Music icon Billy Joel announced that his medical team has barred him from performing and driving while he continues to manage a neurological condition, leaving his touring future uncertain.
The 77-year-old singer-songwriter shared the health update in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published Thursday, explaining that he faces additional medical evaluations before doctors can determine whether he can return to the concert stage.
“What the neurologist told me, every time you do a show, it’s like you’re getting a concussion,” Joel said, according to the outlet. He explained that physicians expressed serious concern regarding the physical strain of live arena shows. “Rock ‘n’ roll is loud, man,” Joel said. “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.”
Coping with a brain condition
Joel went public in May 2025 with his diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus, often called NPH. The disorder involves an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid within the brain’s ventricles, putting pressure on brain tissue, according to medical organizations including the Cleveland Clinic and the Alzheimer’s Association. The illness frequently disrupts physical balance, vision, hearing and short-term memory.
Despite the medical warnings, Joel described his overall health as good and downplayed the severity of the illness. “They call it a brain disorder, but it’s not that serious. It’s just something that affects your balance mostly,” Joel told The Hollywood Reporter, though he confirmed that he is “not allowed to drive” under current medical guidelines.
Joel canceled scheduled concert dates on May 23, 2025, after revealing that recent live appearances had worsened his symptoms. In an Instagram post at the time, Joel stated that doctors advised him to stop performing and engage in targeted physical therapy.
Surgical treatment and motorcycle auction
Joel revealed on his SiriusXM channel that he opted to undergo brain surgery to have a shunt implanted. Although he initially hesitated when doctors suggested drilling into his skull, Joel said he agreed after learning the implant could ease his symptoms and preserve his cognitive health. “I realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory,” Joel told listeners. “You know, I don’t want to lose my marbles.” While the Los Angeles Times noted ambiguity surrounding the timing of his earlier 2025 procedures, Joel confirmed on the radio program that the shunt surgery improved his condition.
The physical limitations from the disorder have also led Joel to part with a major portion of his vehicle collection. More than 70 motorcycles from his personal garage will go up for bidding during a Gooding Christie’s auction scheduled for Nov. 20 and 21 at the Javits Center in New York City, NBC News reported.
Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Joel Foundation, which funds humanitarian relief, women’s health initiatives and music education. Joel, an avid rider for decades, explained that age and mobility challenges prompted the decision, remarking that he did not want to risk serious injury on the road.
Joel expressed hope that upcoming medical testing will ultimately clear him to play for audiences again. For now, physicians have not provided a timeline for when or if he might safely resume live concerts.
