Streetlife

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…

A triumph of technology and design, with respect for history in every detail, The Complete Albums Collection features 14 classic Billy Joel albums plus a bonus disc of rare and original recordings. This deluxe limited edition package is the most comprehensive collection ever by a consummate artist who has sold over 100 million records in the course of his 40-year career.

Billy Joel was born on May 9, 1949 in the Bronx and shortly after moved to the Levittown section of Hicksville, Long Island, New York where he started playing piano at the age of 4. In 1964, inspired by the Beatles, he formed his first band "The Echoes", which became "The Lost Souls" in 1965 and then "The Emerald Lords" in 1966. In 1967 he joined "The Hassles" and recorded two albums, which were not successful…

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…

Forget for a moment that this double-disc, 36-track collection isn't presented in strict chronological order – it does roughly divide into two parts, with the pre- Innocent Man material largely taking up disc one and the post-Innocent Man selections on disc two (yes, there are some exceptions to the rule, but it generally follows this rule).

William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, composer and pianist. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man", he has been making music since the 1960s, releasing popular albums throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s…