“Why Billy Joel Felt Uneasy About Comparisons to Elton John and Regretted Collaborating with His Band”

“It took some time before people stopped comparing me to Elton John,” Joel remarked in the documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes.

Billy Joel hasn’t always been comfortable with comparisons to fellow piano legend Elton John.

In the 2025 documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival on June 4, the iconic “Piano Man” reflects on his complicated feelings about the “Rocket Man” singer. Joel, now 76, shared that he disliked being likened to John and was especially resistant to working with his band.

Following the release of his 1974 album Streetlife Serenade, Joel was in search of new management. His then-wife and business manager, Elizabeth Weber, reached out to Columbia Records for recommendations. One of the names that came up was Caribou Management, led by James Guercio—who had previously worked with acts like Chicago and the Beach Boys.

Guercio suggested that Joel team up with Elton John’s band in the studio, a proposal Joel immediately rejected. “Why would I want to collaborate with the other famous piano guy’s band?” he said in the documentary. “The lack of originality in that idea was astounding, especially when I was already battling constant comparisons to Elton.”

Joel explained that their playing styles were fundamentally different—describing Elton’s approach as very rhythm-driven, while his own technique focused more on melodic intricacies and nuanced movement.

In archived footage, Joel noted, “It took some time for people to stop making the Elton John comparison. I think it’s mostly faded now — or at least I hope it has.”

Despite his doubts, Joel gave the collaboration a try. However, he quickly realized the pairing didn’t suit him. “They were talented players, but it ended up sounding too much like Elton. I didn’t want to imitate him—I wanted to be myself,” Joel said. He ultimately left the sessions, opting instead to work with musicians who shared his New York roots and sensibilities.

Joel went on to record Turnstiles in 1976, producing the album himself and assembling his own band of New York-based players.

Ironically, nearly two decades later, Joel and Elton John would join forces on several co-headlining tours under the Face to Face banner, running from 1994 to 2010.