2014 in Review
On Dec. 18, Billy Joel completed the first year of his Madison Square Garden residency, but the New York native has just scratched the surface of his potential at the arena. With monthly concerts already booked through fall 2015, Joel is set to break two notable records at the landmark venue in the coming months. On Jan. 9, he’ll surpass his own MSG mark for “longest run of any artist” when he takes the stage for his 13th consecutive sell-out concert, while his July 1 concert will bring his overall total to 65 shows, which will edge out current record-holder Elton John.
Since it was announced last year, the Billy Joel Madison Square Garden residency has been a huge hit with Big Apple natives and out-of-town fans alike thanks to Joel’s commitment to switching up the setlist each month. You can see in the data below that Joel always performs a handful of greatest hits, like “Piano Man” and “New York State of Mind,” but for diehard fans, he slips in a number of deep cuts. He’s even been known to let audiences vote for songs during concerts, and he’s kept things fresh over the last 12 months with a range of special guests and cover songs.
Reviews of the first Billy Joel Madison Square Garden concert in January and the final 2014 shows have all been glowing. By all accounts, Joel is a one-of-a-kind veteran performer that, in spite of his countless awards and accolades, remains down-to-earth and devoted to the fans that have made him the sixth-best-selling musician in American history.
Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the record-setting residency, secure your Billy Joel tickets from our marketplace today.
Billy Joel Madison Square Garden Residency 2014 By the Numbers
(Data supplied by setlist.fm)
Total Attendees: 234,000
Madison Square Garden has a capacity of 19,500 guests at each show, and all of the venue’s 2014 Billy Joel concerts sold out.
Number of Unique Songs: 54
Songs Performed at All 12 Shows: 9
Allentown, Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song), It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, New York State of Mind, Piano Man, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, She’s Always a Woman, The River of Dreams, You May Be Right
10 Most-Performed Songs:
11x: Don’t Ask Me Why
11x: Only the Good Die Young
11x: Pressure
10x: Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Down on Broadway)
10x: The Entertainer
10x: Uptown Girl
9x: Big Shot
9x: Zanzibar
8x: Everybody Loves You Now
8x: My Life
Songs Performed Only Once: 11
A Matter of Trust, An Innocent Man, Blonde Over Blue, Captain Jack, I’ve Loved These Days, Laura, Scandinavian Skies, She’s Got a Way, She’s Right on Time, Surprises, The Longest Time
Most Popular Show-Starter: “Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Down on Broadway),” played 10 times
Most Popular Album: The Stranger, with tracks played a total of 57 times
Seven Least-Performed Songs:
2x: A Room of Our Own
2x: Goodnight Saigon
2x: Just the Way You Are
2x: The Ballad of Billy the Kid
3x: The Stranger
3x: This Is the Time
3x: We Didn’t Start the Fire
Special Guests: 6
Brian Johnson (March 21), Jimmy Fallon (May 9), Gavin DeGraw (May 9 and July 2), Jon Stevens (Aug. 7), Sting (Nov. 25), and John Mellencamp (Nov. 25)
Unique Cover Songs: 9
“Crumbling Down” (John Mellencamp), “Happy Birthday” (Mildred J. Hill), “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (Judy Garland), “Highway to Hell” (AC/DC), “Sweat” (Inner Circle), “Tears on My Pillow” (Little Anthony and the Imperials), “The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Solomon Linda), “With a Little Help from My Friends” (The Beatles), “You Shook Me All Night Long” (AC/DC)
