Billy Joel's start in the music industry proved difficult, with his first three albums garnering minimal commercial success and his third release barely charting. His career appeared to be stalling until producer Phil Ramone began working with him, though meaningful momentum remained elusive.

Joel's breakthrough came during a fortuitous studio session involving singer Linda Ronstadt. When Joel expressed reluctance to include "Just the Way You Are" on his upcoming album The Stranger because he felt it was overly sentimental, Ronstadt strongly advocated for the song, persuading him that it possessed commercial appeal. The track ultimately reached number three on the charts and became the foundation for an exceptionally successful album that established Joel as a major recording artist with an enduring career.