Here are the things that I am not, in no particular order: a musician, someone who knows anything about how music is made, someone who knows any music history, someone who knows any history. I do not know anything about Billy Joel or his music. I couldn’t list to you all of his albums (I have a terrible memory), when or where he was born, or what he is like personally (I’ve never had the honor of meeting him).
I am, fortunately, an artist, a writer, a New Yorker, a lover, a woman, 28 years old (as I’m writing this), a cat owner, and a lifelong fan of Billy Joel’s music.
I’m going to go into my personal listening history with Mr. Joel for a second. My favorite album when I was very small was Glass Houses (even though, embarrassingly, I didn’t really figure out what an album was until I was in high school). And I definitely didn’t know that it was written by Billy Joel, although I’m sure the name would have been familiar. Some time later, when I was a little bigger, I found out that the guy who wrote Glass Houses (my favorite album), also wrote the song Uptown Girl, which would frequently play in public spaces, or on the radio in the car. That was when I stopped saying that Glass Houses was my favorite album (not to insinuate any personal opinions on Uptown Girl). Even later than that I found out that the same guy also wrote The Longest Time, and I decided to return to his music after all. It was from that point forward (somewhere around the age of 18) that I would call myself a ‘fan’, although I never went out of my way to announce this fact.
Then, it was somewhere around the age of twenty three that I realized that there wasn’t a Billy Joel song that I didn’t like (save a couple for reasons beyond their control, as you will be able to read about here in the future). So that is when I began calling myself a ‘big fan’ and him my ‘favorite musician’. Eventually, I got very lucky and, through a birthday gift from a boyfriend, was able to see Billy Joel perform at Madison Square Garden in 2023.
In my deep dive into his music, in preparation for the concert, I discovered so many things about his music that were so deeply rewarding, and had so many opinions that I wanted to share with others, that the idea for this website came to me. Now, over two years later, I have the time, intention, and understanding to finally make it.
Billy Joel’s music has, for the last three years, been my most listened to music. I consistently find myself turning to him in moments of reflection and strife, as well as joy and hope. His music has been the necessary backdrop to many moments over the last couple years, and evoke deep emotional roots. While he is this for me, I am certain that if you substitute his name with a musician you love, you will find all of this to resonate, and, I hope that from this story you will understand that everything written on this site is a product of introspection, imagination, and thought. I listen, I feel, and I convey to you, the reader.
I hope you enjoy.
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