The Ultimate Collection (Billy Joel album)

The Ultimate Collection is a double-disc compilation album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel. It was first released by Sony Music Entertainment Japan in December 2000, and subsequently issued in the most of European and Oceanian countries with slightly different track listings (replacing Japanese top-3 charting hit "The Stranger" with live version of "You're My Home").

The Ultimate Collection
Greatest hits album by
ReleasedDecember 20, 2000[1]
Recorded1973–1993
GenreRock, pop
Length153:09
LabelSony/Columbia
Producer
Billy Joel chronology
2000 Years: The Millennium Concert
(2000)
The Ultimate Collection
(2000)
Fantasies & Delusions
(2001)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]

This career-spanning compilation features some of Joel's early notable compositions and hit singles which were disregarded on his Greatest Hits series, although several hits and fan favorites like "Only the Good Die Young", "Captain Jack", "Vienna", "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant", "Pressure" and "Big Shot" were excluded alternatively. It became a smash hit worldwide, entering top-5 on the charts in many countries, including United Kingdom.

The Ultimate Collection was not issued in the United States, though Legacy Recordings released another similar compilation The Essential in October 2001.

Track listing edit

All songs written and composed by Billy Joel

Disc one edit

No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."Just the Way You Are"The Stranger, 19774:50
2."My Life"52nd Street, 19784:43
3."It's Still Rock and Roll to Me"Glass Houses, 19802:57
4."An Innocent Man"An Innocent Man, 19835:18
5."Piano Man"Piano Man, 19735:37
6."You're My Home"Piano Man3:12
7."Everybody Loves You Now" (Live version)Songs in the Attic, 19813:11
8."The Entertainer"Streetlife Serenade, 19743:40
9."Streetlife Serenader"Streetlife Serenade5:16
10."New York State of Mind"Turnstiles, 19766:03
11."Say Goodbye to Hollywood"Turnstiles4:38
12."She's Got a Way" (Live version)Songs in the Attic3:00
13."Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)"The Stranger3:29
14."She's Always a Woman"The Stranger3:20
15."Honesty"52nd Street3:49
16."You May Be Right"Glass Houses4:12
17."Don't Ask Me Why"Glass Houses2:57
18."Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)" (Live version)Songs in the Attic5:09

Disc two edit

No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."Uptown Girl"An Innocent Man3:16
2."Tell Her About It"An Innocent Man3:50
3."The River of Dreams"River of Dreams, 19934:07
4."The Longest Time"An Innocent Man3:37
5."We Didn't Start the Fire"Storm Front, 19894:47
6."Goodnight Saigon"The Nylon Curtain, 19827:02
7."Allentown"The Nylon Curtain3:49
8."All for Leyna"Glass Houses4:12
9."This Is the Time"The Bridge, 19864:59
10."Leave a Tender Moment Alone"An Innocent Man3:53
11."A Matter of Trust"The Bridge4:08
12."Modern Woman"The Bridge3:50
13."Baby Grand" (Duet with Ray Charles)The Bridge4:04
14."I Go to Extremes"Storm Front4:21
15."Leningrad"Storm Front4:03
16."The Downeaster 'Alexa'"Storm Front3:43
17."You're Only Human (Second Wind)"Greatest Hits Volume II, 19854:48
18."All About Soul" (Remix)Greatest Hits Volume III, 19975:58

Charts edit

Certifications edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Sony Music Online Japan International -Billy Joel-". sonymusic.co.jp (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  2. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r526907
  3. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Billy Joel – The Ultimate Collection". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  4. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mount Martha, Melbourne, Victoria: Moonlight Publishing.
  5. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Billy Joel – The Ultimate Collection". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  6. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Billy Joel – The Ultimate Collection" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  7. ^ "InfoDisc : Tout les Titres par Artiste". Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved September 22, 2009.
  8. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Joel – The Ultimate Collection" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  9. ^ "Discography Billy Joel". irish-charts.com. Archived from the original on April 10, 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  10. ^ "(Highest position and charting weeks for reissue of The Ultimate Collection by Billy Joel)". oricon.co.jp. Oricon Style. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  11. ^ "Charts.nz – Billy Joel – The Ultimate Collection". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  12. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Billy Joel – The Ultimate Collection". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  13. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Billy Joel – The Ultimate Collection". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  14. ^ "Billy Joel | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  15. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2001". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  16. ^ "Best of Albums 2001". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  17. ^ "The Top 50 Albums of 2001". Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  18. ^ "Årslista Album – År 2001" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  19. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2001". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  20. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2006 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  21. ^ "Japanese album certifications – Billy Joel – The Ultimate Collection" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 24 December 2020. Select 2007年5月 on the drop-down menu
  22. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Billy Joel – The Ultimate Collection". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  23. ^ "Norwegian album certifications" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  24. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2001" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  25. ^ "British album certifications – Billy Joel – The Ultimate Collection". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 24 December 2020. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type The Ultimate Collection in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  26. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2013 DVDs" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  27. ^ Scapolo, Dean (2007). The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966–2006. Maurienne House. ISBN 978-1-877443-00-8.
  28. ^ "British video certifications – Billy Joel – The Ultimate Collection". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 24 December 2020. Select videos in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type The Ultimate Collection in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.