Billy Joel announces “Turn the Lights Back On,” his first new single in 17 years

Billy Joel is set to release his first new song in nearly two decades, a single called “Turn the Lights Back On.” Coming from Piano Man's former label Columbia Records, the song will arrive on all digital platforms on February 1, along with a limited edition 7-inch vinyl and a lyric video in joel youtube channel.

Co-written by Freddy Wexler (who also produced), Arthur Bacon and Wayne Hector (via Billboard), “Turn the Lights Back On” marks Joel's first original material in 17 years. His last single was 2007's “All My Life,” a ballad written as a Valentine's gift for his then-wife, Katie Lee. His last album of pop material was in 1993. river of dreamsand launched the classic collection. Fantasies and delusions in 2001.

News of the six-time Grammy winner's return to the studio comes as a big surprise, as Joel has long expressed that he has no desire to write again. “I'm not excited about going into a recording studio and doing that kind of life again, or taking on another project where there are other people involved, arrangers, orchestrators, directors and producers,” he said. The New Yorker in 2014. “I don't want to deal with it.”

But he recently teased the possibility of adding another Top 40 hit to his score of 33, saying on the Dec. 19 edition of his Madison Square Garden residency: “We don't have anything new to play for you. The good news is that you don't have to sit through something you have no idea what it is. Although we have something we've been working on, you might hear about it at some point.”

Get tickets to Billy Joel here

Now is an interesting time for a new song from Joel, as his 10-year residency at MSG is scheduled to conclude with his 150th show on July 25. He has other tour dates scheduled throughout the year, including shows with Stevie Nicks and Sting; get tickets to all upcoming Billy Joel concerts here for a chance to hear “Turn the Lights Back On” live.

For more information on Joel, please revisit our season of The Opus podcast that delves into the legacy of his classic album The stranger. Listen to episode 1 below and find all episodes. wherever you get your podcasts.