The Stranger

The Stranger (1977) is Billy Joel's fifth studio album, produced by Phil Ramone, that helped define his piano-led pop rock identity by blending soft rock balladry, pop hooks and occasional funk-tinged rhythms. It pairs intimate songs such as "Just the Way You Are" and "She's Always a Woman" with livelier tracks like "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" and "Only the Good Die Young," and includes the contemplative "Vienna" and the title track. The arrangements emphasize melodic piano, warm horns and clear studio production, giving the record a cohesive sound that broadened Joel's stylistic range in the late 1970s.