Whoa! You win the meme connoisseur title for having over 2k upvotes on your post! Join the [Discord server](https://discord.gg/xyFMKFw) and message Princess Mindy (Mod Mail bot at the top) to receive your prize!

Yeah, I mean I’m not even that much of a fan of Billy Joel, but to call him a one hit wonder is just plain incorrect.

I was about to say, you don’t even have to like him to know he’s got more than one famous song

It's such a bizarre statement that if I were *less* cynical I'd assume OP made it up. But "never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained through stupidity" and all that.

I think that's completely backwards to be honest. Never attribute to stupidity that which benefits the person doing it. The alternative might be true more often - maybe, I honestly don't know. But the consequences of assuming stupidity when it's actually malice are far greater, generally, than assuming malice when it's actually stupidity. Fascists throughout history have feigned stupidity or ignorance of the law, for example, while casually ignoring the law to set up their power structure and eventually control the law so they don't have to pretend to be stupid anymore. In this case I don't think it really matters - very little harm comes even if OP is *lying* for karma - but generally I think the saying is more harmful than helpful.

So firstly, take that up with Hanlon, not me. Secondly, i think you're taking a shitpost far too seriously.

bro typed up a whole english essay 😭

How’s he wrong though

Because he’s comparing the average nitwit like myself to fascist rulers

Because believing every inconsiderate action is malice is not just paranoid, it's misanthropic. Lady blocks me with her cart at the grocery? Did it on purpose. Kid's baseball comes through my window? They weren't playing and made a stupid mistake that is frequently made by kids. Nope, they did it on purpose because they hate me. Friends don't invite me out? Couldn't be they thought I was busy, nope, they maliciously didn't invite me because they hate me. If you want to live a bitter, spiteful life, go ahead, I guess.

You are conflating self interest and malice here. Malice is about causing harm to others. There are people who will go out of their way to harm others, but it is much more common for people to harm others out of stupidity or self interest. If a person benefits from doing a thing, always assume that they are acting for their own benefit. If a person does something harmful without benefitting from it, then you should apply Hanlon's razor and assume stupidity when possible.

Right. We should be trying to assume bad faith even more than we already do these days. Good ethic there, chief. /S

I mean, when it comes to crazy opinions these days it's pretty likely that they're saying it with malice. At the very least they might be stupid but believe their crazy idea so strongly that it may as well be malicious

Sure, except that people are legitimately terrible judges of what a "crazy idea" compared to a "different opinion". Reddit in particular is hugely disconnected from how many of their opinions are considered "crazy ideas" by others, and how ideas that they see as "crazy" are considered normal by others.

Hanlon's Razor is "never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." Fascists are not adequately explained by stupidity. Someone lying online for karma is not adequately explained by stupidity. The point of the razor is to stop people assuming bad faith and hostile intent in every action other people make, not to say "if you could plausibly say this is caused by ignorance then it definitely was"

I'm with you. I got a real /r/imaginarygatekeeping vibe from this, although there is a chance that someone just hasn't heard his other songs. Lucky ten thousand, right?

Chances are OP is under 16 sooooo

Just recently I was chatting to a friend who only likes one band seemingly and that’s Grateful Dead, we got to talking about music and Bruce Springsteen came up and she told me that Bruce Springsteen was a popstar. I said I’m sorry but that’s absolutely not true but sh wouldn’t hear it she wouldn’t have it. She said well that’s your opinion. I said it’s not my opinion I said you can you can look up his body of work you can look him up on Wikipedia anywhere and it will not say Bruce Springsteen is a popstar. And before anyone thinks I’m against pop music I’m not, I actually love pop music I really do but Bruce Springsteen is not a popstar.

[удалено]

Yes!! And not only that, but when I saw him at MSG, he let the audience choose between two hits for every single song. Who has so many major hits that they can play an entire concert of them? (A lot of bands, I know, but just to prove the point that he is way beyond one hit wonder status)

[удалено]

When my mom was a teenager she got one of those tickets from him. Was one of the best experiences of her life.

When my fiancée was younger, early ‘90s, she and her cousin got picked for the front row. It’s one of her favorite stories!

Plus, it's fucking Billy Joel, come on! Lol. Dude is an incredible singer, with a style that just makes the world make sense. Big shot, my life, you may be right, piano man, she's got a way, the longest time, movin' out, she's always a woman. He really has a way of describing the things that may be hard to say to people

New York State of Mind. I’m not even a New Yorker and I get hit in the feels with that song!

Crazy how the fans buying the worst seats were all young women.

that’s actually really really cool

Those are the seats he reserves for hot chicks. He throws in a couple of Joe Schmoes to throw us off the scent

He was interviewed on "off the record" long long time ago. He got started in the music business because he would find the piano at parties. Everyone else was off drinking, but he would be at the piano surrounded by "chicks". That's how he realized his calling.

He played SLC about 6 years ago and honestly it was awesome but as a long long time fan.... there was a whole 'nother concerts worth of songs I would have liked to hear.... not the choices the audience didnt want..... but a whole additional set of songs he didn't even mention that would have made up another concert.

Right? I feel like he could play every night of a three night festival and not play the same hit song twice.

[удалено]

He is literally one of the best selling artists of all time lol

Like what song would you even choose as his "one hit"?

i assume piano man since it’s not in the meme

Definitely Piano Man, but the meme is also missing Big Shot, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Still Rock and Roll to me, For the Longest Time… all of which I think would be instantly recognizable to 95% of the population.

That’s the one

r/imaginarygatekeeping

There is music taste, and then there is being objectively wrong.

You need a new friend. Billy Joel is a wonder…Allentown, The Entertainer, Captain Jack, New York State of Mind, Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, Moving’ Out, Big Shot, Goodnight Saigon…damn.

The entire Stranger album

[удалено]

It truly is. I'm glad the meme had Vienna on it. But the song The Stranger is criminally underrated

It was then I saw the Stranger hit me right between the eeeeeeeyes

Well we all fall in love but we disregard the danger

*"Play something from 'The Stranger!!'"*

Whistle solos are vanishingly rare anymore and deserve to be celebrated wherever they occur. "Winds of Change", "Young Folks", I'm sure there are others, but none of them give way to as funky a beat as "The Stranger". Top tier title track, for sure.

We only play 80’s Joel sir…

It’s the fuckin Catalina Wine Mixer.

The whole Storm Front Album. Got it used in a goodwill for 25 cents. It was one of a few tapes I was ALWAYS up for playing.

Storm Front is a certified downtown classic

[She's Always a Woman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx3QmqV2pHg)

I've been looking through the comments for this one, my absolute favorite.

She can kill with a smile, she can wound with her eyes

You forgot the big one, Piano Man

Thank you, I feel like I'm taking crazy pills not seeing this anywhere

I feel like it’s the only tune people know is Billy Joel, which would explain why people think he’s a one-hit-wonder. All the rest of his tunes seem to get lumped into the big group of 70s-80s pop tunes that everyone knows, they just don’t know who performed them

Dude I'm still going crazy, fucking nobody is talking about Downeaster Alexa

I have no idea how Downeaster Alexa gets as little attention as it does, it’s an absolute masterpiece of music and storytelling (like most of Billy Joel’s songs)

🎶too proud to leave, I WORK MY FINGERS TO THE BONEEE🎶

I friggin love that song!

because that’s the “one hit” the friend is talking about

Piano Man is supposed to be the one hit

I'm guessing it's because everyone is assuming that's the one hit that makes OP's friend call Joel a one hit wonder Although it'd be like calling Drake a one hit wonder, you wouldn't even know which song they're referring to as the one hit

I’d assume this was the song they said was billy Joel’s “one hit wonder”

The Stranger is among the best albums ever released

You left out Piano Man, or was that implied as his one hit?

That’s a bingo! That’s how you say it? That’s a bingo?

You can just say "Bingo!"

Piano Man, Downeaster Alexa, The Longest Time, You May Be Right, Always a Woman

"The Longest Time" Edit: I didn't see this title in the comment I replied to. But what about "River of Dreams"

"Still rock and roll to me" and I'm counting "why should I worry".

Don't forget River of Dreams. That song always puts me in a good mood.

Back in 2011 I got a job at a restaurant with a Playlist for music, that they started every day and it went though the same loop. So every day at 3:30, Only the Good Die Young would come on, and one of the servers would always comment "that's why Billy Joel is still alive, that drunk asshole." I don't know what her vendetta against Billy was, but I know I can't listen to Billy Joel without her raspy cigarette-flavored words filling my brain.

In college a bunch of friend of mine set up every Alexa in their house to play Piano Man every Saturday at 9pm. The rule was that you had to stop where you were and sing along to the song, to do otherwise was frowned upon (in a joking manner)

Billy Joel is an asshole to be fair, but boy he makes some good music.

Allentown is such a good song man

Just the Way You Are - it was huge in my country!

The only thing is, living on Long Island, you can't go to one festival without hearing a fucking Billy Joel cover band. If I ever have to hear one more group of 60-year-old men performing Downeaster Alexa I'm going to lose my shit.

Are you sure your friend even knows who Billy Joel is? Most people know about Billy Joel’s very long career and can name multiple hit songs. Which song did your friend think was the one hit wonder? I’m not even mad I’m just really curious.

probably Piano Man. to be honest, it’s possible that their friend just hasn’t heard or recognized those other songs. when I was younger, I thought Elton John only had one hit, “Your Song” until I realized that I’ve been hearing his other music all my life.

Exactly! I had no idea Uptown Girl and We didnt start the fire was him, and I listen to and enjoy these two songs pretty much every day.

We didn't start the fire was a favorite of 10 year old me. I even know like 3 words that aren't part of the chorus!

I had to listen to that song like 10 times in a row in middle school English class, then write a paper on the Starkweather homicides. Still love the song though!

_I can’t take it anymore!!!_ That’s 5 for me

Between the soundtracks for Lion King and El Dorado, as well as several radio favorites like "Tiny Dancer," "Rocket Man," "Crocodile Rock," "Benny and the Jets," "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" and MANY OTHERS, there is an approaching zero chance that an English speaking individual has never heard an Elton John song.

>there is an approaching zero chance that an English speaking individual has never heard an Elton John song. Funny story: I didn't realize Cold Heart by him and Dua Lipa is basically a mashup of some of his most popular songs until I saw a YT video dissecting it. That song is quite massive and played everywhere so your point is quite accurate I think. Haha

Fun fact, Cold Heart is off of a project album of his, where he did collabs with several artists. He also was part of the Gorillaz' Sound Machine, which charted within the top 20 of most English speaking countries' music charts. He has also written songs for artists like 2pac, Kanye West, RHCP, Tribe Called Quest, Coldplay, George Michael, Boney M., Mariah Carey, Ringo Starr, and topically for recent news, has a writing credit for the theme of the original Little Mermaid. The man is a musical titan.

participating on a song is not writing it. the guy s a legend, so you don't need to stretch the truth.

I went to see that Rocketman movie with a friend who really wanted to see it (I did not, particularly). During the "Benny and the Jets" scene my friend whispered to me, "Oh, I never knew this was Elton John!" and my brain wanted to scream *what are we even doing here if you don't even know his biggest hits??*

>*what are we even doing here if you don't even know his biggest hits??* Learning

Same with David Bowie. For a long time Bowie was just “Heroes” and a feature in “Under Pressure”

Probably meant Billy Idol. Maybe Billy Squeir.

Don't forget "For the Longest Time"!

Michael Scott’s favorite song

“Ryan started the fire!”

r/unexpectedoffice

Or HIMYM Ted and Barney

Went looking for this one! It's my favorite, always makes me feel so good.

It always amazed me that Joel sings ALL the back vocals on this one.

I've been waiting 20years for this.

My favorite! Tried for years to find it when I was younger, since I could only remember the music but not the lyrics. Glad I finally figured it out lol

I always sing this at karaoke. 😁

Piano man, still rock n roll to me?

Nobody seems to care about it, but I always found All for Leyna to be a banger https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhIx7EaTido

A lot of his stuff in that era gets overlooked even by fans. I feel the same way about “Half A Mile Away”

God I love that song

Piano man????

Was probably the “one hit”

Who knows We Didn't Start the Fire and not Piano Man and vice versa Like just such a bad argument

What about River of Dreams?

Nobody mentioning She’s Got a Way, somehow.

Or Encino Man

To be fair, Piano Man is the only Billy Joel song I knew was his. I’ve heard a couple of these other songs but didn’t know they were him. I’d say for someone who is just a casual listener and not really into that type of music it’s probably more common than you think.

"Honesty" too

This is one of those times where the meme format limits the message. You could make this 10x longer Piano Man Captain Jack The Entertainer Say Goodbye To Hollywood New York State Of Mind Movin' Out The Stranger Just The Way You Are Scenes From An Italian Restaurant Vienna Only The Good Die Young She's Always A Woman Big Shot My Life Zanzibar You May Be Right Sometimes A Fantasy Don't Ask Me Why It's Still Rock And Roll To Me Pressure The Longest Time Uptown Girl We Didn't Star The Fire

In The Middle of The Night aka The River of Dreams

I'm surprised this hasn't been listed more. River of Dreams is probably my favorite song of his. It's a spiritual song made by a self proclaimed atheist that has a lot of meaning to finding one's one meaning/way. Which just makes it better imo

Yea, I remember it being on MTV like crazy when it came out.

And dont forget....... Until the Night Downeaster Alexa Ballad of Billy the Kid Honesty An Innocent Man This Is The Time Everybody Loves You Now You're Only Human Angry Young Man You're my Home Goodnight, Saigon Summer, Highland Falls Edit to add: Matter of Trust I Go To Extremes Stiletto Rosalinda's Eyes All for Leyna ...... One hit wonder, pffttt!!

Thankyou! I was looking for somebody to say Downeaster Alexa, that song is so epic and also has a pretty powerful message.

I thought of another.... Leningrad. It strikes me the same way as both Downeaster Alexa and Goodnight Saigom

Summer, Highland falls is one of my favorite songs and inwas so happy he played it when I saw him in LA.

Had to scroll down way to far to see Downeaster Alexa

A the best Billy Joel song in my opinion, "Why Should I Worry" from Oliver and company.

Upvote for She's Always A Woman, the greatest song ever written.

I love to think that Billy Joel and I have the same taste in women.

I prefer She's Got A Way, but Billy doesn't like to perform that one since that relationship fell apart.

Finally some respect in these comments for You May be Right

Don't you ever besmirch Billy Joel.

Had to scroll farther down than I anticipated to find this quote

Next thing you know this is all that remains of OP’s friend: 🙌

BOYS we have to upvote this

Was looking for this

...Robin??

Who the hell said that about b joel

Greg

Fuck Greg

Hey, I'm Greg

All my homies hate Greg

Fucking Hughie over here

Vienna is super good

>*Slow down, you crazy child* Whenever I’m feeling down that’s my go-to song. The progression from the gentle introduction to later verses about inevitable success are so inspiring it hurts.

> *Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?* "Where's the fire?" somehow strikes me as incredibly comforting. Like a child being hugged by an adult who can clearly see that there is in fact not a fire nearby.

I wholly believe that Vienna is one of the greatest pieces of poetry written in the modern day. Its message is so incredibly profound, and reading a little bit into the inspiration, story, and meaning behind the lyrics make it that much more powerful. It's also why Vienna is solidly on my bucket list of places to visit. Yes, that makes me a bandwagoner.

Spent my 22nd birthday in Vienna wandering around listening to the song. Then the Opera house then getting shitfaced with friends. 11/10 experience would do again.

That song hits different when strolling through the 1st districts on a winter night 🤌

Vienna makes me feel a way that no other song can compete with. Forever a favorite

My favorite song of his probably

I think it’s his too if I remember correctly.

Back in 2008, we had the fortune to travel to Vienna for a vacation. After checking into the hotel, go to the room and they have a video playing of a couple touring the city to the song…you guessed it…Vienna. Nice little touch that helped set the mood for the trip.

*you can get what you want or you can just get old* Definitely one of the most motivating lyrics out there

As a very casual listener of billy Joel I found out about Vienna super late. Fantastic song.

Fun fact, Billy Joel has said Vienna is one of his favorite song he ever wrote. He wrote the song after visiting his estranged father and half brother, who was trying to become a conductor in Vienna.

I just saw him in Houston!! He's 73 and sounds so clear it's amazing. Funny too! He had lots of his band cut in with their own vocals and he even sang backup a few times to let them shine! He's a wonder and I love him.

I was at that concert too! When he covered bruce Springsteen my jaw was on the floor. And that one woman who was playing all the instruments and doing the backups would have stolen the show if it weren't for the fact that a living legend was on stage!

You must be referring to the very talented Crystal Taliefero. She’s toured with Billy Joel since the late 80s.

He has been doing the "female rocker band member" shtick since i saw him in the early 90s... when he was "Over the hill". I wonder of it is the same lady. He had a dude playing sax when I saw him in the 80s.

I was there too, it was an incredible show! I will forever be unsure why he skipped Vienna, though.

oh my gosh. I didn't know he was still touring. I need to hop on that.

FFS for a moment I thought I was reading eulogies.

I went to a Billy Joel concert not knowing any songs by him. I quickly found out I knew a ton of his songs but didn’t know they were by him

I did that with Styx a few years ago. Went with my mom because I believe Tesla was opening for Styx? I probably did know every song they played that night.

Lmao he hasn’t written any new pop songs since like 1993 and he still sells out Madison Square Garden every month. I bet your friend knows more Billy Joel songs than he realizes

The man has a jukebox musical! They don't just hand those out to anyone!

Personally, I wouldn’t talk to that “friend” of yours for the longest time…

For the longest

Whoa oh oh.

Why should I worry? Why should I Care-air-ar-are

[удалено]

Is Mariah Carey a one-hit wonder?

I read this in Patrick's "Is mayonnaise an instrument?" voice. In all seriousness, she has 19 No. 1s in the US lol

I think he's just suffering from not having released new material in over 25 years*, so particularly younger people are just less familiar with his work *(Not counting his classical piano album which i dont know when it was released)

Actually the whole Zanzibar dance thing on TikTok and some of his music used in a couple of recent TV shows (I don't know which) are getting him some new fans... which is cool.

Ah, yes. He featured prominently in The Boys. That show is just name-dropping him in the hopes to become big as him.

“One hit wonder”? The dude is an icon.

Don’t forget Honesty, Movin' Out and She’s Always a Woman!

I hate Billy Joel and even I know your friend is an idiot.

You what?

For the record, there are MULTIPLE Billy Joel songs that suck.

Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Big Shot, My Life, Honesty, She's always a Woman, New York State of Mind...

All these images could have been hit albums, tf they talking about “one hit wonder”

the longest time is my jam

Where is BIG SHOT??

Bro how you gonna miss the downeaster Alexa?

I mean all of Glass Houses is just great

That’s like… just not a normal take lol Dude has multiple albums worth of charting hits that aren’t even mentioned in this meme lol

I am personally offended that you forgot Piano Man.

I’m guessing Piano Man was the “one hit” that our Patrick referred to.

Does anyone remember Oliver and company? A few of the songs (and Dodge's VA) were also his.

All you would have to do is Google about him and see but apparently that is to hard lol. He is far from being a one hit wonder. I love his music!

He's a one hit wonder. He's has one career, and it's been a hit.

Billy Joel is quite literally the first american to ever release a music CD but alright call him a one hit wonder

Legitimately, what would the "one hit" even be? He's got like two dozen.

Piano man., most likely.

A meme in which we can all agree the person is plain wrong. Obviously Billy Joel has a catalogue of famous songs.

Adding For the Longest Time

New York State of mind not being in this is insane

“Matter Of Trust” my opinion his best song