Which 1977 album made Billy Joel a household name?

The 1977 album The Stranger made Billy Joel a household name. Released on September 29, 1977, it was his fifth studio album and his first collaboration with producer Phil Ramone.

The album arrived at a crucial point in Joel's career. His previous record, Turnstiles, had sold modestly, and Columbia Records was reportedly concerned about his commercial prospects. The Stranger changed that trajectory with songs including “Just the Way You Are,” “Movin' Out (Anthony's Song),” “Only the Good Die Young,” and “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.”

The album was both a critical and commercial breakthrough. It became Joel's best-selling studio album and produced four Top 25 singles in the United States. The Bridge came much later, in 1986, while Streetlife Serenade and Turnstiles were earlier releases. “Piano Man” had already made Joel recognizable, but The Stranger established him as a major mainstream star.