Billy Joel

Billy Joel is one of the best-known singer-songwriters in American pop-rock. He's best known for his catchy melodies, virtuoso piano playing, and lyrics that tell stories of everyday life and universal themes.

Born William Martin Joel on May 9, 1949 in the Bronx, New York, he grew up in Long Island, a place that would deeply influence his music.

Passionate about classical music since childhood, Joel studied piano, drawing inspiration from composers like Beethoven and Chopin. After playing in various bands in the late 1960s, including The Hassles and the hard-rock duo Attila, Billy Joel launched his solo career.

In 1971 he released his first album, "Cold Spring Harbor", a raw effort hampered by production issues, but one that already revealed the talent of the young New York musician.

The turning point came in 1973 with "Piano Man", the album featuring his first major hit, the iconic title track. The song, a melancholy tale of everyday life in a bar, topped off with an unmistakable chorus, quickly became a classic and marked the beginning of Joel's rise to fame. The piano became the central instrument of his compositions, with lyrics telling simple, universal stories.

In the years that followed, the New York singer-songwriter released a string of successful albums that cemented his fame. Among the most notable: "Streetlife Serenade" (1974), carried by "The Entertainer", and "Turnstiles" (1976), featuring the anthem "New York State of Mind", a tribute to his hometown.

"The Stranger" (1977), one of the masterpieces of his career, includes classics such as "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)", "Only The Good Die Young", "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" and the poignant "Just The Way You Are". This last track, a romantic ballad written for his ex-wife, became an international hit and a cornerstone of "soft" music, earning him Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male.

Throughout the 1980s, Billy Joel kept churning out hits and broadening his musical range: "52nd Street" (1978) earned him his first Grammy for Album of the Year and includes tracks like "My Life" and "Big Shot". "Glass Houses" (1980) pushed him toward a more rock-oriented sound with hits like "You May Be Right" and "It's Still Rock And Roll to Me", the latter his first song to reach the top of the American charts. "The Nylon Curtain" (1982) tackles more mature, socially conscious themes with biting songs like "Pressure", "Allentown" and "Goodnight Saigon", which deals with the plight of Vietnam War veterans. "An Innocent Man" (1983) is a tribute to doo-wop and 60s pop, with hits like "Uptown Girl", "The Longest Time" and "Tell Her About It": it would become one of the most popular records of his career.

In the years that followed, Billy Joel continued releasing successful albums: "The Bridge" (1986) features collaborations with Ray Charles and the intense "A Matter of Trust". "Storm Front" (1989) includes "We Didn't Start the Fire", a driving, fast-paced track that namechecks historical events of the 20th century.

His last album of new material is "River Of Dreams" (1993), which achieved renewed worldwide success thanks above all to the title track.

After "River Of Dreams", Billy Joel decided not to release any more albums of new material, focusing instead on live tours, compilations and his passion for classical music, releasing the instrumental album "Fantasies & Delusions" in 2001.

Billy Joel has sold over 150 million records worldwide, earning numerous Grammy Awards and prestigious accolades. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. He continues to perform live, most notably with a historic monthly residency at Madison Square Garden in New York, launched in 2014 and acclaimed by critics and audiences alike. Songs like "Piano Man", "Just The Way You Are", "Pressure", "Uptown Girl", "New York State Of Mind" and "We Didn't Start The Fire" remain evergreens of American pop music, testament to the timeless talent of a true "Piano Man".