Billy Joel has always been known for putting on a good show. I remember he got a rave for a show at The Bushnell when he was starting.
I camped out for tickets when he did his story tellers solo show at jorgensen
It was incredible.
Turnstiles, the stranger and 52nd street are all great records through and through. Im a musician, songwriter and self admitted music snob and that dude is just blessed with the ability to effortlessly write unique and timeless melodies.
The song "the stranger" for example:
The whistle intro, the verse, the main riff, and the bridge are all so beautiful and unique and they capture that lonely feeling of alienation and posturing, perfectly.
Plus, I'd argue that new york state of mind conjures new york more than Alicia keys, taylor and even frank ever could. It's beach boys-esque in it's ability to transport you to a certain place.