Billy Joel has shared a health update after undergoing brain surgery, discussing whether he will be able to return to live performances in the future, in comments shared via The Hollywood Reporter.
Joel was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus and had surgery to address the condition. He explained how the disorder affects him and what doctors have told him about performing.
“It used to be called water on the brain, so it affects your balance, it affects your memory, it affects your vision, your hearing,” Joel said. “But I’m OK. They call it a brain disorder, but it’s not that serious. It’s just something that affects your balance mostly.”
He described the current restrictions placed on his activities. “I have to take a series of tests before I know. I can’t drive right now. I’m not allowed to drive. And I can’t do performances because what the neurologist told me, every time you do a show, it’s like you’re getting a concussion.”
Joel went on to explain the specific challenges of performing rock and roll with his condition. “The volume. Rock ‘n’ roll is loud, man. Rock ‘n’ roll made me deaf already. So it’s the lighting, the sound, the stress of the show, the audience, the energy of the performance. There’s a lot going on when you’re onstage. And they said, ‘Well, you really shouldn’t be doing that right now.’ So they have to test me further to see if I can go back and do performing again, which I would like to be able to do.”
The update comes as Joel continues his recovery from surgery and medical testing.
Joel’s condition stems from an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain’s ventricles. This fluid normally cushions the brain and spinal cord, but when it accumulates, it causes problems with balance, coordination, gait and other functions. The condition is most common in older adults, and surgery to install a shunt that drains the excess fluid is the standard treatment. Joel underwent this surgery to place a shunt in his brain, which he said improved his symptoms.
Joel’s last concert was on February 22 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. About one month after that performance, he announced he was taking a four-month break from touring due to a medical condition that required surgery and physical therapy. He publicly revealed his diagnosis with normal pressure hydrocephalus in May 2025 and canceled the shows he had been scheduled to perform.
Joel’s decision to step back from performing comes after a decade of monthly residency shows at Madison Square Garden. He began this record-breaking residency in January 2014 and performed 104 shows over ten years before closing out the residency on July 25, 2024. The recent diagnosis and medical treatment now prevent him from taking the stage until doctors determine through further testing whether his condition allows him to return to live performance.
