52nd Street is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on October 11, 1978, by Columbia Records.

Joel's label was headquartered within the CBS Building on West 52nd Street at the time of the album's release.

[citation needed] 52nd Street was an instant commercial success, becoming Joel's first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200, a spot it held for eight consecutive weeks.

[7] Reviewing 52nd Street for The Village Voice in 1979, Robert Christgau noted Joel's talent for writing catchy songs and likened him to Elton John, albeit with more "smarm.

"[16] Retrospectively, AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised Joel for expanding stylistically on 1977s The Stranger, describing 52nd Street as "more sophisticated and somewhat jazzy.