Billy Joel Cancelled Touring After Fluid Build-up Worsened Hearing, Vision and Balance
Billy Joel cancelled every remaining date on his touring schedule after being diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, saying the condition had been exacerbated by recent concert performances and was causing problems with his hearing, vision and balance.
The singer, born William Martin Joel on 9 May 1949, was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus and advised to refrain from performing during his recovery.
A statement on his official site on 23 May 2025 said recent concerts had made the condition worse. Ticket holders were told refunds would return automatically to the original payment method.
The Diagnosis That Stopped the Shows
Joel's last full concert was on 22 February 2025 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Near the end of the set, during 'It's Still Rock and Roll to Me', Joel lost his balance and fell backwards after twirling and tossing his microphone stand.
He recovered and finished the performance. He treated the moment lightly at the time. In March he postponed dates to recover from surgery, and on 23 May his team cancelled what remained.
The official notice listed 17 shows, from a postponed Milwaukee date with Sting through to 3 July 2026 in Charlotte, with nights alongside Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks, plus Toronto, Edinburgh and Liverpool. 'This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance,' the statement said.
Under his doctor's instructions he began specific physical therapy and was advised to refrain from performing during the recovery period. He apologised to the audience for the disappointment.
What Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Does
Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain's ventricles, enlarging them and disrupting brain function. Despite the name, pressure measurements can remain within a relatively normal range.
It is most common in older adults and can cause problems with walking, thinking, memory and bladder control.
The Cleveland Clinic describes it as a build-up that disrupts brain function, most common in people over 65, affecting about 0.2 per cent of those aged 70 to 80. Common effects include problems with thinking, memory and movement. In Joel's case, the condition was reported to have caused problems with his hearing, vision and balance.
He later told SiriusXM the sensation felt like being on a boat. Doctors, he said, linked very loud rock shows to something like a concussion each night. He first declined a shunt, then agreed after reading that it could help balance and memory.
A Shunt and an Uncertain Return
Joel has said the shunt improved his memory, balance and overall ability to function, although he continues to have some balance problems. He is doing physical therapy and said his doctors do not want him to "stress too much".
On 2 January 2026 he joined tribute band Turnstiles in Wellington, Florida, for We Didn't Start the Fire and Big Shot, walking on with a cane.
It was his first public performance since he revealed his diagnosis. In a SiriusXM call-in on 24 September, he told fans that the label of a brain disorder sounded worse than the reality. "I'm okay. My balance isn't that good. Lost a little bit of my hearing," he said, adding that age and loud volume may explain it.
He has continued physical therapy and has reassured fans that he is doing well, while acknowledging that his balance and hearing have not fully returned to normal.
Joel has not announced a timetable for a full return to touring.