# What is the best Billy Joel song?

> Bittersweet bar-room confessions, arena-filling anthems, blue-collar storytelling, and jazz-infused New York odes — the Piano Man's catalog spans five decades of musical genius. Which one is the undisputed crown jewel?

*By YPB Team · Published May 21, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-billy-joel-song*

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## Current results (0 votes)

1. **Piano Man**
   Billy Joel's signature song and first single, a waltz-time portrait of bar-room dreamers that became an anthem (1973).
2. **Scenes from an Italian Restaurant**
   An eight-minute epic from The Stranger weaving three musical styles into a bittersweet coming-of-age story (1977).
3. **Vienna**
   A timeless ballad urging listeners to slow down and appreciate life, often cited as Joel's most emotionally resonant song (1977).
4. **Just the Way You Are**
   The Grammy-winning love song that became his first US Top 10 hit, a saxophone-drenched serenade of unconditional devotion (1977).
5. **Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)**
   A driving rock critique of the American Dream that later inspired a long-running Broadway musical (1977).
6. **She's Always a Woman**
   A tender, piano-driven ode to a complex woman, one of Joel's most beloved ballads (1977).
7. **Only the Good Die Young**
   A catchy, irreverent rock song that caused controversy for its playful jabs at Catholic conservatism (1977).
8. **New York State of Mind**
   A jazz-inflected love letter to New York City that became one of the definitive songs about the metropolis (1976).
9. **My Life**
   A defiant declaration of independence with an irresistible sing-along chorus and upbeat rock energy (1978).
10. **Honesty**
   A vulnerable piano ballad about the rarity and importance of emotional truthfulness (1978).
11. **It's Still Rock and Roll to Me**
   Joel's only Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, a sharp commentary on changing music trends (1980).
12. **You May Be Right**
   A hard-rocking opener from Glass Houses full of self-deprecating wit and raw electric energy (1980).
13. **Pressure**
   A synth-driven new wave track about the crushing weight of modern-day expectations (1982).
14. **Allentown**
   A blue-collar anthem mourning the collapse of America's steel industry and the broken promises of the American Dream (1982).
15. **Uptown Girl**
   A joyful doo-wop homage inspired by Christie Brinkley that became a global pop hit (1983).
16. **The Longest Time**
   An a cappella-influenced doo-wop love song layered with Joel's own overdubbed harmonies (1983).
17. **We Didn't Start the Fire**
   A breathless tour through Cold War history spanning 40 years of headlines set to relentless rhythmic momentum (1989).
18. **And So It Goes**
   A quietly devastating ballad about emotional vulnerability, written in a minor key with just piano and voice (1989).
19. **River of Dreams**
   The title track of his final studio album, a gospel-tinged meditation on spiritual searching and self-discovery (1993).
20. **A Matter of Trust**
   A propulsive arena-rock love song built on the difficulty of opening your heart to another person (1986).

Tags: music, 80s, rock, 70s, billy joel