Billy Joel

Although his tabloid-documented battle with alcoholism tarnished his image somewhat, never let it be said that Billy Joel isn’t a man of his word. He promised that 1993’s River of Dreams would be his last pop album and, sure enough, 15 years later, he has no plans to record a follow-up. In 2001 he released his first classical album, Fantasies and Delusions, and last year he unveiled a new ballad he penned for his wife, celebrity chef Katie Lee, but that’s as close as he’s come. In many respects, the dearth of new material has actually made Joel a more coveted touring act. Fans who want just want to hear old favorites know that they’ll get what they pay for. Joel plays an 8 p.m. Bradley Center show tonight.