Billy Joel has not released a rock album since 1993’s River of Dreams, a decision he explained in a recent interview with musician Rick Beato. The prolific songwriter said he felt he had completed his work after that album and did not want to continue writing at the expense of his family life.
“I was married, I had a child. I didn’t want to lock myself in a cave and devote myself like a monk to writing anymore,” Joel said. After releasing 12 studio albums, he noted that The Beatles also released 12 albums, which felt like a natural stopping point.
Joel cited concern about artistic decline as a reason for stepping back. “Some artists who continued to put out records dilute their legacy,” he said. “Maybe they’re not as good as they used to be or they’re not as motivated as they were, but it ends up trailing off. I didn’t want to go like that.”
In 2001, Joel released Fantasies & Delusions, a classical album he described as something he “had to get out of my system.” He said he recognised his motivation had waned and chose to stop rather than continue solely on his reputation.
Joel has not entirely abandoned songwriting. In 2024, he released “Turn the Lights Back On,” his first original song in 17 years, produced by Freddy Wexler and co-written with Wayne Hector and Arthur Bacon.
Source: Rolling Stone Music
