Billy Joel made a big career leap in 1980. In 70’s era Billy Joel gained fame as a piano driven ballad singer, a very ‘comfortable’ position for commercial success but not promising for further artistic achievement. In 1980 Billy Joel released his seventh album, ‘Glass Houses’ which shows Joel’s ability to perform hard rock music than his previous album. By releasing of this album Billy Joel tried to reach new audience, and made new signature for his music. This album was a big success for Billy Joel. ‘Glass Houses’ peaked number 1 on Billboard music album chart for six weeks, and one song included in album, ‘It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me’ peaked number 1 on Billboard music chart for two weeks in July 1980, making it Billy Joel’s first number one hits in his career. This album also received Grammy awards for best male rock vocal performance.
Billy Joel’s next album ‘Songs in The Attic’ was his first live album, and released in 1981. Despite this album was a commercial blunder, it remarks one of Billy Joel’s best artistic achievement so far. Billy Joel paid off commercial blunder of ‘Songs in The Attic’ on his eighth studio album, ‘The Nylon Curtain’. This album was heavily influenced by The Beatles music, and was a big music experiment for his next music path. ‘The Nylon Curtain’ was released on September 1982, delayed few weeks from previous schedule due to a motor accident on April 1982. Billy Joel suffered serious injuries by that accident, had to undergo recovery program for two months. This album peaked number 7 on Billboard music album chart.
In 1983 Billy Joel released his ninth music album, and also one of his most successful album, ‘An Innocent Man’. This album was recorded by Billy Joel as tribute to music from his childhood, notably rock music from 50’s and 60’s, doo-wop, and Motown music. This album contains 10 tracks, and three of them occupied Billboard top 10 hit singles : ‘Tell Her About It’ (number 1) ‘Uptown Girl’ (number 3) and ‘An Innocent Man’ (number 10).
Although only peaked number 3, ‘Uptown Girl’ is the most remembered single from ‘An Innocent Man’ album. Main character in video clip of ‘Uptown Girl’ was played by Christie Brinkley, which later married to Billy Joel in 1985. (In an interview with Channel Five, Billy Joel admitted that ‘Uptown Girl’ was dedicated to his girlfriend at that moment, supermodel Elle Macpherson, but later they separated and married Christie Brinkley).
In 1985 Billy Joel released his ‘Greatest Hits Volume I & II’ to remarks his achievement in music. This double greatest album includes Billy Joel’s hits from 1973 plus two previously unreleased tracks ‘You’re Only Human (Second Wind)’ and ‘The Night is Still Young’. ‘Greatest Hits Volume I & II’ was sold over 10,5 million copies and certified double diamond by RIAA.
