Inside Billy Joel’s Top 10 Spotify Smash Hits and Their Hidden Stories
Jordan Collins here. I guess I can simplify this for you.
Spotify has released its definitive ranking of Billy Joel’s most streamed songs worldwide, and the numbers tell a story that spans supermodel romances, dingy piano bars, and family reunions. The list comes on the heels of Joel’s new HBO documentary “Billy Joel: And So It Goes,” which hit screens on July 26.
The crown jewel is “Uptown Girl,” Joel’s 1983 anthem inspired by his future wife, Christie Brinkley. According to Spotify’s July data, this hit has been spun more than any other Joel track. It’s ironic, given Joel’s own confession on Howard Stern that he began writing the song while dating Elle Macpherson. He admitted, “I wasn’t even dating Christie when I started writing the song. And then I started dating Christie and rather than it be about all these different girls, she became the ‘Uptown Girl.’” Christie Brinkley later told The Post that being the muse was a whirlwind of fun and fast-paced romance.
Claiming the second spot is Joel’s defining moment, “Piano Man.” First released in 1973 after his debut album Cold Spring Harbor flopped, “Piano Man” drew directly from his stint at The Executive Room bar in Los Angeles. Joel’s first wife, Elizabeth Weber, worked there too and became the real-life “waitress practicing politics.” Weber recalled to The Post how bar owner John convinced her to pick up cocktail shifts so she could earn money sitting in while Joel performed.
This “write what you know” approach fueled several songs in the Top 10. Joel admits that many entries were drawn from his marriage to Weber. Both “She’s Always a Woman” and “Just the Way You Are” reflect facets of their relationship, though Weber laughs that she never kept count of exactly how many tracks were about her life by Joel’s piano.
Sliding into third place is the poignant “Vienna.” Written after a trip to the titular Austrian city to see the father who abandoned him at age eight, the song has resonated with fans for its meditative lyrics and lush arrangement.
The balance of this Top 10 roster spans deep cuts and blockbuster hits alike. Each song’s streaming total underscores Joel’s knack for blending personal narratives with universally relatable themes of love, loss, and aspiration. Even decades after release, these melodies continue to connect with new generations on Spotify’s global platform.
Billy Joel has sold over 150 million records, cementing his place among the music world’s elite. His HBO documentary sheds additional light on the origins of these songs, reinforcing the notion that authenticity still wins on streaming charts.
Hopefully that wasn’t *too* complicated. Keep your ears open and your playlists ready, because Billy Joel’s greatest streaming hits show no signs of slowing down.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Spotify, HBO
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
