Billy Joel has had to cancel all live performances for the rest of this year and into 2026 after it was revealed he is suffering from a rare brain disorder.
He has been diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) which is caused by excess fluid building up in the brain’s ventricles. This leads to greater pressure, which compresses brain tissue, leading to issues with hearing, vision and balance that are often mistaken for dementia.
This apparently might have been made worse by recent live performances. Indeed during a show in February Joel fell backwards after he threw a microphone to a stage-hand. The following month he postponed a run of dates due to what was then described as an “undisclosed medical condition requiring surgery.”
His people have put out a statement on Instagram, saying: “Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period. He is grateful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.”
The singer himself added: “I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding.”
So is this the end of the road for the 76-year-old singer-songwriter? Not necessarily. NPH is treatable and can be reversed if it’s caught early enough. It’s a comparatively rare condition, affecting just 0.3% of adults between the ages of 70 and 80. But it does require surgery, which involves implanting a device that drains the excess fluid from inside the skull.
Joel’s wife Alexis posted a message on Instagram to fans of the Piano Man. She wrote: “Thank you for the outpouring of love and support. We are so grateful for the wonderful care and swift diagnosis we received. Bill is beloved by so many, and to us, he is a father and husband who is at the center of our world. We are hopeful for his recovery. We look forward to seeing you all in the future.”
Among the cancelled dates are two UK shows next summer at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium and Murrayfield in Edinburgh.
