PLAYLISTICLE: Billy Joel - 50 Years Of the Piano Man [2022]

The 2025 HBO Documentary And So It Goes wrapped up its look at Billy Joel's life and music this weekend. When I opened up Apple Music on Saturday night to see if the New Music Mix had anything of interest for me, I was greeted by the playlist pictured at the top of this post. It's got 155 tracks and runs just a hair under seven hours. It appears to be an online-only streaming or digital download. The Second Disc's Mike Duquette has done a detailed write-up of this massive musical companion. Read it HERE. Between the documentary and its musical companion, I was reminded that Columbia celebrated 50 Years Of The Piano Man in 2022 with a series of online-only streaming playlists and digital downloads. Check your preferred streaming service to stream or purchase.

Places was released on February 18, 2022, and features five previously released tracks:

• "New York State Of Mind" from Turnstiles (1976)
• "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" from The Stranger (1977)
• "Big Man On Mulberry Street" from The Bridge (1986)
• "Everybody Loves You Know" from Cold Spring Harbor (1972)
• "Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)" from Turnstiles (1976)

On April 8, 2022, Columbia released Billy Joel - 50 Years Of The Piano Man, featuring fifty tracks – both studio and live recordings – from throughout Joel's multi-decade career. The playlist clocks in around three hours and forty-five minutes, with several tracks reportedly making their streaming debut.

Narratives was released on May 27, 2022, and features five previously released tracks:

• "Allentown" from The Nylon Curtain (1982)
• "Goodnight Saigon" from The Nylon Curtain (1982)
• "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" from The Stranger (1977)
• "The Downeaster 'Alexa' " from Storm Front (1990)
• "Streetlife Serenader" from Streetlife Serenade (1974)

Memories was released on June 24, 2022, and features five previously released tracks:

• "Piano Man" from Piano Man (1973)
• "The Entertainer" from Streetlife Serenade (1974)
• "Leningrad" from Storm Front (1989)
• "Keeping The Faith" from An Innocent Man (1983)
• "Last of The Big Time Spenders" from Streetlife Serenade (1974)

Moods was released on July 20, 2022, and features five previously released tracks:

• "Pressure" from The Nylon Curtain (1982)
• "Vienna" from The Stranger (1977)
• "Where's The Orchestra" from The Nylon Curtain (1982)
• "I Go To Extremes" from Storm Front (1989)
• "Summer, Highland Falls" from Turnstiles (1976)

Rebels was released on August 21, 2022, and features five previously released tracks:

• "My Life" from 52nd Street (1978)
• "You May Be Right" from Glass Houses (1980)
• "Big Shot" from 52nd Street (1978)
• "Only The Good Die Young" from The Stranger (1977)
• "Easy Money" from An Innocent Man (1983)

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These six playlists, listed as EPs on most streaming sites, reminded us of several other big artists who have released thematic playlists or virtual EPs, including Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, INXS, and The Rolling Stones. Nearly all of these were released during the Pandemic. And while some of these playlists do not seem as readily accessible as they once were, Queen has quietly released seven weekly playlists since June 2025. We'll be featuring further playlisticles covering each artist's thematic playlists soon.