‘Worth the wait’: Fans overjoyed after Billy Joel releases first new song in 17 years

US singer-songwriter and pianist Billy Joel has released his first new single in 17 years, much to the delight of fans across the globe.

Turn The Lights Back On is the Grammy Award winner’s first original song since 2007’s All My Life, which was followed that same year by Christmas in Fallujah, featuring Cass Dillon. Joel’s 13th and last studio album, Fantasies & Delusions, was released in 2001.

The buzz surrounding the new release reached a fever pitch when Joel himself took to Twitter to announce the release of the single. The post was accompanied by a snippet of the song, leaving fans hungry for more.

We’re turning the lights back on NOW! Billy’s latest single, “Turn the Lights Back On,” is out everywhere now. https://t.co/Wtiyj8rh3B pic.twitter.com/Z8H1om2fMB

— Billy Joel (@billyjoel) February 1, 2024

After an almost two-decade wait, fans were overjoyed as they finally embraced a new musical offering from Joel.

“Thank you for “real music” and sound as amazing as ever! Make the piano talk!” one wrote.

“Visceral and soaring. Love this.”

“Thank you for continuing to create! Your a treasure to music and Long Island!” another commented.

“Worth the wait!”

The excitement was not unfounded, as Joel, known for iconic hits like Piano Man and Uptown Girl, had been teasing the possibility of new material for quite some time. During a concert at Madison Square Garden on December 19, 2023, he tantalisingly hinted, “I have good news and bad news.”

“I’ll give you the bad news first. We don’t have anything new to play for you,” he told the crowd at the time.

“The good news is you don’t have to sit through something you have no idea what it is. Although, we got a little something we’re working on you might hear sometime.”

The highly-anticipated single was co-written by Joel alongside Arthur Bacon, Wayne Hector, and the song’s producer, Freddy Wexler. Wexler, known for his work with artists like Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, and Post Malone, brought his expertise to craft a masterpiece that showcases Joel’s timeless musical prowess.

Accompanying the release is a lyric video as well as a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl.

In addition to this thrilling musical announcement, Joel recently made headlines in June by announcing the conclusion of his record-breaking monthly residency at Madison Square Garden, which began in 2014.

Undeterred by the end of an era, the maestro is set to embark on performances across the United States and in Cardiff, Wales, in the coming months.

-with Reuters.