Ranking the ten best Billy Joel songs of all time in honor of The Piano Man’s 77th birthday
Today is my son’s second birthday and it’s so nice. But more importantly, it’s also The Piano Man himself, Billy Joel’s 77th birthday (that was a joke, honey).
In all seriousness, I would like to wish a happy birthday to Mr. William Martin Joel, whose entire catalog has provided me with the soundtrack to many a nightly road trip and mediocre spaghetti dinner cooked in the comfort of my own kitchen.
It’s such an impressive catalog that I decided to rank the 10 best songs the man has ever written.
Frankly, this is a subjective ranking, and I believe many of you angry New Yorkers will be burning up the comments section with pleas for “Piano Man,” which, spoiler alert, will not be on the list.
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Is everyone pissed off already? Good morning my baby. Let’s sort it!
10. “Pressure” – Nylon Screen
Billy Joel performs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on November 9, 2024. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Many fans assume that Billy Joel experienced a creative and commercial stagnation in the early to mid-1980s. Glass HousesBut there’s still so much fun to be had Nylon Curtain, and “Pressure” is one of the ways that achieves this.
Joel is sarcastic and sarcastic as always, “But you’ll get to a place where/The only thing you feel/You’ll have loaded guns pointed at your face/And you’ll have to deal with it/Pressure.”
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The song is a reflection of the pressure on Joel to continue his success in the late 70s, and the provocative synthesizer riff adds to the claustrophobic nature of the tune.
A hidden gem if ever there was one.
9. “Everything is for Leyna” — Glass Houses
Christie Brinkley and Billy Joel are photographed together in New York City, circa 1993. (Robin Platzer/Images/Getty Images)
Speaking of hidden gems, “All For Leyna” is another B-side to one of Billy Joel’s most critically and commercially successful albums. Glass Houses.
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It deals with the almost paranoid obsession Joel feels for a girl (presumably named “Leyna”), and once again the instrumentation matches the mood of the lyrics.
“All For Leyna” features an earworm of an opening synth riff that sets the tone for the obsessive and oppressive melody, with Joel perfectly capturing the essence of teenage heartbreak.
It might be one of the catchiest songs about loneliness you’ll ever hear.
8. “Stranger” – Foreigner
American singer-songwriter Billy Joel and model Christie Brinkley appeared on the set of the music video for Joel’s song “Uptown Girl” in 1983. (Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)
Joel really shows off his piano (and whistling) mastery on this title track, as the first and last minutes of this tune are dedicated to a smoky stroll through ivory keys before launching into a full-on rock song.
One of the things Joel was very underrated in his heyday was writing a good guitar-driven rocker, and “The Stranger” is a great mid-tempo track with a great guitar riff thrown in.
Foreign An album was a massive commercial windfall for Joel, but the title track is often overlooked when it comes to the pantheon of his songs, and that’s a huge shame.
7. “Allentown” — Nylon Curtain
Christie Brinkley and Billy Joel hug during their marriage before their divorce in August 1994. (Vinnie Zuffanate/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
I’m sure you didn’t think you’d see one, but two closed songs Nylon Curtaindid you do it?
“Allentown” is Billy Joel’s tribute to the Pennsylvania coal mining and steel mill scene, which was coming to an end with the album’s 1982 release.
Although Joel is berated for being “just a lounge singer making it big,” he deals with some pretty heavy subject matter and the dreams of an entire generation turned to ash is pretty dark, but he does a great job of making it more palatable and masking it behind a genuine toe-tap.
The instrumentation on this is spot on, as always, and while some may think the addition of the factory horn and steel press is a bit too “on the nose”, I think it complements the track perfectly.
6. “Big Shot” – 52nd Street
Musician Billy Joel poses at the piano during a press conference at Madison Square Garden in New York on July 18, 2018, celebrating his 100th lifetime performance at the venue, 40 years after his first performance on December 14, 1978. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP)
Another Billy Joel hard rocker, “Big Shot” is the most guitar-centric Piano Man has ever been and hits all the right notes in it.
52nd Street It may be a tribute to Manhattan’s jazz legends who came before him, but this one eschews the tribute to an old-school guitarist.
In this story about a woman who bites off more than she can chew, Joel delivers all-time classic lines like “She had Dom Perignon in her hand and a spoon up her nose” and “You’re gonna cry in the car, baby don’t whine to me.”
This is late 70s rock at its best.
5. “Sleeping with the TV On” – Glass Houses
Musician Billy Joel is photographed at motorcycle shop 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay, New York, on November 6, 2010. (Bruce Gilbert/Newsday RM)
Much like “Big Shot,” “Sleeping With The Television On” relies on a sharp guitar riff, but does so in a quieter, understated style than its direct predecessor on this list.
The lyrics are pretty simple; It’s about a picky woman who turns down any man who makes a move on her and goes home to fall asleep “in front of the television.”
Joel gives every shy guy his anthem, with the lyrics “I wish I were less of a thinking man/and more of a fool who wasn’t afraid of rejection” pretty much sums up my “dating” life in college.
Regardless, it’s a great B-side to an album full of hits and well worth a listen the next time you give it a go. Glass Houses a run.
4. “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” – The Stranger
Billy Joel and Elizabeth Weber photographed at a music and performing arts lodge on June 9, 1979. They were married from 1973 to 1982. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images)
It’s hard to describe the vibe of this song, but if I had to sum it up in one succinct sentence it would be this: Every time I eat chicken parm alone in my living room (which is not enough for my taste), “Movin’ Out” plays on my phone.
Nothing captures the vibe of late ’70s New York like this tune (though there’s one a little later on the list that beats this puppy in that category).
The bass line of this tune has probably been stuck in my head since 2011 and won’t be leaving anytime soon, and the motorcycle noises during the outro are just one of the stylish touches this baby needed to bring it all home.
It’s the little details that set Billy apart from his peers.
3. “You May Be Right” — Glass Houses
Billy Joel will perform at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut on February 22, 2025. (Myrna M. Suarez/Getty Images)
If ever there was a great Billy Joel song ready to hit the radio, this is it.
It’s one of Joel’s most recognizable songs, and for good reason.
The guitar riff and chorus, respectively, are some of the catchiest in the man’s extensive catalogue, and that’s saying a lot.
The harmonic horn sound on the outro deserves special mention, and the lyrics are some of Joel’s best (“I walked alone through Bedford-Stuy/I even rode my motorcycle in the rain”).
It’s hard to say much about it, it’s just a classic Billy Joel pop song. Nothing more, nothing less.
2. “Sometimes a Fantasy” – Glass Houses
Billy Joel records “The Bridge” on August 20, 1986, at The Power Station recording studio in New York, NY. (Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
While “You May Be Right” is the more recognizable song, “Sometimes A Fantasy” is a better song in every way imaginable.
The guitar riff is such a delicious slice of early ’80s pop-rock mastery that the lyrics are a comical minefield of double entendres, and the chorus is more contagious than the flu.
The call and response in said chorus is worth the price of admission alone, as you’ll be singing “It’s just a fantasy (whoa oh) / It’s not a real thing (whoa oh)” until the day you die.
Bonus points if you look at the 1987 Moscow performance of this song, where Joel got angry with the stage crew and improvised angry epithets in between some of the lyrics.
Even if he’s angry, he’s a true professional!
1. “New York Mood” – Turnstiles
Billy Joel performs onstage in his home studio in Los Angeles in 1984. (Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)
If I had to pick one song that would capture the full essence of Billy Joel, it would be “New York State of Mind.”
It’s an autobiographical and introspective look at how Joel moved to California, grew up “breaking away from rhythm and blues,” and then returned to the Empire State to reconnect with his roots.
The lyrics evoke my longing for a city I’ve only visited once (and hated); It shows Joel’s mastery of storytelling and his piano work here is second to none.
Joel is clearly known as “The Piano Man” and the intro to “New York State of Mind” should be at the top of his resume.
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It definitely reflects a longing for a hometown and a routine, making this the song of a slow drive in the middle of the night in a big city.
Simply put, “New York State of Mind” is an excellent song, and I don’t say that lightly.
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This is my favorite Billy Joel song and might be one of my favorite songs of all time. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll hop on my Billy Joel Spotify playlist and wish a happy birthday to two of my favorite friends.
Honorable Mention: “Just the Way You Are”, “Just Die Good Young”, “My Life”, “Girl Uptown”, “Still Rock and Roll to Me”
