the standards and conformities of the industry at the time. Sure there was a pop hit or two, but the album went above and beyond when crafting hit songs and classic staples that would keep the charts busy for almost a decade, even now the songs are immortalized in the pop and rock canon. Look no further than "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" for how ambitious and infectious a seven minute song about divorce and young romance all the while encapsulating busy NYC street life can lead to being one of the biggest songs of his whole career. This thing is packed full of amazing music that goes beyond the clever words and beautiful melodies. The musicianship and crafting of the music itself is just deliciously detailed and vibrant. Really, in just 9 songs Billy Joel has created probably one of the greatest pop and rock albums to come out of the 70's.
I feel like I will need to turn in my Punk Rock Street Cred Card for this. But, goddamn, can Billy Joel tell a story.
Amazing songwriting. Lots of really good individual tracks here. However, the entire album is laid out in a very cohesive manner that makes the entire album a pleasure to listen to from start to finish.
I have so much to say about this album, but I’ll keep it pretty short. The opening track has to be one of the strongest starts to any album I’ve listened to so far. This story tells such cohesive and beautiful story while also mixing up and changing the pace of the songs. And some of the best writing I’ve heard in a minute.
I wish I heard this album a few years ago and it should be listened by any young adult man
A couple of tracks are a little cheesy, but cheese is delicious! Probably not my favorite Billy Joel album, but close. 4.5 rounded up to 5.
This album was a pleasant listen
Oh honey I love this album, I have already listened to it probably 1001 times
Not a false note here!
Great album! How can anyone think otherwise!
Love Billy joel
Billy Joel is an absolute legend, this is some of the most interesting bluesy-piano-pop music ever made. This album has such a strong selection of tracks with a blend of more rock-focused songs and some sweeter piano ballads.
Ég er ekki í Billy klúbbnum, en djöfull er þetta góð plata. Heildstæð sýn, snjallar og ljúfsárar vignettur og gott áttundatugar sound. Helst eru það strengirnir í I love you just they way you are sem fara í taugarnar á mér, og lokalagið er bara lala, en annars er þetta fimma.
I love this record.
Classic
Owned A bonefide, no skip, end to end masterpiece.
Just about every song is fantastic and so many classics. Good variety and plenty of energy. A little dated in production though. Favorite songs: Moving Out, Vienna, Only the Good Die Young
This album has so many great songs. This is Billy Joel at his best.
Back to back, non stop, no skip bangers.
The Greatest
A classic one of whatever this is... Singer-piano player?
I absolutely love this album. There are so many good songs that come off of this one and I’ve listened to it multiple times. The song-writing here was fantastic. His performance of teach song is fantastic. This is peak Billy Joel, IMHO. Album 38, April 5, 2028
Beautiful stories. Music is excellent, Great sound.
Absolutely hits
Fucking love billy joel big reason i picked up piano one of america’s greatest songwriters and this is an excellent showcase
Every song is a classic on this classic Billy Joel. “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant “ and “Just the way you are” remain my favourites
Great album with enduring songs
Geile Stimmung Keine Skips
So good. A classic, She's always a woman was my entry point to Billy Joel. Huge smile on my face when this showed up this morning.
Never actually listened to billy Joel, kind of just knew him as the butt of jokes in sitcoms. Massively impressed. Listened to it twice.
Really excellent album, such a delight to go through each time and better to discover the songs I hadn't really given much attention to before. I love a good piano/ vocal pairing and he masterful at it. So many iconic tracks and fun melodies that carry it far beyond he time it was recorded. This album had a notable impact on me growing up and it continues to be relevant. It's hard to name highlights when the whole album feels like the highlight.
I think many people can empathise with the experience of a phase in their high school years where they are singularly obsessed with a particular musical artist. Maybe it was The Beatles, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin etc., but for me, that obsession was squarely set with Billy Joel. I was all in, and I truly thought he was God's gift to music. Looking back, yes it's a little cringe inducing to think about how I lauded his greatness, keep in mind I was in high school in the 2010's, and now a lot of his output, particularly through the 80's, represents what are some of my least favourite pieces of music. But I still have a huge soft spot for the piano man and his earlier career, there are still plenty of tracks and albums of his that I regularly listen to, and his live album Songs in the Attic is still a top 3 album of all time for me. But this album, The Stranger, is the only one of his that I think absolutely deserves a spot on a list like this, and it deserves that spot without question. This is Billy Joel at his absolute best, with an actual masterpiece of pop/rock songwriting. I have to stop myself from gushing for several paragraphs more about each track, because every single one of them is a home run. (maybe excluding everybody has a dream, but it's still pretty good). I think many artists would dream of being able to write with this level of consistency, even Billy Joel himself never was able to put the pieces together this well on his other releases. Five Stars Fav Track: 1 - Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) Best Three Track Run: 4, 5, 6
Have to give a five. Classic songs almost every one. Two misfires at the end but what clever lyrics and songwriting.
9/10
BILLY JEWEL (like a precious stone not like the religion/ethnicity ok? relax) This is one of the greatest albums of all time. DON’T FIGHT ME ON THIS.
how could u not like this
I knew so many of these songs. Great album!
muy bueno, no pensé q me iba a gustar
As an Italian American born and raised on Long island anything less than 5 stars would be a disgrace to my heritage.
Album para relajarse, no hay cancion mala
I never tire of this collection; he has many treasures later in his career but this album is the best I think. Before he moved into too much Pop. The nostalgia cannot be separated , I love it.
Listened to this on the way to an interview and I got the job. I think Billy Joel soothed my nerves and got my head in the game
5 stars for my boyfriend
Really enjoyed this album, I'd heard a couple of these songs before, but had even more takeaways after listening. Great album overall, every song was a joy to listen to
Love it. Great album all round. Every song is great, and Vienna is perfect.
I must admit, I was surprised by this album. I think His later career left me a bit jaded about listening to this album. Having said that, this album is a really solid effort. The story telling is brilliant, the music has a real ear worm quality to it.
Best Song: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant This is the quintessential Billy Joel album and an old time favorite. There isn't a bad song on here and, after seeing Joel several times live, he plays most of it whenever he performs. Such a great album! 5/5.
Fantastic album!