Every Billy Joel Album Ranked Worst To Best
6. Glass Houses
Glass Houses marks the biggest risk Joel ever took with his career, but also one of his biggest ever personal victories. With the 70s done and dusted, Joel decided to mix his softer style with the rock and punk sounds that had began to dominate the music scene. With the New Wave genre in his corner, he released an album that almost defied genre, and showcased all of his best attributes.
From the melodic tones of "You May Be Right" to Joel's assessment of the music scene in "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," Glass Houses is not merely an answer to punk-rock culture, but a seamless fusion of the New Wave sound with Joel's own brand of pop.
"It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" still stands as the best on the album, but praise also deserves to fall to "All for Leyna," a catchy piece of storytelling that marries Joel's excellent lyricism with his new sound without issue. Glass Houses, all told, is the closest Joel ever got to making a pure rock album, and the results are to die for.
Best Songs: It's Still Rock and Roll to Me, You May Be Right, All for Leyna, Through the Long Night