Billy Joel Biography, Update, Age, Songs, Spouse, Albums, Net Worth

William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer widely known as the “Piano Man” after his signature 1973 hit of the same name. One of the most successful and enduring solo artists in popular music history, Joel has sold over 160 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time and the fourth-best-selling solo artist in the United States. From 1971 to 1993, he released 12 studio albums blending pop, rock, soft rock, and influences from classical music, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, and Broadway. In 2001, he released Fantasies & Delusions, a collection of classical compositions performed by pianist Richard Hyung-ki Joo. After largely stepping away from new pop material following River of Dreams (1993), Joel surprised fans by returning with the single “Turn the Lights Back On” in February 2024, his first new pop song in over 30 years.

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As of early 2026, at age 76, Joel remains a major live draw, continuing his historic residency at Madison Square Garden (which surpassed 100 shows in 2024), performing select concerts worldwide, and maintaining a reputation as one of the greatest American songwriters and performers of the rock era. His catalog, including timeless hits like “Piano Man,” “Just the Way You Are,” “Uptown Girl,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” and “She’s Always a Woman”, continues to dominate classic rock radio, streaming platforms, and live performances.

Here is a quick overview of key facts about Billy Joel:

Biography

Billy Joel was born on May 9, 1949, in the Bronx, New York City, to Howard Joel, a German-Jewish immigrant and classical pianist-turned-businessman, and Rosalind Nyman Joel, a Jewish-American from Brooklyn. The family soon relocated to Hicksville on Long Island. After his parents divorced in 1957, Billy was raised by his mother.

At age four, Billy began piano lessons at his mother’s insistence after he started banging on the family piano. He studied formally until about age 16, with teachers including Morton Estrin and Timothy Ford, though he often improvised rather than read sheet music. As a teenager, he boxed in the amateur Golden Gloves circuit as a welterweight, winning 22 of 26 fights before quitting after a broken nose. He attended Hicksville High School but did not graduate on time due to missing an English exam after a late-night gig. Rather than attend summer school, he chose music over academics, famously telling the school board he was going to “Columbia Records” instead of Columbia University. In 1992, he submitted essays in lieu of the missed exam and received his diploma 25 years late.

Joel’s early career included playing in the Echoes, the Hassles, and Attila. After Attila disbanded, he released his debut solo album Cold Spring Harbor (1971), which suffered from a mastering error but later gained recognition.

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In 1972, a live radio performance of “Captain Jack” on Philadelphia’s WMMR became an underground hit, catching the attention of Columbia Records president Clive Davis. Joel signed with Columbia and moved to Los Angeles, working under the name “Bill Martin” at The Executive Room piano bar on Wilshire Boulevard. There, he wrote his signature song “Piano Man,” inspired by the bar’s patrons. The 1973 album Piano Man became his breakthrough, with the title track reaching No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Joel’s career peaked in the late 1970s and 1980s with albums like The Stranger (1977, over 10 million copies sold), 52nd Street (1978), Glass Houses (1980), The Nylon Curtain (1982), and An Innocent Man (1983). Notable hits include “Just the Way You Are,” “Movin’ Out,” “Only the Good Die Young,” “She’s Always a Woman,” “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” “Uptown Girl,” “Tell Her About It,” and “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” He mostly retired from pop songwriting after River of Dreams (1993), and later released the classical album Fantasies & Delusions (2001).

Joel has had one of the most successful touring careers in music history. In 1987, he became one of the first Western rock artists to tour the Soviet Union. His 2014–2024 Madison Square Garden residency surpassed 100 shows (a record for any artist at the venue), and he continues performing select concerts worldwide. In 2024, he released his first new pop single in decades, “Turn the Lights Back On,” and in 2025, he remains active with live performances and occasional new projects.

Update

As of January 2026, Billy Joel, now 76, remains a major live performer despite health challenges. In 2025, he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, which affected his hearing, vision, and balance, leading to the cancellation of all upcoming concerts. In July 2025, in interviews with People magazine and on Bill Maher’s podcast, Joel stated he was improving and that the condition is treatable, offering hope of a return to performing.

He has been sober for many years after earlier struggles with alcohol (he entered treatment at Silver Hill Hospital in 2002 and Betty Ford Center in 2005). Joel endorsed Andrew Cuomo for the 2025 New York City mayoral election. His Madison Square Garden residency concluded as the longest-running in the venue’s history, and he continues to be celebrated through documentaries like Billy Joel: And So It Goes (HBO, 2025). His music remains hugely popular on streaming platforms, classic rock radio, and live tributes.

Age

Billy Joel was born on May 9, 1949. As of January 2026, he is 76 years old.

Songs

Billy Joel has written and recorded some of the most enduring songs in American pop and rock music. His catalog includes over 33 Top 40 hits in the U.S., with three reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Key songs include:

• “Piano Man” (1973) – His signature song, inspired by his time as a piano bar performer
• “Just the Way You Are” (1977) – Grammy-winning ballad
• “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” (1977) – Energetic rock track
• “Only the Good Die Young” (1977) – Controversial and upbeat
• “She’s Always a Woman” (1977) – Soft rock classic
• “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” (1977) – Epic concert staple
• “Vienna” (1977) – Reflective and inspirational
• “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” (1980) – First No. 1 single
• “You May Be Right” (1980)
• “Don’t Ask Me Why” (1980)
• “Tell Her About It” (1983) – No. 1 hit
• “Uptown Girl” (1983)
• “The Longest Time” (1983)
• “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (1989) – No. 1 historical recap song
• “The River of Dreams” (1993)
• “Turn the Lights Back On” (2024) – First new pop single in over 30 years

His songs are known for storytelling, melodic strength, and emotional depth, often blending piano-driven ballads with rock energy.

Spouse

Billy Joel has been married four times. His current wife (as of early 2026) is Alexis Roderick, an equestrian and former Morgan Stanley executive. They began dating in 2009, married on July 4, 2015, at Joel’s Oyster Bay, Long Island estate (with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo officiating), and have two daughters: Della Rose Joel (born August 12, 2015) and Remy Anne Joel (born October 22, 2017). The couple lives in Florida, where their daughters attend school.

Joel’s previous marriages were:

• Elizabeth Weber Small (married 1973–1982) – His first wife, formerly married to his Attila bandmate Jon Small. She became his manager; they divorced in 1982.
• Christie Brinkley (married 1985–1994) – Model and actress. They had one daughter, Alexa Ray Joel (born December 29, 1985). They remain friends; Joel is godfather to Brinkley’s younger children.
• Katie Lee (married 2004–2009) – Chef and television personality. They separated in 2009.

Albums

Billy Joel released 12 pop/rock studio albums from 1971 to 1993, plus one classical album in 2001. Key albums include:

• Cold Spring Harbor (1971) – Debut solo album
• Piano Man (1973) – Breakthrough album with title track
• Streetlife Serenade (1974)
• Turnstiles (1976)
• The Stranger (1977) – Columbia’s best-selling album ever (over 10 million copies)
• 52nd Street (1978) – First No. 1 album
• Glass Houses (1980) – Rock-focused response to punk/new wave
• The Nylon Curtain (1982) – Ambitious, socially conscious
• An Innocent Man (1983) – 1950s homage with hits like “Uptown Girl”
• The Bridge (1986)
• Storm Front (1989) – Features “We Didn’t Start the Fire”
• River of Dreams (1993) – Last pop/rock studio album
• Fantasies & Delusions (2001) – Classical compositions performed by Richard Hyung-ki Joo

His 1985 compilation Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II is one of the best-selling albums in U.S. history. Joel’s catalog remains hugely popular on streaming and classic rock radio.

Net Worth

As of early 2026, Billy Joel’s net worth is estimated at $225–$250 million. His wealth comes from decades of album sales (over 160 million records worldwide), touring (especially the record-breaking Madison Square Garden residency), song royalties, real estate (including properties in Oyster Bay, Sag Harbor, and Florida), and business ventures like the Long Island Boat Company and 20th Century Cycles motorcycle museum. Joel’s catalog generates substantial streaming and licensing income, and his live shows remain highly profitable.