52nd Street

After the breakout success of The Stranger, Billy Joel and producer Phil Ramone aimed to continue the streak by gently expanding Joel's range without losing the pop touch that led to his rise after years of modest achievement. 52nd Street earned two GRAMMY® Awards (for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance—Male). While The Stranger had been packed with pop songwriting moves, 52nd Street is packed with pop production motivations. "Big Shot," "Honesty," and "My Life" frontload the album with the big hits, which helped solidify Joel's reputation as one of the biggest and most melodic songwriters of the '70s. Further tracks balance elements of Broadway with jazz-rock and nightclub jive ("Zanzibar," "Stiletto"), where the performances' perfectionism is as important as the emotional commitment felt in "Rosalinda's Eyes." These were among the best-sounding records of the late '70s, capturing a vibe so perfectly that it's shaded the way many people remember the era.