THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release Billy Joel – The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2 on Nov. 3, continuing an ongoing celebration of the legendary artist’s 50-plus years of musical magic, on-stage and in-the-studio.
An 11-LP deluxe box set, Billy Joel – The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2 completes the definitive Joel vinyl album project which began with The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1, a nine-LP set released in November 2021 in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Cold Spring Harbor (Billy’s debut solo studio album, originally released Nov. 1, 1971).
The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2 is being released near the 50th anniversary of Piano Man, Joel’s first signature song, released as a single on Nov. 2, 1973 with the Piano Man album dropping a week later on Nov. 9, 1973.
While The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1 chronicled Joel’s evolution as a songwriter, performer and recording artist during his rise from obscurity to international superstardom in the 1970s, The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2 focuses on the surprising next phase of his extraordinary career. Joel became a household name in the MTV era with some of his biggest chart-smashing hits and most all-time beloved songs including Allentown, Uptown Girl, A Matter of Trust, Baby Grand (his duet with Ray Charles), plus his three Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping hits We Didn’t Start the Fire, Tell Her About It and It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me.
In addition to bringing together Billy’s monumentally successful 1980s albums — Glass Houses (1980), The Nylon Curtain (1982), An Innocent Man (1983), The Bridge (1986) and Storm Front (1989) — alongside 1993’s River of Dreams, his final studio album of newly written pop songs, The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2 presents, for the first time on vinyl, an exclusive two-LP pressing of 2001’s Fantasies & Delusions, an instrumental album showcasing classical piano compositions that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Album chart.
All titles in The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2 have been sourced from the original album masters (analog and digital) and carefully prepared for this release by Ted Jensen with lacquers cut by Joe Nino Hernes at the legendary Sterling Sound in Nashville. The box set includes a 60+ page booklet featuring Joel’s revelatory personal observations and insights about each album, an informative essay by Rob Tannenbaum, rare photos and memorabilia from the era and more.
As a special bonus, The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2 presents the first-ever audio edition of Billy Joel – Live from Long Island, the celebratory homecoming concert/party Billy and his band threw for fans at the Nassau Coliseum on Dec. 29, 1982. A broadcast edit of the legendary show originally aired on HBO in 1983, while a longer version of the show was a massively popular VHS title. This explosive performance is highly regarded as one of Billy’s best of the era and one of the few to be professionally filmed and recorded. Its inclusion as a three-LP audio album in The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2 is an essential addition to the classic Joel catalog. A new digital edition of the Billy Joel – Live from Long Island concert film will also be available.
Billy Joel – The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2
Glass Houses (1LP)
The Nylon Curtain (1LP)
An Innocent Man (1LP)
The Bridge (1LP)
Storm Front (1LP)
River Of Dreams (1LP)
Fantasies & Delusions (2LP) ** First time on vinyl
Live From Long Island (3LP) ** First time as an audio release
Live from Long Island Track List
1 | Allentown
2 | My Life
3 | Prelude / Angry Young Man
4 | Piano Man
5 | Don’t Ask Me Why
6 | The Stranger
7 | Scandinavian Skies
8 | Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
9 | She’s Always a Woman
10 | Pressure
11 | Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
12 | Just the Way You Are
13 | Goodnight Saigon
14 | Stiletto
15 | Until the Night
16 | It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me
17 | Sometimes a Fantasy
18 | Big Shot
19 | You May Be Right
20 | Only the Good Die Young
21 | Souvenir
