Billy Joel announced Friday that he has canceled all upcoming tour dates after being diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a brain disorder that has affected his hearing, vision and balance. The 76-year-old music legend revealed the diagnosis on Instagram, explaining that the condition has been worsened by recent concert performances.
Joel revealed on Instagram that he has Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, "a brain disorder that can affect brain-related abilities, including thinking and concentrating, memory, movement and more," according to the Cleveland Clinic. The condition was exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance, according to the statement.
The announcement marks an abrupt end to what was supposed to be an extensive stadium tour across North America and England. Joel had 17 scheduled performances stretching into July 2026, including highly anticipated shows at Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, and MetLife Stadium in the New York area. All ticketholders will receive full refunds.
"I'm sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding," Joel said. His team emphasized that he is undergoing physical therapy under medical supervision and has been advised to refrain from performing during his recovery period.
Normal pressure hydrocephalus occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain's ventricles, creating pressure that can damage surrounding brain tissue. The brain has chambers called ventricles that normally contain fluid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). It cushions the brain and spinal cord. Sometimes, though, too much fluid can build up in the ventricles.
The disease presents in a classic triad of symptoms, which are memory impairment, urinary frequency, and balance problems/gait deviations. The condition predominantly affects adults over 60 and can be mistaken for Parkinson's disease or dementia due to similar symptoms.
Joel had already been experiencing health challenges this year. In February, he fell on stage during a concert at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut while performing his 1980 hit "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me." Despite the tumble, he continued performing and received thunderous applause from the audience. His team later announced he would be postponing concerts through June due to an unspecified medical condition requiring surgery and physical therapy.
The "Piano Man" had previously wrapped up his decade-long residency at Madison Square Garden in July 2024, a historic run that included 150 performances at the venue. He continued touring afterward, with the canceled summer tour set to include collaborations with legendary musicians Stevie Nicks, Rod Stewart and Sting.
Treatment for normal pressure hydrocephalus typically involves surgical implantation of a shunt system. A shunt is a flexible tube placed into the ventricular system of the brain that diverts the flow of CSF into another region of the body, most often the abdominal cavity, where it can be absorbed. NPH symptoms reportedly improve in 70-90% of patients with CSF shunt.
Symptoms improve in about 50% to 90% of patients who have a CSF shunt surgically implanted. However, the success of treatment depends heavily on early diagnosis and intervention. While early diagnosis often correlates with successful treatment outcomes, even patients with longstanding symptoms may experience improvement with proper treatment.
Joel's diagnosis comes at a time when the veteran performer remains one of the most popular touring acts in the world, despite not releasing a full album of new pop songs since 1993's "River of Dreams." In February 2024, he premiered a new single, "Turn the Lights Back On," at the Grammy Awards, marking a rare return to new material.
The singer's team indicated that while he must prioritize his health now, Joel remains hopeful about returning to performing. "He is grateful for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage," the statement read.
Joel's career spans more than five decades, with hits including "Piano Man," "Uptown Girl," "We Didn't Start the Fire," and "New York State of Mind." He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 and has sold more than 150 million records worldwide.
The cancellation affects concerts scheduled through July 2026, including rescheduled dates that had been moved from earlier this year. Cities affected include Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Washington D.C., Cincinnati, Santa Clara, New Orleans, Detroit, Toronto, Syracuse, Salt Lake City, Edinburgh, Liverpool, and Charlotte.
Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, CBS News, NBC News, Washington Post, Rolling Stone, Variety, Boston Globe, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Yale Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
