Billy Joel

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William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American pianist and singer-songwriter. He released his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973. According to the RIAA, he is the sixth best-selling recording artist in the United States.

Joel had Top 10 hits in the '70s, '80s, and '90s; is a six-time Grammy Award winner, and has sold in excess of 150 million albums worldwide.He was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame (Class of 1992), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Class of 1999), and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (Class of 2006). Joel "retired" from recording pop music in 1993 but continued to tour (sometimes with Elton John). In 2001 he subsequently released Fantasies & Delusions, a CD of classical compositions for piano. In 2007 he returned to recording with a single entitled "All My Life," followed by an extensive "World Tour" from 2006-2008, covering many of the major world cities.

One of his most known songs include "We Didn't Start The Fire" and "Just the Way You Are" both which have in-depth meaning to them.

The song "We Didn't Start the Fire," the first single from the album Storm Front, was released in September 1989. The song became Joel's third and most recent US Number 1 hit, spending two weeks at the top. It was made to emphasize well known key figures, events and also technology in our history.

YouTube - Billy Joel - We Didn't Start The Fire

Funny enough, his Music Video Clip for "We Didn't Start the Fire" displays no evidence of the songs message. Instead it shows scenes of a stereotypical 70's family living their daily lives. It is quite random and really has nothing to do with the song. But thankfully people have uploaded their own video clips which have been synced with the song.

YouTube - Billy Joel: We Didn't start the Fire

Here are some of his Awards and Accomplishments...

Grammy Awards
1978 Record of the Year Just the Way You Are (song)
1978 Song of the Year Just the Way You Are (song)
1979 Album of the Year 52nd Street (album)
1979 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male 52nd Street (album)
1980 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male Glass Houses (album)
1990 Grammy Legend


Grammy Nominations
1979 Song of the Year Honesty
1980 Album of the Year Glass Houses
1982 Album of the Year The Nylon Curtain
1983 Album of the Year An Innocent Man
1983 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male Uptown Girl (single)
1984 Best Video Album Billy Joel Live From Long Island
1989 Record of the Year We Didn't Start The Fire
1989 Song of the Year We Didn't Start The Fire
1989 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male We Didn't Start The Fire (song)
1990 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male Storm Front (album)
1990 Producer of the Year Storm Front (album)
1991 Best Long Form Video Live At Yankee Stadium
1991 Best Short Form Video When You Wish Upon A Star (from the
1993 Album of the Year River of Dreams
1993 Record of the Year The River of Dreams
1993 Song of the Year The River of Dreams
1993 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male The River of Dreams
2002 Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals New York State of Mind - Tony Bennett and Billy Joel

Other Awards and Honors:
1975 Cashbox award for Best New Male Vocalist for Streetlife Serenade.
1980 American Music Award Album of the Year for Glass Houses
1980 Handi Cap (Humanitarian Award)
1981 People's Choice Award - Favorite Male Pop Performer
1981 The Rehabilitation Institute (Humanitarian Award)
1984 Cable ACE Award - Best Actor in A Comedy or Musical for "A Television First, Billy Joel"
1987 Cable ACE Award for Best Music Special "Live From Leningrad"
1987 Best Performance in A Music Special for "Live From Leningrad"
1990 International Rock Awards ("The Elvis") for M.V.P. Keyboard
1990 Cathedral of St. John the Divine (Humanitarian Award)
1991 Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters - Fairfield University
1991 Town of Huntington proclaims "Billy Joel Park"
1991 Make-A-Wish Foundation - Honorary Chairman Washington, DC Chapter
1992 Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
1993 Honorary Doctorate - Berklee College of Music
1993 NARM President's Award
1994 Billboard Century Award
1997 ASCAP Founders Award
1997 Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters - Hofstra University
1999 American Music Awards - Award of Merit
1999 RIAA Diamond Award
1999 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction
2000 James Smithson Bicentennial Medal of Honor
2000 Honorary Doctorate of Music - Long Island University, Southampton College
2001 Johnny Mercer Award - Songwriters Hall Of Fame
2002 Music Cares Person of the Year


SALES:

Albums achieving RIAA Platinum Status

(sales of 1,000,000 units, U.S. only)

The Essential 2x Platinum
Piano Man 4x Platinum
Streetlife Serenade 1x Platinum
Turnstiles 1x Platinum
The Stranger 9x Platinum
52nd Street 7x Platinum
Glass Houses 7x Platinum
Songs In The Attic 3x Platinum
An Innocent Man 7x Platinum
Greatest Hits Volume I and Volume II 20x Platinum
The Bridge 2x Platinum
Kohuept 1x Platinum
Storm Front 4x Platinum
River of Dreams 5x Platinum
Greatest Hits Volume III 1x Platinum
Complete Hits Collection 1x Platinum


Singles achieving RIAA Gold Status

(sales of 500,000 units, U.S. only)
Just The Way You Are
Uptown Girl
We Didn't Start The Fire
Tell Her About It

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References:

Billy Joel Biography | The Official Billy Joel Site

Billy Joel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Stuff i actually wrote:

Funny enough, his Music Video Clip for "We Didn't Start the Fire" displays no evidence of the songs message. Instead it shows scenes of a stereotypical 70's family living their daily lives. It is quite random and really has nothing to do with the song. But thankfully people have uploaded their own video clips which have been synced with the song.

wall of text

[feetman]

good to know.