You’ve probably seen the headlines or maybe noticed the empty seats at stadiums that were supposed to be packed. It’s the question every fan from Long Island to Liverpool is asking: is billy joel sick?
The short answer is yes, but it’s not exactly what you might think. He’s not "dying," as he famously told Howard Stern recently, but he is definitely dealing with something serious enough to pull the plug on a massive world tour.
If you grew up shouting the lyrics to "Piano Man" or trying to hit the high notes in "Uptown Girl," the news that came out in May 2025 felt like a gut punch. It wasn't just a cold or "vocal rest." It was a brain disorder diagnosis.
Honestly, at 76, Billy Joel has been a tank. He finished a decade-long residency at Madison Square Garden like it was nothing. But then, the wheels kinda started to come off.
The Diagnosis: What is Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus?
So, is billy joel sick with something life-threatening? Not necessarily, but it’s definitely life-altering. In May 2025, his team dropped the bombshell that he’d been diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH).
📖 Related: William Jennings Bryan Jr. Explained: What Most People Get Wrong
Basically, NPH is what happens when too much cerebrospinal fluid—the stuff that usually cushions your brain—starts building up in the brain's ventricles. Instead of draining away like it’s supposed to, it just sits there. It creates pressure.
This isn't like a tumor. It’s more like a plumbing issue in your head.
When that fluid builds up, it starts squishing the brain tissue around it. For Billy, this manifested in a way that’s pretty scary for a performer: his balance went haywire, and his vision and hearing started to fail.
He actually fell on stage during a show in Connecticut back in February 2025. At the time, everyone figured he just tripped. He’s Billy Joel; he’s allowed a clumsy moment. But his booking agent, Dennis Arfa, later admitted that was the first real sign that something was "off."
Why it feels like dementia (but isn't)
NPH is often called the "mimic" because its symptoms look almost exactly like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. You get the "wobbly, wacky, and wet" trio:
- Wobbly: You can't walk straight. It’s like your feet are stuck to the floor with magnets.
- Wacky: You get forgetful or "brain foggy."
- Wet: You lose bladder control.
Luckily, unlike Alzheimer’s, NPH is often reversible. If doctors can drain the fluid, the symptoms often just... vanish.
Why the 2025 and 2026 Tours Disappeared
The most heartbreaking part for fans was the massive wave of cancellations. We’re talking about huge stadium shows with Stevie Nicks, Sting, and Rod Stewart. All of them. Gone.
The official word was that performing was actually making the condition worse. Imagine trying to stay upright on a rotating stage or under blinding spotlights when your brain thinks you’re standing on the deck of a ship in a storm.
"My balance sucks," Billy told Bill Maher on the Club Random podcast. "It's like being on a boat."
He’s currently under strict doctor's orders to stay off the stage until at least July 2026. That’s a long time for a guy whose "DNA is music," as Arfa put it. He’s spent the last few months in intense physical therapy, trying to retrain his body and manage the pressure.
A Glimmer of Hope in Florida
If you’re looking for a sign that the Piano Man isn't finished, look at what happened on January 2, 2026, in Wellington, Florida.
Without any warning, Billy walked onto the stage during a local 30th-anniversary concert. He was using a cane, sure, but he looked sharp. He joined a tribute band called Turnstiles and ripped through "We Didn’t Start the Fire" and "Big Shot."
💡 You might also like: Who is Joey Fatone married to now: What most people get wrong
He joked with the crowd, "I wasn't planning on working tonight."
Seeing him at the piano, even for just two songs, was a massive relief. His daughters, Della and Remy, were right there dancing. It didn't look like a man who was giving up. It looked like a man who was practicing for a comeback.
What This Means for the Future
So, where does this leave us? Is he retiring?
His team says no. They’ve been very careful to use words like "recovery period" and "refrain from performing" rather than "retirement."
There’s a two-part HBO Max documentary out now called Billy Joel: And So It Goes. It’s a great watch if you want to see the toll the last few years have taken, but it also shows his stubbornness. He’s had back surgeries, he’s dealt with hip issues, and he’s been open about his past struggles with depression. He’s a survivor.
What you can do as a fan
If you have tickets for the rescheduled 2026 dates in Toronto, Edinburgh, or Syracuse, hang onto them for now—or check your email, because most 2025 dates were flat-out refunded to give him a clean slate for recovery.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Check Refund Status: If you bought tickets for the 2025/early 2026 dates, most were automatically refunded at the point of purchase. Double-check your bank statements.
- Watch the Documentary: And So It Goes on HBO Max gives the most "human" look at his current state.
- Monitor NPH Awareness: If you have an older loved one who is suddenly struggling with balance or "acting like they have dementia," ask a neurologist about NPH. It’s often misdiagnosed, and Billy’s transparency is actually helping people catch it early.
The Piano Man might be sidelined, but he’s still got the music in his head. He’s just waiting for his body to catch up.