The Stranger

 

Billy Joel's 5th album

Released in September 1977

Genres considered - Rock, Soft Rock, Pop Rock

Featured touring band -

Liberty DeVitto - Drums

Doug Stegmeyer - Bass

Richie Cannata - Saxophone & Organ

Released singles/Billboard Hot 100

"Just the Way You Are" - No. 3

"Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" - No. 17

"She's Always a Woman" - No. 17

"Only the Good Die Young" - No. 24

Staple live performance songs -

"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

"Vienna"

2 Grammy Awards (in 1979)

Record of the Year & Song of the Year

("Just the Way You Are")

Over 10 million copies sold worldwide

Point of interest - The Stranger is Columbia Records' best-selling album release, passing Simon & Garfunkel's 1970 Bridge over Troubled Water.

Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

No. 70 (2003) ... No. 169 (2020)

Grammy Hall of Fame (2008)

Review Scores -

AllMusic - 4.5/5 Stars

American Songwriter - 4/5 Stars

Blender - 5/5 Stars

The Buffalo News - 4/4 Stars

Pitchfork - 8.5/10

Record Collector - 4/5 Stars

Rolling Stone - 4/5 Stars

The Rolling Stone Album Guide - 4/5 Stars

Slant Magazine - 4/5 Stars

Uncut - 4/5 Stars

Track List -

Side One -

1.  Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)

2.  The Stranger

3.  Just the Way You Are

4.  Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

Side Two -

1.  Vienna

2.  Only the Good Die Young

3.  She's Always a Woman

4.  Get It Right the First Time

5.  Everybody Has a Dream

Certified Gold in Denmark, Japan, & the UK

Certified Platinum in Australia & Hong Kong

Certified 4x Platinum in New Zealand

Certified 5x Platinum in Canada

Certified 12x Platinum in the U.S.

(Wikipedia)