Billy Joel - The Vinyl Collection, Volume 1 [8LP/ 180G/ Remastered/ 50-Page Booklet/ Boxed Set]

A definitive vinyl 9LP library chronicling Billy Joel's evolution as a songwriter, performer and recording artist during his rise from obscurity to international superstardom in the 1970s, The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1 brings together the artist's first six solo studio albums (Cold Spring Harbor, Piano Man, Streetlife Serenade, Turnstiles, The Stranger, 52nd Street) with his first live album (Songs in the Attic) and an exclusive pressing of Live at The Great American Music Hall, 1975, a previously unreleased concert recording available for the first time in the boxset as a double 12″ vinyl album. All titles have been sourced from the original album tapes and prepared by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound. The boxset includes a 50+ page booklet highlighting Billy's early career through archival photos, an essay by Anthony DeCurtis, Billy's personal observations and insights on his songs and albums, and tributes from his fellow musicians, artists and celebrities.

  The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1 offers longtime fans and newcomers alike an opportunity to experience the timeless universal appeal of Billy Joel's songs, an enduring discography of compelling stories told through the medium of pop music, where an unforgettable melody meets a well-turned phrase and captures something real and beautiful about being alive. The artistry of Billy Joel has resonated through the decades and his influence may be felt in today's TikTok "Zanzibar" trend, Olivia Rodrigo name-checking "Billy Joel" and "Uptown Girl," and K-pop supergroup BTS's singer V giving Billy Joel a shout-out as an inspiration for "Butter."

  The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1 arrives to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Billy's career starting with Cold Spring Harbor, first released November 1, 1971. Named after a favorite spot located on Long Island Sound near Billy's hometown, Cold Spring Harbor introduced the world to Billy Joel, singer-songwriter, who, at the beginning of a new decade, was already penning future standards like "She's Got a Way" and "Everybody Loves You Now." The album charted in the United States (#158), Japan (#44) and the United Kingdom (#95).

  Piano Man, the second studio album in The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1, was originally released on November 9, 1973 and, on the strength of the title track, an iconic signature song that entered the pop mainstream, helped the artist move on up from lounge singing in Los Angeles to the next level of show biz success. Driven by songs like "Piano Man," "Captain Jack," and "The Ballad of Billy the Kid," the album became Billy's first US Top 40 (#27) and charted in Australia (#14), Canada (#26), Japan (#112) and the United Kingdom (#98). Piano Man has been certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA.

  Streetlife Serenade, Joel's third studio album, was originally released on October 11, 1974 and marked the first time Billy deployed synthesizers on a record. His live shows from the period often featured the instrumental, "Root Beer Rag" and the short song, "Souvenir," was a frequent encore. The album introduced "The Entertainer," a key composition in Billy's repertoire. A Top 40 album in the United States (#35), Streetlife Serenade charted in Australia (#85) and Canada (#16) and has been certified RIAA platinum in the United States.

  Originally released May 19, 1976, Turnstiles, Billy's fourth studio album, was a celebration of the artist's return to New York with tracks directly referencing his love for his hometown: "Summer, Highland Falls," "Miami 2017 (I've Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)" and the classic "New York State of Mind," most recently covered by a star-studded cast of musicians, artists and celebrities for a new music video, a PSA lensed in all five boroughs, made in support of the volunteer organization, #NYCNext. Turnstiles also premiered "Say Goodbye to Hollywood," Billy's sonic tribute to the Ronettes, the quintessential New York girl group; in 1977, Ronnie Spector released her cover of the song, backed by the E Street Band. Turnstiles peaked at #122 in the United States, charted in Australia (#12) and Japan (#286) and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA.

  Joel's fifth studio album, The Stranger, was originally released September 29, 1977 and catapulted the artist into the pop culture stratosphere. The first Joel album to be produced by Phil Ramone and the first to capture the chemistry of Billy in the studio with his road-tested touring ensemble, The Stranger was recorded in a mere three weeks and generated no less than four Top 40 hit singles: "Just the Way You Are" (#3), "Movin' Out (Anthony' Song)" (#17), "She's Always a Woman" (#17) and the controversial "Only the Good Die Young" (#24). The album also introduced fans to repertoire standards including "Vienna" and "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant." The Stranger peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 and has achieved RIAA Diamond status (11x Platinum in the U.S.). The Stranger brought Billy Joel his first two career Grammy Awards when "Just the Way You Are" took home trophies for Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 21st Grammy Awards in 1978. The Stranger is Billy's top-selling non-compilation album to-date.

  Originally released October 11, 1978, 52nd Street, Billy's sixth studio album, was his first to hit #1 on the Billboard 200. Exploring new musical directions, Billy and returning producer, Phil Ramone, added jazz musicians to the studio ensemble and created an album that generated three Top 40 singles – "My Life" (#3), "Big Shot" (#14) and "Honesty" (#24) – and won two Grammys including the 1980 Grammy for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male. One of the first albums to be commercially released on the then-emerging compact disc format, 52nd Street pays tribute to one of the centers of New York City's mid-century jazz scene, the fabled 52nd Street, where the album was recorded a block away from the CBS Building. Jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard plays the riffs on "Zanzibar." The RIAA has certified the album 7x Platinum.

  Originally released in September 1981 (and celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2021), Songs in the Attic, Joel's first live album, features top-flight performances recorded in concert in June-July 1980, curated specifically to introduce new fans to his earlier 1970s material following the phenomenal mainstream success of The Stranger. In the nearly ten years – and hundreds of concerts – since he'd recorded his debut, Billy and his touring ensemble had become one of the tightest, most electrifying live bands in the world honing Billy's songs into the concert gems heard on Songs in the Attic. The album peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA.

  Rounding out The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1 is the previously unreleased double 12″ vinyl bonus album, Live at The Great American Music Hall, 1975, recorded at The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, June 1975. The live gig from the Streetlife Serenade tour introduces the earliest available recordings of future Turnstiles classics "James" and "New York State Of Mind" into Billy's catalog, and includes examples of Billy's loving imitations of Joe Cocker, Elton John and Leon Russell – a staple of his early concerts.

Features:
• Vinyl 9LP box set
• Featuring Billy Joel's first six studio albums and two live albums, including previously unreleased Live at the Great American Music Hall
• All titles sourced from the original album tapes and prepared by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound
• 50-page book featuring rarely-seen photos and memorabilia from this chapter of Joel's recording career along with an essay by Anthony DeCurtis

Track Listing:

LP1 - Cold Spring Harbor
1. She's Got a Way
2. You Can Make Me Free
3. Everybody Loves You Now
4. Why Judy Why
5. Falling of the Rain
6. Turn Around
7. You Look So Good to Me
8. Tomorrow Is Today
9. Nocturne
10. Got to Begin Again

LP2 - Piano Man
1. Travelin' Prayer
2. Piano Man
3. Ain't No Crime
4. You're My Home
5. The Ballad of Billy the Kid
6. Worse Comes to Worst
7. Stop in Nevada
8. If I Only Had the Words (To Tell You)
9. Somewhere Along the Line
10. Captain Jack

LP3 - Streetlife Serenade 
1. Streetlife Serenader
2. Los Angelenos
3. The Great Suburban Showdown
4. Root Beer Rag
5. Roberta
6. The Entertainer
7. Last of the Big Time Spenders
8. Weekend Song
9. Souvenir
10. The Mexican Connection

LP4 - Turnstiles 
1. Say Goodbye to Hollywood
2. Summer, Highland Falls
3. All You Wanna Do Is Dance
4. New York State of Mind
5. James
6. Prelude / Angry Young Man
7. I've Loved These Days
8. Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)

LP5 - The Stranger 
1. Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
2. The Stranger
3. Just the Way You Are
4. Scenes from An Italian Restaurant 
5. Vienna 
6. Only the Good Die Young 
7. She's Always a Woman 
8. Get It Right the First Time 
9. Everybody Has a Dream 

LP6 - 52nd Street 
1. Big Shot 
2. Honesty 
3. My Life 
4. Zanzibar 
5. Stiletto 
6. Rosalinda's Eyes 
7. Half a Mile Away 
8. Until the Night 
9. 52nd Street 

LP7 - Songs in the Attic 
1. Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway) - Recorded June 1980, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
2. Summer, Highland Falls - Recorded July 1980, Bijou, Washington, D.C
3. Streetlife Serenade - Recorded July 1980, St. Paul Civic Center, St. Paul, MN 
4. Los Angelenos - Recorded July 1980, Toad's Place, New Haven, CT 
5. She's Got a Way - Recorded June 1980, Paradise Club, Boston, MA
6. Everybody Loves You Now - Recorded July 1980, Bijou, Washington, D.C 
7. Say Goodbye to Hollywood - Recorded June 1980, Milwaukee Arena, Milwaukee, WI
8. Captain Jack - Recorded July 1980, Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
9. You're My Home - Recorded July 1980, Bijou, Washington, D.C 
10. The Ballad of Billy the Kid - Recorded June 1980, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY 
11. I've Loved These Days - Recorded July 1980, Horizon, Chicago, IL

LP8&9 - Live at the Great American Music Hall 1975 
1. Introduction 
2. Somewhere Along the Line 
3. Roberta 
4. The Mexican Connection 
5. Root Beer Rag 
6. James 
7. Band Introductions 
8. You're My Home 
9. You Are So Beautiful - Interlude 
10. Everybody Loves You Now 
11. New York State of Mind 
12. Benny and the Jets - Interlude 
13. Travelin' Prayer 
14. Delta Lady - Interlude 
15. The Entertainer 
16. The Ballad of Billy the Kid 
17. Ain't No Crime 
18. Weekend Song