What songs will Billy Joel and Sting play in Tampa? Our setlist predictions

Billy Joel has written well over 100 songs. And Sting has two pools of music to pull from — his solo work, and songs from his time with The Police. So what might the two superstars play at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa this Saturday?

The Tampa Bay Times studied the setlist history of both artists to create some predictions.

Expect some fun surprises. Joel’s concert setlists from the last year — pulled primarily from his residency at Madison Square Garden — find the Piano Man switching up his song selections. But he’s not likely to deprive Tampa of his biggest big singles: “My Life”, “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)”, “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and “Uptown Girl.”

Joel, now 74, is partial to covers, putting his own spin on songs by The Rolling Stones, Elton John and Led Zeppelin at his recent concerts. Be sure to study up on his new single, “Turn the Lights Back On,” which he just performed at the Grammys.

We’d also be shocked if he didn’t honor his time in Florida with “Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway),” the last song on the 1976 album “Turnstiles.”

“You know, a lot of people from New York end up coming down to South Florida past a certain age, because it’s just hard to take the cold weather when you get older,” Joel told the Tampa Bay Times during a 2018 phone interview. “I thought about being an older man talking to my grandchildren from my condo in Miami: ‘I remember when the lights went out on Broadway, kids.’ You know, kind of setting the scene like that, Miami in the year 2017.

“I wrote out the title and it said, ‘Miami 2017.’” he continued. “If I’m still doing this, I have to play South Florida in 2017. Which I did. Twice, actually. Three times.”

Sting last performed in Tampa in May 2022. At his Hard Rock Event Center show, the English rocker, now 72, performed half solo project songs, half hits by the Police.

A glimpse at his setlist history from the last year shows much of the same. Expect “Roxanne”, “Message in a Bottle” and “So Lonely” balanced out solo tunes like “Englishman in New York” and “Fragile.”

Stay tuned for our review of the show posted Sunday morning.

All-time top Billy Joel songs performed live

These are the songs that Billy Joel has performed the most since 1971, according to fan-submitted data on setlist.fm.

1. Piano Man

2. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant

3. Only the Good Die Young

4. You May Be Right

5. Allentown

6. It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me

7. My Life

8. Big Shot

9. We Didn’t Start the Fire

10. Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)

All-time top Sting songs performed live

According to fan-submitted data on setlist.fm, tracking Sting’s performances since 1981.

1. Every Breath You Take (by The Police)

2. Roxanne (by The Police)

3. Fragile

4. Englishman in New York

5. Fields of Gold

6. Message in a Bottle (by The Police)

7. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (by The Police)

8. Desert Rose

9. If I Ever Lose My Faith in You

10. King of Pain (by The Police)