Billy Joel’s Albums Soar To New Highs As Interest In The ‘Piano Man’ Surges

Billy Joel’s The Stranger and Greatest Hits jump to new peaks on the same charts after the musician’s HBO docuseries reminds Americans how much they love him. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 04: Billy Joel performs onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Billy Joel’s catalog is enjoying a major boost in consumption, fueled largely by the recent HBO docuseries Billy Joel: And So It Goes. The two-part program aired on July 18 and July 25, and ever since his story was shared with the public, listeners have been revisiting his most famous work, pushing several classics to new highs on the Billboard charts.

The Stranger and Greatest Hits Climb to New Peaks

Two Joel staples rise on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart this week. The Stranger jumps from No. 45 to No. 31, while Greatest Hits Volume I and II leaps from No. 37 — where it debuted last week — to No. 32. Both now claim their highest positions ever on that tally.

The Stranger & Greatest Hits Volume I and II

Released in 1977, The Stranger marked Joel’s commercial breakthrough, and it spawned staples like “Just the Way You Are,” “Only the Good Die Young,” “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song),” and “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” all of which still rank among his biggest hits.

Greatest Hits Volume I and II arrived nearly a decade later, and they collect many of Joel’s most recognizable singles from his first decade in the spotlight, including “Piano Man,” “New York State of Mind,” “My Life,” “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” and “Uptown Girl.” The double set is one of the bestselling albums in U.S. history, with more than 23 million copies sold.

Billy Joel’s All-Time Top Rock & Alternative Albums Performers

Even as they hit new high points, The Stranger and Greatest Hits Volume I and II remain mid-tier performers for Joel on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart. He’s reached as high as No. 4 with 12 Gardens Live in 2006, and three of his 10 entries on the tally have broken into the top 10.

Billy Joel’s Albums Move on the Billboard 200

Both of Joel’s titles also advance on the all-genre Billboard 200 — and they do so side by side. This week, The Stranger lands at No. 117, just ahead of Greatest Hits Volume I and II, which settles at No. 118. Luminate reports that each shifted just over 11,200 equivalent units in the past week, and they are separated by only a few dozen copies.

HBO Docuseries Sparks Renewed Interest in Joel’s Music

To coincide with the HBO release, Joel issued a sprawling 155-track “musical companion,” offering a full-career soundtrack to match the story being told onscreen. That set hasn’t made a commercial impact yet, but clearly his catalog is performing well, as there is a renewed interest in all things connected to the “Piano Man.”