Highlights
- Billy Joel's new song "Turn The Lights Back On" marks his return to writing music after a hiatus of seventeen years.
- A surprising friendship with producer/songwriter Freddy Wexler inspired Joel to find joy in songwriting again.
- The success of "Turn The Lights Back On" demonstrates Joel's continued relevance.
On January 22nd, 2024, music icon Billy Joel announced his first new song in seventeen years. Joel infamously prophesized in his 1993 album, "River of Dreams", that he would stop writing music indefinitely. True to his prediction, Joel did not release another original composition until 2007. "All My Life" and "Christmas in Fallujah" were rare treats for fans, and remained Joel's only lyric-based songs released in the 21st century until his surprising 2024 announcement.
"Turn The Lights Back On", which was released on February 1st, 2024, was an unexpected move by the legendary artist. While Joel has remained active through touring, he has intentionally avoided releasing new music. It took a life-changing relationship to make Joel excited about writing music again.
How Did A Surprising Friendship Inspire Billy Joel To Write Music Again?
Billy Joel certainly has nothing left to prove. The singer and songwriter was one of the most beloved acts in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. From "Piano Man" to "Uptown Girl" to "The River of Dreams", Joel released hit after hit during his heyday. Beyond his legendary catalog, Joel remains one of the most in-demand live performers. He has performed over 100 shows at Madison Square Garden in a historic and unprecedented residency, which he has earned a massive fortune from.
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Joel stopped writing music for a surprising reason. He lost the joy in his craft. According to Joel in an interview,
"It was fun. Music is fun. Rock 'n' roll was fun. It was all about having fun — and I kind of lost that and I turned the lights off because it wasn't fun anymore."
Furthermore, Joel eventually found songwriting to be a "painful" experience. He elaborated on the Audacy Check-In podcast, "I have this high bar that I set for myself. If I don't reach that bar, I beat myself up and I punch myself and I hate myself. So I stopped doing [music] because I got tired of feeling like that."
To avoid self-deprecating feelings, Joel stopped writing music. In his 1993 song, "Famous Last Words", Joel hinted at his desire to stop creating new music. Joel wrote and sang, "these are the last words I have to say, that's why it took so long to write, there will be other words some day."
Besides his 2007 tracks, "All My Life" and "Christmas in Fallujah", Joel remained steadfast. He knew he had a whole songbook he could rely on during performances and did not feel the need or desire to release new songs. This shockingly changed after an encounter with a lifelong, devout fan named Freddy Wexler, according to People.
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Wexler, a producer and songwriter known for his work with artists such as Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Selena Gomez, had been a fan of Joel's since he was a child. Knowing how much Joel was an inspiration to Wexler, Wexler's wife took it upon herself to arrange an interaction between the two men. Through a strange doctor connection, Joel agreed to meet Wexler for a brief lunch. What was intended to be a short meeting became a longer exchange, resulting in an unexpected friendship between Joel and Wexler.
Once Joel explored Wexler's work, music became exciting again for the seasoned performer. He found joy in songwriting once more. In collaboration with Wexler and a few other songwriters, Joel began to develop and work on "Turn The Lights Back On." The process took two years to complete, according to Wexler in a Grammy interview.
Joel has been known to dislike his singing voice, despite having massive success with an impressive catalog of songs. In a Grammy interview, he revealed that he actually liked the way he sounded on "Turn The Lights Back On." Not only does the song hint at Joel's departure from music and his surprising return, but it is a song that Joel himself found great pleasure in. Since its release, fans have found joy in it too. Earning critical and commercial acclaim, "Turn The Lights Back On" is the comeback fans have waited years for. Joel performed the song for the first time publicly at the 2024 Grammy Awards.
What Does The Success Of "Turn The Lights Ons" Mean For Billy Joel?
Billy Joel has had a prolific touring career in the 2010s and 2020s, despite not releasing any new material until 2024. Furthermore, his celebrated concerts are always sold out.
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"Turn The Lights On" demonstrated Joel's relevance and star power. The song, more so, showed that fans desire new material from the legendary artist. While Joel's future is unknown, perhaps "Turn The Lights Back On" is the first page in a new chapter of Joel's career. Could Joel release more new songs or even an album in the future? For fans, this is an exciting question to ponder.
Joel is not the only classic artist to share new music in the 2020s. ABBA, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and Bruce Springsteen are among the iconic acts who have released content in the 2020s. The successful return of legendary 20th-century artists demonstrates that there is a longing for nostalgia among fans young and old. Joel's "Turn The Lights Back On" is a welcomed contribution to the resurgence of 20th-century rock 'n' roll.
For Joel, it must be a good feeling to know that his fans are hungry for new material. "Turn The Lights On" proves it was not too late for the icon to return to his craft.
