The Stranger, Billy Joel

Billy Joel – The Stranger

Artist: Billy Joel

Title: The Stranger

Album Type: Fifth Studio Album

Original Release Date: September 29, 1977

Label: Columbia Records

Genre: Rock / Pop Rock

Background & Production The Stranger is the masterpiece that catapulted Billy Joel from a cult singer-songwriter to a global superstar. After four albums with varying success, Joel teamed up with legendary producer Phil Ramone, a partnership that would define the peak of his career. Recorded at A&R Recording in New York City, the album captured the quintessential "New York sound." Ramone allowed Joel’s touring band to play on the record for the first time, resulting in a tighter, more organic energy that perfectly complemented Joel’s sophisticated songwriting and piano-driven melodies.

Musical Composition & Style The album is a flawless collection of nine tracks, ranging from cinematic ballads to gritty rock and roll.

• The Anthems: Just the Way You Are became a massive international hit and won Grammys for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It features the iconic, dreamy saxophone solo by Phil Woods.

• The Epic: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant is widely considered Joel’s magnum opus—a multi-part suite that tells the story of high school sweethearts Brenda and Eddie, blending ragtime piano, rock, and orchestral pop.

• Rock Edge: The title track, The Stranger, is famous for its haunting opening whistle and its exploration of the hidden personas people carry, while Only the Good Die Young brought a controversial, high-energy rock-and-roll swagger to the record.

• New York Storytelling: Songs like Vienna and Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) established Joel as the definitive voice of the American working class and the anxieties of the "suburban dream."

Legacy & Collector Notes The Stranger was a massive commercial juggernaut, surpassing Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water to become Columbia Records’ best-selling album at the time. It is consistently ranked among the greatest albums of all time by publications like Rolling Stone. For vinyl collectors, the original 1977 Columbia pressings (often featuring the Sterling Sound stamp in the runout) are highly prized for their dynamic range. It is a "must-stock" title for any Shopify store, as it remains one of the most requested and essential classic rock records ever made.

• Keywords: Billy Joel, The Stranger, Columbia Records, 1977 Vinyl, Phil Ramone, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Just the Way You Are, Classic Rock, Piano Man.

• Collection Ideas: 70s Rock Essentials, Greatest Albums of All Time, The New York Sound, Piano-Driven Classics.

• Related Artists: Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Paul McCartney, Steely Dan.

MINT - sealed

NM - likely never played - almost perfect

VG+ - light scuffs, light scratches wont effect play

VG -  signs of wear, light scratches you can feel

GOOD -  surface noise, visible groove wear

POOR / FAIR- some damage, causing issues like skipping & distorted audio

OIS - original inner sleeve