Billy Joel, the prolific singer-songwriter with iconic hits including “Piano Man” and “Uptown Girl,” announced he’s releasing his first new single in 17 years.
“Turn the Lights Back On,” which dropped on Feb. 1, is his first new music since 2007 (the single “All My Life”) and only his second since 1996 (when he covered he recorded Gerry Goffin and Carole King’s “Hey Girl” and Bob Dylan’s “To Make You Feel My Love” for his 1997 album, “Greatest Hits Volume III”). The announcement comes ahead of his performance at the Grammys on Feb. 4.
The 74-year-old Joel’s last full-length album was 2001’s “Fantasies & Dreams,” a collection of solely classical compositions that are a bit of a departure from the vibrant pop and story-like lyricism for which he’s known and beloved by fans. His last pop record was 1993’s “River of Dreams.”
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Which is not to say the Poet of Long Island has been resting on his laurels all these years — Joel has kept plenty busy with frequent performances and several residencies at Madison Square Garden (“Barbie” co-writers and real-life couple Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach even attended one of the MSG shows after they tied the knot recently!). He’ll end his current residency there in July with his 150th show, but you can still get concert tickets to see Joel perform (in New York and elsewhere) this summer and fall.
Last week, Joel alluded to the new song on TikTok following his debut on the platform, per a press release on his official website. Watch that video below:
@billyjoelBilly has some good news and bad news. Stay tuned for more! – Team Joel⬠original sound – Billy Joel
If you’re a record collector, the single will be pressed onto a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl. But you can listen to Joel’s new song on his YouTube channel right now:
“Did I wait too long… to turn the lights back on?” the lyrics ask. We think we can speak for other fans when we say: It’s never too late for new Billy Joel music!
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Listen to Billy Joel’s first new music in nearly 20 years originally appeared on Simplemost.com
