Billy Joel – 52nd Street

Billy Joel's 52nd Street arrived in 1978 as the follow-up to The Stranger, and it is where Joel opened his songwriting up to a more polished, jazz-leaning New York sound. Named for the Manhattan strip once known for its jazz clubs, the album was recorded just a block from the CBS Building and became Joel's first No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It also went on to win the 1980 Grammy for Album of the Year, with Joel taking Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male as well.

Produced once again by Phil Ramone, 52nd Street keeps Joel's gift for big hooks intact while widening the palette. "Big Shot" and "My Life" carry the record's sharp pop momentum, while "Zanzibar" points more directly toward the album's jazz interests, complete with a featured contribution from Freddie Hubbard. Around those singles, Joel folds in richer arrangements, Broadway-sized drama, and a smoother studio finish that helped define his late-70s run.

This 2024 vinyl reissue matters because these core Billy Joel catalog titles had been unavailable as wide vinyl releases for close to a decade or more. For anyone coming back to the album beyond the radio staples, it still stands out as one of Joel's clearest statements of range: tuneful, urbane, and confident without losing his populist touch.

Genre: Pop & Rock