Billy Joel Reaches A New Career Peak After Stepping Away From Touring

Billy Joel stepped away from the stage earlier this year when he canceled all of his upcoming tour dates. He shared that he’d been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, which prevents him from performing, at least for the time being.

Shortly after that sad revelation, Joel’s long-in-the-works docuseries Billy Joel: And So It Goes premiered on HBO in July. Ever since then, the singer’s music has enjoyed strong sales and a healthy performance on streaming platforms. This week, the star’s Greatest Hits – Vol. 1 & 2 debuts on one tally in the United Kingdom, four decades after its release and returns to several others at the same time.

Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits – Vol. 1 & 2 Arrives on Vinyl

Greatest Hits – Vol. 1 & 2 starts on the Official Vinyl Albums chart this week, opening at No. 18. The compilation was newly issued on wax for its fortieth anniversary, and that pressing helps the set find a home on the format-specific roster for the first time.

Billy Joel Lands a Second Win on the Vinyl Ranking

With Greatest Hits – Vol. 1 & 2, Joel scores his second career hit on the Official Vinyl Albums chart. The Stranger debuted at No. 35 in April 2024 and spent one week on the tally. Now, he claims a higher entry with the blockbuster anthology establishing a new career peak.

New Peaks on Several Charts

The same compilation also rebounds on a pair of sales-focused lists, and improves to new impressive bests on both as it does so. On the Official Physical Albums chart, Greatest Hits – Vol. 1 & 2 returns at No. 35, which marks a new peak. It’s also back on the Official Albums Sales tally as well, reentering at No. 36, which likewise stands as an all-time high for the set on that ranking.

Piano Man – The Very Best Of Holds On

Joel also appears with another compilation — Piano Man – The Very Best Of — which is living inside the top 40 on two lists that Greatest Hits – Vol. 1 & 2 doesn’t currently impact. The set lands on the main Official Albums chart at No. 37, down slightly from No. 35. The compilation also improves on the Official Albums Streaming tally, rising to No. 29 from No. 30.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/09/03/billy-joel-reaches-a-new-career-peak-after-stepping-away-from-touring/