10 Greatest Keyboardists Of All Time
1. Billy Joel
Many keyboardists on this list stand out for their uncanny skill behind their instrument or the way they use their instrument to create incredible songs. Of all of these tremendous players, Billy Joel is somehow able to bridge both gaps by being a monster pianist while keeping up a record as one of pop-rock's greatest songsmiths.
The way in which Billy Joel's songs manifest seem to come so naturally, as if his songs existed for as long as music has been around. Amid all of Billy Joel's keyboard brilliance, he never loses his sight of the clear goal: writing the best song possible. With songs like "Just the Way You Are" and "Big Shot," Joel ran the gamut between the soothing and searing, as he flexed his muscles on how to both excite and emotionally lift his audience. As a result, Joel's material has a distinct quality that is retro while still having an audible excitement that hasn't diminished with time.
Over time, Joel's retirement from studio recordings and into classical music has left his repertoire almost spotless. There have been many fantastic keyboardists who have risen to prominence in pop music, but no one mistakes who the true Piano Man is.