Singer and pop star Billy Joel's early albums were massive hits. But according to an interview with New York magazine Joel has always been unsatisfied with his music. "I never felt as good as I wanted to be," Joel said. "My bar was Beethoven." Although Joel performed a show at Madison Square Garden in July of 2024, it's been 32 years since he released a new album (as of 2025).

His reluctance to write new songs stems largely from his critics, who have often savaged his music as sappy and shallow. Joel said, "Because I studied music I was suspect to critics. To them you're supposed to be a diamond in the rough and polish yourself." Apparently Joel's inability to overcome his internal and external critics have frozen his creativity.