5 Things to Know About Billy Joel’s The Stranger

  1. It was released on September 29, 1977, by Columbia Records.
  2. The album marked a commercial breakthrough for Joel, becoming his first top-10 hit in the US.
  3. It includes the iconic singles “Just the Way You Are,” “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song),” and “Only the Good Die Young.”
  4. The Stranger was produced by Phil Ramone, who helped refine Joel’s sound into a polished pop-rock style.
  5. It spent six weeks at number two on the Billboard 200 and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.