Billy Joel Reveals Brain Disorder, Cancels Concerts

Singer/Songwriter Billy Joel has canceled all upcoming concerts, including a major tour planned for this year and next, due to a diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), he announced Friday.

A statement on Joel’s social media explained, “Recent performances have worsened this condition, causing issues with hearing, vision, and balance. Per medical advice, Billy is undergoing physical therapy and must avoid performing during recovery.”

The NY Times reports NPH, a rare disorder, results from excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, leading to symptoms like difficulty walking, bladder control issues, and cognitive decline, including memory problems. Early diagnosis allows treatment through surgery to redirect fluid, but late-stage effects may be irreversible.

NPH is one of the few causes of dementia or cognitive decline that can be controlled or reversed with treatment, the association’s website says. Surgical treatment usually involves placement of a shunt. The condition is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.

Joel, 76, expressed regret: “I’m deeply sorry for disappointing our fans and appreciate your support.” His representative offered no further comment.

A music icon since the 1970s, Joel is celebrated for hits like “Piano Man,” “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant,” “She’s Always a Woman,” and “Big Shot,” with 43 songs on the Billboard Hot 100. Last year, he released “Turn the Lights Back On,” his first new pop song in nearly 20 years. Joel also concluded a decade-long Madison Square Garden residency in July, performing over 100 shows, drawing nearly two million attendees, and grossing over $260 million.

Dennis Arfa, Joel’s agent, told The New York Times last year, “Billy has become a stadium artist, with a unique energy in this stage of his career.”

Joel was scheduled to perform in over a dozen stadiums in the upcoming months alongside such lauded peers as Rod Stewart, Sting and Stevie Nicks.

In a mini-tour set to span this summer and next, Joel was set to treat die-hard fans to a medley of his greatest hits from the New Orleans Superdome to Yankee Stadium.

His "condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance," a statement posted to Joel's Instagram said. "Under his doctor's instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period."