Billy Joel Albums Ranked Worst to Best
Our list of Billy Joel Albums, Ranked Worst to Best, makes it clear that we've all taken him for granted. Maybe that's because there's not much press opportunity in being an incredibly consistent and relatively stable music star.
Which is not to say that Joel hasn't battled his share of demons. He's had some really nasty business dealings end in acrimonious lawsuits, and he's spent some time in rehab for alcohol abuse. Oh, and he married (then divorced) a supermodel. But most of these things (except maybe the supermodel part) could be said of many of the average people who hail from Joel's hometown of Hicksville, N.Y.
It's that smart-ass, working-class persona that makes it so surprising when Joel unleashes his perfect slices of pop music onto your unsuspecting ears. While he's had his biggest hits with piano-based ballads and rock tunes, he's just as comfortable when his music veers into jazz, blues and Broadway territories.
Spend any significant time with Joel's discography and it becomes apparent that the guy hasn't released a bad album. Sure, some are better than others, and he's had his share of embarrassing moments here and there. But every record, from 1971's Cold Spring Harbor to his 1993 swan song, River of Dreams, has at least one incredible song. Occasionally, they have nothing but incredible songs.
That only feeds into how we perceive him: Joel clocks in at the studio, delivers great music, then drinks a little too much while he's romancing supermodels. Who can blame the guy? He does his job, and he does it incredibly well. See for yourself by clicking through the above gallery listing of Billy Joel Albums, Ranked Worst to Best.