Billy Joel discography: History and Key Facts

American singer-songwriter Billy Joel has released 13 studio albums, eight live albums, 19 compilation albums, 14 video albums, 82 singles, three promotional singles and 45 music videos.

Joel's debut solo album, Cold Spring Harbor, was released in November 1971 and sold poorly, also containing a mastering error. Joel reemerged in the music industry two years later, with breakthrough album Piano Man and a new contract with Columbia Records. However, his next two albums (Streetlife Serenade and Turnstiles) did not sell to Columbia's expectations, prompting them to consider dropping Joel. However, his next album, The Stranger, released in September 1977, was a huge success, to this day remaining his best-selling studio album release, achieving 12× Platinum (Diamond status) in the US as well. His success increased with further albums such as 52nd Street, Glass Houses, The Nylon Curtain, and An Innocent Man. Joel's 1985 compilation album Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II is the 2nd best-selling album by a solo artist in RIAA history, achieving 23× Platinum certification in the US (behind Thriller by Michael Jackson). Joel's last rock album to date, River of Dreams, was released in 1993. His final studio album is Fantasies & Delusions, an album compiled of classical music. Joel himself does not perform on the album, though the music is composed by him. In July 2025, the two-part documentary retrospective Billy Joel: And So It Goes was released and paired with an extensive companion soundtrack.

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 (behind Garth Brooks, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson). Billboard ranked him as the 9th Greatest male soloist of all time (19th overall).

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