The Essential Billy Joel

Last updated
The Essential Billy Joel
BillyJoel-TheEssential.jpg
Greatest hits album by
ReleasedOctober 2, 2001
Recorded1973–2001
Genre Rock
Length154:58
188:53 (reissue)
Label
Producer Billy Joel, Michael Stewart, Phil Ramone, Mick Jones
Billy Joel chronology
Fantasies & Delusions
(2001)
The Essential Billy Joel
(2001)
Piano Man: The Very Best of Billy Joel
(2004)
International Edition
The Essential Billy Joel International.jpeg
International/European cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]

The Essential Billy Joel is a Sony music compilation of songs by American singer/songwriter Billy Joel. It was released on October 2, 2001, and has been certified Triple Platinum by the RIAA. [2] In conjunction with the release of the album, The Essential Video Collection was released, comprising Joel's most popular music videos.

Contents

On August 26, 2008, The Essential 3.0 was released containing a third disc with seven additional tracks. [3]

Track listing

All songs written by Billy Joel.

Disc one

No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."Piano Man" Piano Man , 19735:38
2."You're My Home"Piano Man3:14
3."Captain Jack"Piano Man7:18
4."The Entertainer" Streetlife Serenade , 19743:41
5."Say Goodbye to Hollywood" Turnstiles , 19764:39
6."Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)"Turnstiles5:14
7."New York State of Mind"Turnstiles6:05
8."She's Always a Woman" The Stranger , 19773:22
9."Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)"The Stranger3:30
10."Only the Good Die Young"The Stranger3:56
11."Just the Way You Are"The Stranger4:50
12."Honesty" 52nd Street , 19783:54
13."My Life"52nd Street4:44
14."It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" Glass Houses , 19802:57
15."You May Be Right"Glass Houses4:16
16."Don't Ask Me Why"Glass Houses2:59
17."She's Got a Way (Live)" Songs in the Attic , 1981; originally from Cold Spring Harbor , 19713:02
18."Allentown" The Nylon Curtain , 19823:49

Disc two

No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."Goodnight Saigon"The Nylon Curtain7:04
2."An Innocent Man" An Innocent Man , 19835:21
3."Uptown Girl"An Innocent Man3:18
4."The Longest Time"An Innocent Man3:42
5."Tell Her About It"An Innocent Man3:53
6."Leave a Tender Moment Alone"An Innocent Man3:57
7."A Matter of Trust" The Bridge , 19864:11
8."Baby Grand" (Duet with Ray Charles)The Bridge4:06
9."I Go to Extremes" Storm Front , 19894:23
10."We Didn't Start the Fire"Storm Front4:50
11."Leningrad"Storm Front4:07
12."The Downeaster "Alexa""Storm Front3:44
13."And So It Goes"Storm Front3:38
14."The River of Dreams" River of Dreams , 19934:07
15."All About Soul (Remix)"Exclusive to the "All About Soul" single, 1993; originally from River of Dreams6:00
16."Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)"River of Dreams3:33
17."Waltz no. 1 (Nunley's Carousel)" Fantasies & Delusions , 20016:56
18."Invention in C minor"Fantasies & Delusions1:00

Disc three

No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."Worse Comes to Worst"Piano Man3:13
2."Prelude/Angry Young Man"Turnstiles5:16
3."Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"The Stranger (the album's inner sleeve mistakenly credits this song to be from the album Turnstiles)7:34
4."Big Shot"52nd Street4:02
5."All for Leyna"Glass Houses4:12
6."Pressure"The Nylon Curtain4:39
7."This Is the Time"The Bridge4:59

Chart performance

Certifications

} } }

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [20] 3× Platinum210,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [21] Platinum15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [22] Gold100,000
United States (RIAA) [23] 3× Platinum1,658,000 [24]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Conspiracy of One</i> 2000 studio album by the Offspring

Conspiracy of One is the sixth studio album by American rock band the Offspring, released on November 14, 2000, by Columbia Records. By the time of its release, the band had come out in support of peer-to-peer file sharing, claiming it would not hurt sales. Conspiracy of One was originally planned to be released directly on their website before retail, until Columbia Records threatened to sue and the album ended up as a physical release. The album was the last to feature drummer Ron Welty, who was fired from the band in 2003 and went on to form his own band Steady Ground.

<i>Silver Side Up</i> 2001 studio album by Nickelback

Silver Side Up is the third studio album by Canadian rock band Nickelback, released on September 11, 2001. According to AllMusic, Silver Side Up continued Nickelback's tradition of "dark high-octane rock" from the band's first two albums. It reached number one in Canada, Austria, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The album was certified 8× Platinum in Canada, 6× Platinum in the US, and 3× Platinum in the UK.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Tupac Shakur album) 1998 greatest hits album by 2Pac

Greatest Hits is a posthumous double-disc greatest hits album by American rapper 2Pac, released by Amaru Entertainment, Death Row Records, Interscope Records, and Jive Records on November 24, 1998.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Tom Petty album) 1993 greatest hits album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released on November 16, 1993. It is Petty's best-selling album to date and was certified 12× Platinum by the RIAA on April 28, 2015. The single "Mary Jane's Last Dance" became one of Petty's most popular songs, reaching No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The other new song on the album is a cover of the Thunderclap Newman hit "Something in the Air". The album contains no songs from 1987's Let Me Up . However, three songs from Petty's 1989 solo album Full Moon Fever were included.

<i>52nd Street</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Billy Joel

52nd Street is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on October 11, 1978, by Columbia Records. Presenting itself as the follow-up to his breakthrough studio album, The Stranger, Joel tried to give the new album a fresh sound, hiring various jazz musicians to differentiate it from his previous studio albums.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Journey album) 1988 greatest hits album by Journey

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the American rock band Journey, originally released in 1988 by Columbia Records. It is the band's best-selling career disc, spending 838 weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Additionally, as of January 2025, it has logged 1,469 weeks on Billboard's Catalog Albums chart.

<i>ELV1S: 30 No. 1 Hits</i> 2002 greatest hits album by Elvis Presley

Elvis: 30 #1 Hits is a greatest hits collection of songs by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. It was released by RCA Records on September 24, 2002. It is the first Elvis Presley album to feature the remix of "A Little Less Conversation" by JXL that was released earlier in the year and reached No. 1 in the UK, Australia and went on to become a number-one hit in over 20 countries.

<i>Cross Road</i> (album) 1994 greatest hits album by Bon Jovi

Cross Road is the first official greatest hits album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on October 11, 1994, by Mercury Records. The album contains hits from all previously released albums from their debut, Bon Jovi (1984) to Keep the Faith (1992). The album also features two new tracks: the hit singles "Always" and "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night", as well as a new, updated rendition of "Livin' on a Prayer" entitled "Prayer '94" available only on the North American versions. "Runaway" was never recorded with the current band, though at that time there were plans to put a "Runaway '94" on the album but it was never recorded. The diner located on the cover of the album is the Roadside Diner in Wall Township, NJ, near the crossroads of Route 33 and Route 34.

<i>Greatest Hits 1970–2002</i> 2002 greatest hits album by Elton John

Greatest Hits 1970–2002 is a career-spanning compilation album of popular songs by English musician Elton John, released on UTV Records in 2002. It debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at number 12 on 30 November 2002, for a total run of 67 weeks. It was certified gold and platinum in December 2002, double platinum in March 2003, triple platinum in August 2004, four- and five-times platinum simultaneously in February 2011, and 6× platinum in April 2016 by the RIAA.

<i>Hot Shot</i> (Shaggy album) 2000 studio album by Shaggy

Hot Shot is the fifth studio album released by Jamaican-American singer Shaggy. The album was first released on 8 August 2000, in the United States, before being issued in the United Kingdom on 9 October 2000, with a revised track listing. The revised UK edition was also released in Europe, but without the song "Why You Mad at Me?". The album was reissued in the UK on 26 March 2001. Hot Shot went on to be certified six times platinum in the United States by the RIAA, and was the second best-selling album of 2001 in that country. The album has sold over nine million copies worldwide. A remix album, entitled Hot Shot Ultramix, was released in June 2002. Four singles were released from the album: "It Wasn't Me", "Angel", "Luv Me, Luv Me" and the double A-side single "Dance & Shout / Hope".

<i>The Essential Michael Jackson</i> 2005 greatest hits album by Michael Jackson

The Essential Michael Jackson is a greatest hits compilation album by American singer Michael Jackson. It was released on July 19, 2005, by Sony Music's catalog division Legacy Recordings as part of The Essential series. The two-disc compilation features thirty-eight hit songs by Michael Jackson, from his days at Motown Records with The Jackson 5 in the late 1960s and early 1970s to his 2001 hit "You Rock My World".

<i>The Essential Ozzy Osbourne</i> 2003 greatest hits album by Ozzy Osbourne

The Essential Ozzy Osbourne is a compilation album by British heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne, released in 2003. It reached No. 81 on US charts and No. 21 in the UK. Tracks featured here from the first two albums are the re-recorded versions from recent reissues as well as the remixed Bark at the Moon tracks. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on 5 February 2005 with an excess of 500,000 copies sold, then certified Platinum by the RIAA on 3 March 2016. This compilation was re-released in 2009 as a Limited Edition 3.0 package with an additional disc of bonus songs that were not on the original release.

<i>The Hits – Chapter One</i> (Backstreet Boys album) 2001 greatest hits album by the Backstreet Boys

The Hits – Chapter One, also known as Greatest Hits – Chapter One internationally, is the first greatest hits album released by American boy band Backstreet Boys. The album features 15 songs by the group, as well as a new song, "Drowning". "Drowning" was the album's only single, peaking at number four on the UK Singles Chart and charting in the top 10 in several countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bon Jovi discography</span>

American rock band Bon Jovi has released 16 studio albums, three live albums, five compilation albums, five EPs, 66 singles, 14 video albums, and 71 music videos. Bon Jovi has sold over 130 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. As of 2018, the band has sold 21.8 million albums in the US Nielsen SoundScan era. Billboard ranked Bon Jovi as the 45th Greatest Artist of all time, achieving 6 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 & 4 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Bon Jovi has sold 34.5 million albums in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Joel discography</span>

American singer-songwriter Billy Joel has released 13 studio albums, seven live albums, 18 compilation albums, 10 video albums, 82 singles, three promotional singles, and 45 music videos. Throughout his career, he has sold more than 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists in history. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Joel has sold 85 million certified albums in the United States, making him the 4th best-selling solo artist of all time. Billboard ranked him as the 9th Greatest male soloist of all time.

<i>Rock n Roll Jesus</i> 2007 studio album by Kid Rock

Rock n Roll Jesus is the seventh studio album by Kid Rock, released on October 9, 2007. Rob Cavallo co-produced the album with Rock. The album was not available at the iTunes Store in an act of protest by Kid Rock regarding a royalties dispute. It was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album and Best Male Vocal Performance for "All Summer Long" at the 2009 Grammy Awards. "All Summer Long" from the album was named the official theme song for WWE Backlash 2008 as well as "So Hott" for WrestleMania XXV and "New Orleans" for WrestleMania 34.

<i>Mothership</i> (Led Zeppelin album) 2007 greatest hits album by Led Zeppelin

Mothership is a compilation album by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released by Atlantic Records and Rhino Entertainment on 12 November 2007 in the United Kingdom, and 13 November 2007 in the United States. It was released on the same day that Led Zeppelin's entire catalogue became available in digital stores, including the iTunes Store. The cover was designed by artist Shepard Fairey.

<i>Dutty Rock</i> 2002 studio album by Sean Paul

Dutty Rock is the second studio album by Jamaican dancehall singer Sean Paul. Released on 12 November 2002, it features four top 15 Billboard Hot 100 hits, "Gimme the Light", "Get Busy", "Like Glue" and "I'm Still in Love with You". It is also his first album to have a Parental Advisory sticker. The album debuted at number 26 on the US Billboard 200, selling 65,000 copies in its first week and went on to become an international phenomenon, eventually climbing the charts peaking at number 9 on the US Billboard 200, number 2 on the UK Albums Chart and topping the Canadian Albums Chart. The song "Top of the Game" was featured in NBA Live 2004.

<i>American Teen</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Khalid

American Teen is the debut studio album by American singer Khalid. It was released on March 3, 2017, by Right Hand Music Group and RCA Records. The album was supported by the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 singles "Location" and "Young Dumb & Broke"; as well as the third single "Saved".

<i>Diamonds</i> (Elton John album) 2017 greatest hits album by Elton John

Diamonds is a greatest hits album by English musician Elton John spanning his hits from 1970 to 2016. The album was released on 10 November 2017. It was released in a single disc version, a 2-CD version, a 3-CD deluxe box set, and a 2-LP vinyl version. The two disc and vinyl versions have either as many or fewer songs than the previous multi-platinum collection. It was re-issued in January 2025 as a Blu-ray audio disc that quickly sold out, featuring 51 tracks. Forty-eight tracks were remixed in Dolby Atmos with optional PCM stereo 48khz 24-bit mixes, whilst tracks 49-51 were only available in PCM.

References

  1. https://www.allmusic.com/album/r553033
  2. RIAA - Gold & Platinum - The Essential Billy Joel
  3. allmusic.com - The Essential Billy Joel Limited Edition 3.0 - Overview
  4. "Top 200 Albums". Billboard. October 20, 2001. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  5. "Australiancharts.com – Billy Joel – The Essential 3.0". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  6. "Charts.nz – Billy Joel – The Essential". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  7. - Billy Joel - The Essential
  8. "Billy Joel Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  9. "Billy Joel Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  10. "Official IFPI Charts – Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Week: 01/2025)". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on January 8, 2025. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  11. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  12. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  13. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  14. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  15. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  16. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  17. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  18. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  19. "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2024". Billboard . Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  20. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2016 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  21. "New Zealand album certifications – Billy Joel – The Essential". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  22. "British album certifications – Billy Joel – The Essential". British Phonographic Industry.
  23. "American album certifications – Billy Joel – The Essential". Recording Industry Association of America.
  24. Paul Grein (August 7, 2013). "Week Ending Aug. 4, 2013. Albums: Robin Thicke, Call Katy Perry". Yahoo Chart Watch.