Hi!
I dont know many pop/rock pianists but I wondered whos the best. Fe. Billy Joel, Elton John, Freddie Mercury, Stevie Wonder, ...
Could someone compare these and maybe any others?

Thanks

If you're asking who's the "best" from a technical standpoint, it would be pretty hard to make a valid comparison on an internet website.

From a sales perspective, Billy Joel has sold more records/CD's than any other pop/rock piano player in history. However, that doesn't necessarily mean his music is the "best".

As to who made the "best" music is a matter of personal preference and opinion. In my opinion, I would rate those you mentioned as follows:

1. Elton John
2. Billy Joel
3. Stevie Wonder
4. Freddie Mercury

Elton could compose, play and sing subtle, beautiful songs like "Candle in the Wind", as well as really rocking tunes like "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting". He's the easy #1 in my opinion.

Jerry Lee Lewis was a talented and influential pop/rock pianist you neglected to mention. His unique style and showmanship were par excellent. He definitely belongs on any short list of outstanding pop/rock pianists.

I do think Billy Joel might have an edge on most of the rock pop pianists, as he not only plays well and sings, but he writes both lyrics and music. He also does well as a video entertainer.
He is extremely versatile... has written all sorts of genre... including some classical and broadway.

Ray Charles was left out too. He was one of the most influential pianists and sing songwriters in popular music to this date and like Joel has a wide range of styles including country.

But Elton is no slouch; he fortunately has Taupin and others to collaborate with.

Ray Charles is genius and did more for popular music of many types than JLL.

Freddie Mercury is good... but not as good as these others IMO.

So here is jmo my ranking of the popular rock piano entertainers

Ray Charles
Billy Joel (I am tempted to put BJ above RC but I
give the edge to the fellow Ray Charles who blazed the way for the rest)
Elton John
Stevie Wonder
Jerry Lee Lewis

Keith Emerson, Tony Banks, Rick Wright, Rick Wakeman...big fan of 70's prog rock

Judging them as ENTERTAINERS, IMO Jerry Lee Lewis easily beats them all. Nobody I know of brought more energy and excitement to the piano than Jerry Lee, and his ability to "get the joint jumpin' and shakin'" is unequalled.

When he really got going and kicked that piano bench out from under him, he could "rock the house" like no other piano player before or since.

Here is a clip of Jerry Lee's first TV appearance ever, on the Steve Allen show in the 50's. At the end of the song, even the normally reserved Allen comes over and starts jumping around:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RppQRBwbhOs

The original "Mr. Excitement" kicks it into high gear with "Great Balls of Fire":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qa-eKx9Du4

Who says piano playing is "boring"?! Somebody who's never seen Jerry Lee play, that's who!

Jerry Lee Lewis performing "Breathless", and as usual, he left his screaming audience breathless!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXEbLRRxVx0

Jerry Lee performing "I'm on Fire". No doubt he is, as well as his audience! Check out how excited his audience gets:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfLVtyRvTEs

Check out the legends in this classic clip! Jerry Lee, Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield (the Righteous Brothers), and the late great Jackie Wilson. Rest in peace, Bobby and Jackie!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5EN947EOCc

I think JLL pulls Music Lovers heartstrings as much as Ella pulls mine. LOL

Thanks for sharing. BTW I posted "Breathless" by JLL first..... LOL.

JLL isn't my all-time favorite pop/rock artist, but I don't know of any pop/rock piano player who could "get the joint rockin'" like he did.

In the 50's and 60's, he virtually single-handedly kept the acoustic piano from going extinct in the pop/rock world.

He "passed the torch" to Elton John and Billy Joel in the 70's, who proved that the piano was still alive and well in the rock era.

Elton and Billy are both outstanding, but IMO Elton's melodies and vocals have greater feeling and depth than Billy's.

Ray Charles passed the torch to JLL.
Ray be the man.
LOL

To me, that would be subjective. True, Elton's melodies are powerful things, but I can think of some outstanding songs full of emotion written by BJ (and he did both lyrics and song). BJ is a genius at writing pop lyrics.

Powerful... Goodnight Saigon , River of Dreams; Lullabye, Downeaster Alexa, My Baby Grand, Allen Town, Shameless, The Piano Man, Honesty, You're My Home, New York State Of Mind


For example:
Goodnight Saigon is a touching tribute to those who served in the Vietnam war. The intervals in the hooks/fills are there to sound oriental. Yet the tune also sounds classical at parts.

Excerpted Lyrics in Goodnight Saigon...

Remember Charlie, remember Baker
They left their Childhood on every acre
And who was wrong, and who was right
It didn't matter in the thick of the fight

We held the day in the palms of our hands
They held the night and the night
seemed to last as long as,

Six weeks on Paris Island
We held the coast line
They held the highlands

And they were sharp,
As sharp as knives
They heard the hum of the motors
They counted the rotors
And waited for us to arrive...

And we would all go down together...
We said we'd all go down together...

I don't know if the two are a real good comparison, Wolfie. And I'm not saying that to take anything away from the great Ray Charles. But they played completely different genres of music and had distinctly different styles.

Ray Charles was primarily a classic R&B piano player, while JLL was an all-out "rocker". I've never considered Ray's music to be rock.

JLL was a rock pianist, Ray an R&B pianist. Both undisputed legends in their own right.

Elton John proved he could "rock out" with songs like "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting", as well as play incredibly sensitive pieces like "Candle in the Wind".

Most of Billy Joel's music never really appealed to me, though there's no disputing he has been tremendously popular with many people. He's also a fine pop piano player. IMO, Elton's music had greater emotional depth.

Which is precisely why I included the abbreviation "IMO" in my statement that you're referring to. As I'm sure you already know, that means "In My Opinion". And I was referring to Elton's melodies and vocals, not the lyrics in his songs.

And as a lyricist, I'll take Bernie Taupin over Billy Joel in a heartbeat. But to each his own! I'm not criticizing your opinions in any way.

The late Billy Preston is probably a good name to include on a list of rock/pop keyboard greats.

"Preston's career highlights include stints with The Stones, The Family Stone, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Mahalia Jackson, Aretha and of course the last three albums with The Beatles as well as the last ever of their performances on the roof, The Concert for Bangladesh, The Concert for George, tours with Clapton, George, Ringo and a stellar solo career singing and/or playing on monster hits "Out A Space," "Nothing From Nothing" and "Will It Go Round In Circles.""

"More recently, Billy can be heard on the latest albums by Neil Diamond and Red Hot Chili Peppers. He's also featured on the Starbucks soul album "Believe to My Soul" featuring Mavis Staples and Ann Peebles."

I can't believe everyone is overlooking the greatest pop piano player ever - Neil Sedaka! From his biography on his official website:
You should obtain his album Classically Sedaka, where he adds his own lyrics to classical songs like Liebestraume and Fur Elise. The man enjoyed two careers, early rock and roll in the early sixties, and a revival in the early seventies.

Listen to him, live in concert, and decide for yourself. You won't be disappointed, even though Neil recently celebrated his seventieth birthday.

Neil is still writing and singing hit records after fifty years:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVCLdzBYjEs

But... 50's rock and roll came forth from the R&B origins. Blues from the Missipi Delta came first...then Jazz which spread when blacks (northern migration) came up north for jobs ... origins are for R&B from hymns, black spirituals, blues and Jazz (R.C. 's I Got A Woman melody).... then came Rock and Roll.

Ray has had an influence on almost every kind of modern popular music.... witness RC's spirtual and country music contribution's.

I guess I'd have to say that I would tend to give the advantage towards the musician who has influenced all of the various popular music genres out there the most. But I would also say all these musicians we are discussing here in this thread have at least made significant contributions in their specific genre(s).

All have earned their due respect and are great at what they do in music.

Ray Charles Thread---
Videos and Articles here, recently posted

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/37/689.html

That's a pretty subjective statement on your part, Euclid. Please explain exactly what makes him allegedly the "greatest pop piano player ever".

Here is another thread that was posted recently on Billy Joel in the Piano Forum Board... this thread has some great Billy Joel Videos in it including River of dreams, The Piano Man, Goodnight Saigon, and more.

Earlier thread on Billy Joel:
http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/1/16260.html

Neil sedaka; yes he wrote some fun pop songs but he seems less popular amongst the younger crowd.
BJ and EJ attract fans young and old. Calender Girl was one of his hits.

I like both Taupins and Joels lyrics myself.

Billy Joel doing New York State Of Mind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeSWaHdlVow

BTW this tune has been covered by Bennett and Streisand.

Scenes from Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGqgZgdkzoc

Now on this song... his (B. Joel's) style reminds me of some of the things Elton does in his playing. the same kind of feel to it.

Okay, so Neil Sedaka is one of the greats, or at least should be mentioned with the greatest. I mention him strictly on his piano playing abilities, not as an entertainer, or rock and roll pioneer.

I feel certain if you asked Billy Joel or Elton John, they would defer to Neil for his classical background. EJ even did a song with Neil, Bad Blood. Neil has written, many hit pop songs, including two versions of the very popular Breaking Up is Hard To Do.

Also taken from his website:
So, strictly from a piano playing point of view, I personally feel Neil Sedaka is one of the grestest pop piano players ever, with a career spanning six decades.

Good Night Saigon by Billy Joel link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvIE32rdvKU

this is the pretty much the way he did it at the concert I saw... with the chopper sounds, film clips in the background,
and the singers dressed like a band of brothers. At the concert I was at they had some local vietnam vets join the circle of the band of brothers. It was very moving.

You know all of these artists would say they aren't no.1 Rock Pianist... all would feel almost embarrassed if someone gave them an award for being no.1 anything.

They all respect each other's body of work.
They are all professionals in the business of making music. And the cool thing is they put the piano up front and center as the instrument of choice.

Billy Joel's Allentown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4fajzslVxA&NR

Allentown performed live in Long Island Concert
1982
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOkxnk1hxRo&mode=related&search=

Below is a picture of Ray Charles and Billy joel recording "Baby Grand"