Billy Joel Original Documentary, ‘And So It Goes,’ Debuts on HBO

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Billy Joel is the subject of a 2025 HBO Original two-part documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, directed by Emmy® winners Susan Lacy (HBO’s Jane Fonda in Five Acts and Spielberg) and Jessica Levin (HBO’s The Janes and Jane Fonda in Five Acts). Part one of the revelatory documentary debuted on HBO on July 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT with part two premiering one week later on July 25 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. It is also available to stream on HBO Max. The running time for each part is nearly two-and-a-half hours. Part one made its premiere at the opening of the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival on June 4 at New York’s Beacon Theatre. Of note, in some of that coverage, was the revelation that Joel had attempted suicide, not once but twice, during the early phase of his career.

The timing of the documentary’s release is all the more poignant given Joel’s announcement on May 23 that he has cancelled all of his concerts due to a brain disorder.

Billy Joel: And So It Goes is described as an expansive portrait of the life and music of the superstar musician, exploring the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting. With unprecedented access to never-before-seen performances, home movies, and personal photographs, along with extensive, in-depth one-on-one interviews, the documentary intimately explores the life and work of Joel, whose music has endured across generations. Among those reflecting on Joel’s career are Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Sting and Garth Brooks. The most pivotal person in his career, Joel’s first wife, Elizabeth Weber, is a constant presence in part one, as featured in archival footage and in an extensive interview made specifically for the film.

Photo via HBO by Art Maillett: Sony Music Archives; used with permission.

In part one, Joel looks back on a childhood as the son of working-class parents on Long Island, the loss he felt at the age of eight when his father left the home, and his entry into the business of music. Acknowledging the mistakes he made along the way, Joel put everything he lived through into his music. As he went from keyboard player in local bands to striking out on his own, he discusses the love affair and first marriage with Weber that became the fuel for his early songwriting hits, such as “Just the Way You Are” and “She’s Always a Woman.” His collaborators and peers illuminate his musical gifts, and Joel delves into the business deal he made that led to the writing of “Piano Man.” After signing with Columbia Records, his career took off—with wife Elizabeth as his strong-willed manager—and years of hits and record-breaking tours followed, as he continued to channel his personal experiences into his music. While he chafed against the critical response to his music, struggled with his relationship to alcohol, and navigated a complicated personal life, a near fatal motorcycle accident impacted his ability to play piano and left his future unclear. How would he rebuild his career and move forward with his life?

“I’ve realized that life doesn’t always have a happy ending,” Joel says at the conclusion of part one.

Watch the official trailer

In Part two: With his eighth studio album, The Nylon Curtain, Joel changed his musical focus by reflecting the grit and aspirations of the Everyman with songs such as “Allentown” and “Goodnight Saigon.” He recounts his complicated reunion with his long absent father and discovers the secret story of how his Jewish grandparents survived Nazi Germany which he distilled into his philosophical ballad “Vienna.” Recovering from years on the road, Joel vacations in St. Barths where he meets his future wife, supermodel Christie Brinkley, who would become the mother of his first child and the inspiration behind the hit “Uptown Girl.” Dedicated to his craft, but uneasy with fame and the spotlight, Joel persevered through romantic and professional setbacks, choosing to reinvent himself time and time again. Later, with the support of his third wife Alexis Roderick Joel and their children, and through his collaboration with Elton John, a return to his classical roots, and his historic residency at Madison Square Garden, he continues to find a safe space in his music.

Joel and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, announced on July 25 the release of a 100-track album, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, a digital-only companion piece that coincides with the release of the two-part documentary that explores his life and music. The album will mirror the tracks from the film and more, featuring iconic hits, alternative versions, and live renditions. The album is available on July 26 here.

The new compilation album features eight never-before-released songs, including “December Theme (December Song)” from the Cold Spring Harbor sessions, “My Life (From The 100th – Live At Madison Square Garden)” and “An Innocent Man (Live In London)”, which will also be available for the first time on YouTube over the next few months.

New audio also includes a brand new mix “Tomorrow Is Today (2025 Mix),” “You’re My Home (Live At Sparks),” an unreleased recording from the Cold Spring Harbor sessions “Everybody Has A Dream (Cold Spring Harbor Sessions),” “Vienna (Nuremberg Masterclass),” and No Man’s Land (The Shelter Island Sessions),” an unreleased early studio session of the song from River of Dreams.

Over the next year, Joel will also release a steady stream of archival rarities unearthed during the documentary’s creation via his YouTube channel. New visuals will include the unreleased first-ever performance of the classic hit “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant (Live At CW Post),” Joel’s first TV appearance “Long, Long Time” (from WSIU The Session, February 10, 1972), the unreleased performances of “Ain’t No Crime (Billy Joel Tonight),” “Stiletto (Live At The Summit),” and “Sometimes A Fantasy (Live At The Summit),” in addition to the video for the 2022 mix “Allentown (Live From Long Island).”

Additionally, the original 1985 release Greatest Hits Volume I and II will return on vinyl on August 22, marking the 40th anniversary of one of the best-selling records of all time. It can be pre-ordered in the U.S. here, in Canada here and in the U.K. here.

The documentary’s title is taken from the Joel song included on his 1989 #1 album, Storm Front. While being interviewed on the red carpet prior to the 2024 Grammy Awards, Joel was asked, “if you could pick one song that was the definitive… song of your entire catalog, what would it be?” His surprising answer was immediate, “And So It Goes.” The flummoxed interviewer, Laverne Cox, had clearly never heard of the song, and had no follow-up question.

In the announcement, Lacy said: “For those who think they know Joel’s story, as well as those who are not as familiar, I believe this two-part film is both a revelation and a surprise. I was drawn to his story as someone who knew little at the outset, and was astounded at how autobiographical his songs are and how complex his story is. We are gratified that Bill trusted us with his story, which we have told as honestly as possible, diving into territory which has not been explored before.”

Tom Hanks is listed as an executive producer along with Gary Goetzman, Todd Milliner, Sean Hayes, and Steve Cohen.

Recent vinyl box sets of Joel’s catalog are available here and here.