The Essential Billy Joel Explained

The Essential Billy Joel
Type:	greatest
Artist:	Billy Joel
Cover:	BillyJoel-TheEssential.jpg
Released:	October 2, 2001
Recorded:	1973–2001
Genre:	Rock
Length:	154:58 188:53 (reissue)
Label:	Sony Legacy
Producer:	Billy Joel, Michael Stewart, Phil Ramone, Mick Jones
Prev Title:	Fantasies & Delusions
Prev Year:	2001
Next Year:	2004

The Essential Billy Joel is a Sony music compilation of songs by American singer/songwriter Billy Joel. It was released on October 2, 2001, and has been certified Triple Platinum by the RIAA.^[1] In conjunction with the release of the album, The Essential Video Collection was released, comprising Joel's most popular music videos.

On August 26, 2008, The Essential 3.0 was released containing a third disc with seven additional tracks.^[2]

Track listing

All songs written by Billy Joel.

Disc three

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (2001)	Peak position
US Billboard 200^[3]	29
Chart (2008)	Peak position
Chart (2013)	Peak position
Irish Albums (IRMA)^[4]	66
Chart (2019)	Peak position

Year-end charts

Chart (2017)	Position
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)^[5]	47
Chart (2018)	Position
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)^[6]	44
Chart (2019)	Position
US Billboard 200^[7]	92
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)^[8]	12
Chart (2020)	Position
US Billboard 200^[9]	117
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)^[10]	11
Chart (2021)	Position
US Billboard 200^[11]	127
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)^[12]	21

Certifications

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Notes and References

1. http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=essential&artist=billy%20joel&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25 RIAA - Gold & Platinum - The Essential Billy Joel
2. allmusic.com - The Essential Billy Joel Limited Edition 3.0 - Overview
3. Top 200 Albums. October 20, 2001. Billboard. October 22, 2017.
4. https://web.archive.org/web/20131109044540/http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240002&arch=t&lyr=2013&year=2013&week=45 - Billy Joel - The Essential
5. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2017. Billboard. April 4, 2021.
6. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2018. Billboard. April 4, 2021.
7. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2019. Billboard. April 4, 2021.
8. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2019. Billboard. April 4, 2021.
9. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2020. Billboard. December 4, 2020.
10. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2020. Billboard. April 4, 2021.
11. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2021. Billboard. December 3, 2021.
12. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2021. Billboard. December 3, 2021.