10 Greatest Classic Rock Songwriters

Billy Joel is the reason why pop-rock is taken seriously as a genre. While initially branded as a balladeer behind a piano, Joel took his music and showed just what the term "pop-rock" was capable of.

The tales Joel tells throughout his songs are not so much stories as they are sonic pastiches to urban living. Through nothing but his piano and voice, Joel embodies the sound of walking down the streets of Manhattan and feeling the hustle and bustle of the cars rolling by. Tracks like "Movin Out" and "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" feel like classic tales taken from 50's cinema being played out in front of your ears. However, not all of Joel's work has that touch. Love songs like "Uptown Girl" and "The Longest Time" show brilliant callbacks to genres of old and reframing them in a more modern context.

With pop seen as a disposable genre, Billy Joel broke down barriers and showed the world that rock lyrics could have the same impact that acts likeSinatra had without having to compromise his artistic integrity. It's the sound of taking standard rock tendencies and adding lyrical sophistication to create extravagant musical fables.