Billy Joel reveals why he never made a documentary on personal life before

Billy Joel has stayed mum about the story for all these decades; now he’s revealing why.

Joel, who expresses himself through his songs, is now opening up about the defining moments of his life in a new two-part HBO documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes (now streaming).

“I’ve resisted this kind of thing for so long. I’m sick of talking about myself,” Joel told People of his documentary. 

He confessed, "Some of the stupid stuff I did, that’s painful to talk about. [But] they asked me for some thematic guidance. I said, 'Just tell the truth.' "

And so the documentary takes an honest look at the Piano Man hitmaker’s mental health struggles, how he overcame substance abuse, and the journey to joy and peace with his wife, Alexis, and his three daughters.

“There was some stuff I found out about myself. There was some self-revelatory stuff,” the Honesty hitmaker said.

Co-director Susan Lacy shared, “He actually thanked me for connecting the dots of his life, and he said, 'I now understand why I did what I did.' I think it was a revelation to him in some ways as well, this story."

Billy Joel has sold 150 million records throughout his incredibly successful career. His hits Piano Man, Just the Way You Are, and We Didn’t Start the Fire are memorable and have a lasting impact on pop music. 

He has also won 5 Grammys and has stayed in the spotlight through his epic ten-year-long Madison Square Garden residency, which ended in 2024.