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As somebody who has all of Billy Joel's studio albums, my opinion is that a one-CD 'very best of' just doesn't have the space to deliver what it promises and, indeed, with key tracks in Billy's career missing, this falls short as a satisfying overview of the piano man's career. 'Big Shot', 'Allentown' and 'The Longest Time' are just three examples of incredible tracks which any self-respecting Billy Joel collection shouldn't omit but this one, unfortunately, does. Of course, that just scratches the surface - some of Billy's best compositions are relatively unknown album tracks - but even with realistic expectations of what a good compilation should include, this album doesn't hit the mark.

To be completely fair, I should tell anyone who has a passing interest in Billy Joel's music and is thinking about buying this CD that you probably wouldn't be disappointed with the content. Most of the huge hits are here including the majestic, insanely catchy 'Uptown Girl', his breakthrough hit 'Piano Man', the gospel-tinted 'River Of Dreams', the hugely successful modern-history-as-a-list 'We Didn't Start The Fire', the achingly beautiful ballads, 'She's Got A Way', 'Honesty', 'Just The Way You Are', plus too many more to mention - the track listing is above, so - to avoid repetition - I'll just say that it's all good... extremely good. To its credit, it also includes 'Scenes From An Italian Restaurant', one of Mr. Joel's finest moments.

The music contained within this disc is all of '5 star' quality and anyone listening to this material for the first time is likely to be completely blown away by it, but the questionable track listing - given the material to choose from - loses it that 'five star' rating. Simply put, this is not the very best of Billy Joel. For those both new to the man and looking for a collection only, I'd recommend the 2CD 'The Essential Billy Joel' (Columbia) which, for a similar amount of money, gives a better overview of the man's work and is far more extensive. Better still, I would suggest that you invest in some of his studio albums (Turnstiles, The Stranger, 52nd Street, Glass Houses, The Nylon Curtain, An Innocent Man, Storm Front and River Of Dreams are all excellent) which, once you listen to a 'best of', you'll probably end up doing anyway, so why not skip the middleman?

Rating: 4 out of 5

Piano Man The Very Best of Billy Joel could only be regarded as the very best by customers who are pleased that the title track has been butchered and a great chunk of its middle removed. The rest of us might feel Sony BMG Music Entertainment should be ashamed of a shabby deception. If it's legal to sell only part of a song without making it plain that's what you're doing, then it shouldn't be. Prospective buyers who want to hear Joel sing about the real-estate novelist and Davy who's still in the Navy should check the jacket and ensure the song lasts for 5 ½ minutes, not 4 ½.

Rating: 1 out of 5

this CD is really just another example of the music companies trying to fleece us the poor consumer. whilst the music of Billy Joel is superb in any format this best of is just a rehash of his Essential collection.

unless you have a burning desire to own Scenes from an Italian Resteraunt and Only the Good Die young then i would seriously recommend 'The Essential Billy Joel' 36 tracks in all and 16 of them which you get on this album.

Rating: 2 out of 5

Billy Joel is one of those truly great singer songwriters that seem to have gone out of fashion . Well , forget fashion , sit back and soak up the masterpieces that this man created . Not a dull track on the CD.
No "Album fillers" just hit after hit .
A great album always leaves you wanting more and this one certainly does that.

Rating: 5 out of 5

I largely agree with the review given by A. Sweeney. For someone with such an impressive and varied back catalogue, I'd think a double-CD edition would be more appropriate, with a better thought out set list. For example, why isn't You May Be Right on there? This collection serves as nothing more than a very bare-bones introduction to, and overview of, Billy Joel's music, but I don't feel it does him justice at all and given how cheaply some of his full albums are being offered for sale, I'd recommend perhaps going for some of them instead.

Rating: 3 out of 5