American album certifications – Billy Joel – Greatest Hits". Recording Industry Association of America. Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II is the first greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel. The album has been certified double diamond by the RIAA, selling over 11.5 million copies (23 million units) as sixth most certified album of all time in the US. [3] On the original 1985 releases, five songs are shorter than their original versions: "Just the Way You Are" is only 3:34 long (1½ minute shorter), verse 2 is totally omitted (from "Don't go trying some new fashion" to "I want you just the way you are") and the sax solo at the end fades early; "My Life" is 3:50 long (nearly 1 minute shorter), the intro is slightly shorter with piano notes at 0:25 omitted (before the first words), same notes are omitted between verses 1 and 2, then again after "You wake up with yourself", piano passage also missing after "But not on my time" and the piano notes omitted several times at the end; "Big Shot" is 3:43 long (the ending with the "big shot… wow" is shortened by ½ minute approx.); "Pressure" is only 3:13 long (1½ min shorter) with more than a verse omitted (from "I'll tell you what it means" to "I read it too, what does it mean?"); "Tell Her About It" is 3:33 long (the end fades approx. 20 seconds sooner, leaving some wording out). [8]

Matrix / Runout (C runout etched, except "STERLING" stamped, variant 3): AL 40123 1D G1 A2 STERLING Swedishcharts.com – Billy Joel – Greatest Hits Vol. I & Vol. II". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 3, 2022. Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Joel – Greatest Hits Vol. I & Vol. II" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 3, 2022. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrateded.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p.156. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.Matrix / Runout (A runout etched, except "STERLING" stamped, variant 3): AL 40122 1C G1 D7 STERLING Greatest Hits Volume 2 (South Korean Edition). Billy Joel. Columbia Records. 1985. {{ cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( link)

Contrary to some sources, the sax solo on " New York State of Mind" was never re-recorded by Phil Woods for the release of Greatest Hits. The only time that Phil Woods performed on a Billy Joel recording was the song "Just the Way You Are" in 1977. Matrix / Runout (B runout etched, except "STERLING" stamped, variant 3): BL 40122 1D G1 A10 STERLINGBilly Joel: Greatest Hits Vol. I & Vol. II" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved February 3, 2022. Norwegiancharts.com – Billy Joel – Greatest Hits Vol. I & Vol. II". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 3, 2022. Top Selling Albums of 1985 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved February 3, 2022. Matrix / Runout (A runout etched, except "STERLING" stamped, variant 1): AL 40122 1E G1 A7 STERLING Commercially, the collection paled in comparison to the first two greatest hits volumes, only achieving platinum status.