Billy Joel

Billy Joel – Storm Front (1989/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 44:59 minutes | 1,03 GB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Columbia Records

Storm Front is the product of a collaboration between singer-songwriter Billy Joel and producer Mick Jones. The first single “We Didn’t Start The Fire” reached number one on Billboard charts in 1989 after its release. The album itself received numerous Grammy nominations including: Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male and Producer of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year for “We Didn’t Start The Fire”, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
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Billy Joel – Songs In The Attic (1981/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 48:28 minutes | 1,04 GB | Genre: Pop, Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © Columbia Records

Songs in the Atticb is Billy Joel’s first live album, and was recorded during his Glass Houses Tour in June-July 1980. It introduced Billy Joel’s early work to fans who had come to know his work after The Stranger, and also showcased his touring band, with whom he had been playing for some time. Two singles from the album (“Say Goodbye to Hollywood” and “She’s Got a Way”) were released and made it into the top 25 on the charts.
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Billy Joel – She’s Got A Way: Love Songs (2010/2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:19:19 minutes | 1,67 GB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Columbia Records

Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings announce the release of She’s Got A Way: Love Songs, a new collection of 18 essential love songs drawn from three decades of recordings by music legend and composer/singer songwriter, Billy Joel.

She’s Got A Way: Love Songs is a perfect distillation of the artist’s expressions of love and romance over the course of his life and career.  The album brings together some of Billy’s finest and most heartfelt performances, iconic hits playing alongside under-appreciated deep catalog selections.

She’s Got A Way: Love Songs are the love songs, ballads and sentimental favorites comprising a dream Billy Joel playlist for old and new romantics alike, bringing new context to classics like “Just the Way You Are,” “Honesty” and “She’s Always a Woman” while rediscovering forgotten masterpieces like “Travelin’ Prayer” (the b-side of the “Piano Man” single), Billy’s version of “Shameless” (a #1 country smash for Garth Brooks), and the haunting instrumental “Nocturne” (from 1971’sCold Spring Harbor).
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Billy Joel – River Of Dreams (1993/2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 49:16 minutes | 1,11 GB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Columbia Records

Billy Joel had never taken as much time to record an album as he did with River of Dreams, and its troubled birth is clear upon the first listen. Never before had he recorded an album that sounded so labored, as if it was a struggle for him to write and record the songs. With River of Dreams, he’s surrounded himself with ace studio musicians and star producer Danny Kortchmar, all of whom have the effect of deadening an already self-consciously serious set of songs. There are no light moments on the album, either lyrically or musically — all the songs are filled with middle-age dread, even the two best moments, the gospel-inflected title track and his song to his daughter, “Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel).” Those two songs have the strongest melodies, but they’re not as natural as his best material. Everywhere he tries too hard — the metaphors of “The Great Wall of China,” the bizarre vocal intro to “Shades of Grey,” minor-key melodies all over the place. He may be trying different things, but he doesn’t sound comfortable with his detours, and by the end of the record, he sounds as exhausted as the listener feels. By that point, the closing track, “Famous Last Words,” seems prophetic — River of Dreams feels like a sad close to an otherwise strong career, and from all indications he’s given in the press, Joel claims it is indeed the last pop album he’ll ever make. It’s an unworthy way to depart. –Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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Billy Joel – Piano Man: The Very Best of Billy Joel (2004/2006)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:19:59 minutes | 1,69 GB | Genre: Rock, Pop Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Columbia Records

Having sold more than 100 million records over the past quarter of a century, Billy Joel ranks as one of most popular recording artists and respected entertainers in the world. In the US he has had 33 Top 40 hits and 23 Grammy nominations since signing his first solo recording contract in 1972. In the UK he has had 14 top 40 hits including the number one hit “Uptown Girl” as well as the original version of “She’s Always a Woman”. In addition to his multiple awards, including Grammys and American Music Awards, his contribution to the industry saw him inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, and in 2005 he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Piano Man brings all of Billy Joel’s best loved hits together on one disc.
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Billy Joel – Piano Man (1973/2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 43:33 minutes | 979 MB | Genre: Pop, Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © Columbia Records

Chart History/Awards
– “Piano Man” reached #4 on the Adult Contemporary singles charts.

Piano Man, Billy Joel’s debut on Columbia Records, is his sensational breakthrough masterpiece. An important album in his illustrious career, Piano Man saw Joel rise to singer-songwriter stardom. Reaching the Top Thirty on the Billboard charts, the work features signature Joel tunes including “Travelin’ Prayer,” “Worse Comes To Worst” and the title-track. “Piano Man” reached #4 on the Adult Contemporary singles chart and remains one of Joel’s biggest hits.
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Billy Joel – Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II (1985/2007)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:54:31 minutes | 2,40 GB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Columbia Records

Although it’s missing a few important (not to mention big) hits, Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 is an excellent retrospective of the first half of Billy Joel’s career. Beginning with “Piano Man,” the first disc runs through a number of early songs before arriving at the hit-making days of the late ’70s; some of these songs, including “Captain Jack” and “New York State of Mind,” weren’t strictly hits, but were popular numbers within his stage show and became radio hits. Once the songs from The Stranger arrive halfway through the first disc, there’s no stopping the hits (although “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant,” an album track from The Stranger, manages its way onto the collection). In fact, over the next disc and a half, there’s so many hits, it’s inevitable that some are left off — to be specific, “Honesty,” “Sometimes a Fantasy,” “An Innocent Man,” “Leave a Tender Moment,” and “Keeping the Faith” aren’t included. But all the other hits — including “Just the Way You Are,” “Only the Good Die Young,” “My Life,” “You May Be Right,” “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” “Don’t Ask Me Why,” “Allentown,” “Tell Her About It” and “Uptown Girl,” among many others — are present and accounted for, as are two new songs (“You’re Only Human (Second Wind),” “The Night Is Still Young”) that became hits as well. In short, Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 does its job perfectly, encapsulating exactly why Billy Joel was one of the most popular singer/songwriters of the late ’70s and early ’80s. –Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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Billy Joel – Greatest Hits Vol. III (1997/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:16:12 minutes | 1,62 GB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Columbia Records

Perhaps it was inevitable that Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 3 would pale next to its double-disc predecessor. Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 covered nine albums (it ignored Cold Spring Harbor), a period during which Joel had 26 Top 100 hits. If it had picked up where the first collection left off, Vol. 3 would have covered three studio albums, which produced 11 hits. That alone would have made a respectable hits collection, and it would have made sense, since The Bridge marked the beginning of a new phase of Joel’s career. Instead, the 17-song Vol. 3 begins with a pair of songs from An Innocent Man (“Keeping the Faith,” “An Innocent Man”) that sound entirely different from the material that follows, which finds Joel delving into mechanized, slickly produced adult contemporary pop. The remaining songs don’t strictly adhere to his charting hits, substituting such album tracks as “Leningrad,” “Shameless” and “Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)” for hits like “Modern Woman,” “That’s Not Her Style” and his non-LP cover of Elvis’ “All Shook Up.” Even with those missing hits, Greatest Hits, Vol. 3 does summarize Joel’s latter career quite well, culling most of his best songs from the time. However, the album ends on a down note, as it adds three new songs, all covers, that are limply produced and colorlessly played. Bob Dylan’s “To Make You Feel My Love” — which Joel decided to perform as if it was a slow, sanitized Blonde on Blonde outtake — is the best of the trio, but none of them qualify as Joel classics, and they are an inauspicious way to end this chapter of his career. –Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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Billy Joel – Glass Houses (1980/2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 35:11 minutes | 788 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Columbia Records

Chart History/Awards
– Reached #1 on the Billboard 200.
– “It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me” reached #1 on Billboard’s Top Pop Singles.
– Won a GRAMMY® for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.
– One of the bestselling albums of the 1980s.

Glass Houses is the seventh studio masterpiece by Billy Joel. It is certified seven-time Platinum and was widely acclaimed worldwide. It includes Joel’s first song to reach #1 on the Billboard Pop charts, “It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me.”The album reached #1 on the Billboard 200 and was one of the bestselling albums of the 1980s. Billy Joel also won a GRAMMY® for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.
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Billy Joel – Cold Spring Harbor (1971/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 30:24 minutes | 615 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Columbia Records

Cold Spring Harbor was Billy Joel’s first solo album, released on November 1, 1971. Joel had previously released three albums as a member of the bands The Hassles and Attila. Cold Spring Harbor was released by Family Productions, but after a production error by the owner of the label, Joel ended his relationship with them and would eventually sign with Columbia Records. The album contains several songs on later albums, including “She’s Got a Way” and “Everybody Loves You Now.”
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Billy Joel – An Innocent Man (1983/2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 40:41 minutes | 920 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Columbia Records

Chart History/Awards
– Reached #4 on the Billboard 200.
– “Uptown Girl” reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
– “Tell Her About It” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
– “An Innocent Man” reached #1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Charts.

An Innocent Man is Billy Joel’s multi-GRAMMY® nominated masterpiece. This instant classic finds Joel paying homage to the songs and styles that inspired him. An Innocent Man includes the Top Ten hits: “Tell Her About It,” “Uptown Girl” and the title-track. It would spend 111 weeks on the Billboard Pop charts, becoming Joel’s longest charting studio album behind The Stranger. It earned GRAMMY® nominations for Album of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Absolutely vital.
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Billy Joel – A Matter of Trust – The Bridge to Russia: The Music (Live) (2014/2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 02:06:34 minutes | 2,41 GB | Genre: Pop
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Columbia – Legacy

In July-August 1987, after 100 shows around the world on The Bridge Tour, Billy Joel accepted the Kremlin’s invitation to the U.S.S.R. for six fully-staged rock shows in Moscow and Leningrad, fulfilling a long-time desire to perform in Russia. During their stay, Billy and his family, along with musicians, staff, and a huge press entourage spent their days interacting with the Russian people, forging true bonds of friendship wherever they went.
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Billy Joel – 52nd Street (1978/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 40:42 minutes | 874 MB | Genre: Pop
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © Columbia

52nd Street was released on October 13, 1978 and is Billy Joel’s sixth studio album. It was recorded at A&R Recording, Inc. during July and August 1978, and was produced by Phil Ramone. Three songs on the album reached the Top 40 in the US. They were: “My Life” (#3), “Big Shot” (#14), and “Honesty” (#24). 52nd Street won the Album of the Year Grammy Award in 1979. The album peaked at #1 on the US Billboard 200 chart in 1979 and has been certified 7x Platinum by the RIAA.
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Billy Joel – Piano Man – The Very Best of Billy Joel (Full version) (2004/2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:23:33 minutes | 1,73 GB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Columbia – Legacy

Piano Man: The Very Best of Billy Joel is a greatest hits album by Billy Joel, originally released on 15 November 2004.

Collection of hits by the ever-popular, multi award-winning singer-songwriter. The album features some of his best-loved songs including ‘Uptown Girl’, ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’ as well as his original version of ‘She’s Always a Woman’.
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Billy Joel – The Complete Albums Collection (2011/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 11:14:08 minutes | 13,9 GB | Genre: Rock, Pop
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download – Source: Q0buz| Front Cover | © Columbia – Legacy

Although Billy Joel never was a critic’s favorite, the pianist emerged as one of the most popular singer/songwriters of the latter half of the ’70s. Joel’s music consistently demonstrates an affection for Beatlesque hooks and a flair for Tin Pan Alley and Broadway melodies. His fusion of two distinct eras made him a superstar in the late ’70s and ’80s, as he racked an impressive string of multi-platinum albums and hit singles.

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