Billy Joel has canceled his upcoming tour, including all of his scheduled concerts up to early July 2026, after a recent health diagnosis.
The iconic singer announced Friday he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, which has been exacerbated by recent performances, leading to problems with his hearing, vision and balance.
“I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding,” Joel said in a statement.
Joel, 76, was advised by his doctor to refrain from performing as he undergoes physical therapy, according to the statement.
In the meantime, Joel is looking forward to when he can return to the stage, the statement said.
Fans who had purchased tickets to an upcoming performance will be automatically refunded, according to the statement.
Joel had been scheduled to perform in Milwaukee in April, but that show was postponed. He was set to kick off a series of performances starting in July in Pittsburgh.
The tour was supposed to include eight performances that had been rescheduled to either later this year or next year, ending July 3, 2026.
Most of the performances were supposed to be in the U.S., but Joel was also scheduled to perform in Canada and the U.K.
Legendary musicians Stevie Nicks, Rod Stewart and Sting were expected to join Joel at different points on the tour.
What is normal pressure hydrocephalus?
Normal pressure hydrocephalus, or NPH, is a brain condition that occurs when fluid builds up inside or around the brain, disrupting certain brain-related functions.
Cerebrospinal fluid, which cushions the brain and spinal cord, is the type of fluid that builds up. Typically, your body makes just enough of this fluid each day and absorbs that same amount, according to Johns Hopkins, but sometimes too much fluid can build up, leading to NPH.
“If that increases abnormally, it can build up in these chambers, called ventricles, in the brain,” CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook explained. “And that can cause pressure on normal brain tissue.”
As a result, he said, people with the condition may experience symptoms including “trouble thinking, trouble walking and trouble with urinary incontinence,” though not every patient will have all the same symptoms.
“Usually, it just comes out of the blue. We really don’t know why,” LaPook said.
An MRI brain scan can detect the issue, and medical experts say it is usually treatable. The treatment typically involves a surgical procedure to implant a shunt in order to drain the fluid. LaPook said he recently had a patient who was treated this way, “and now he’s feeling perfectly fine.”
The condition is relatively uncommon, but is more likely to occur in older people.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, NPH affects bout 0.2% of people between the ages 70 and 80, and about 5.9% of those over 80.
“Getting prompt diagnosis and treatment helps improve your chances of a good outcome,” Johns Hopkins notes on its website.
Canceled Billy Joel tour dates
Here is a full list of the canceled concerts:
- April 26, 2025: Milwaukee, American Family Field (originally postponed)
- July 5, 2025: Pittsburgh, Acrisure Stadium
- July 18, 2025: Bronx, New York, Yankee Stadium
- Aug. 8, 2025: East Rutherford, New Jersey, MetLife Stadium
- Aug. 21, 2025: Queens, New York, Citi Field
- Sept. 5, 2025: Washington, D.C., Nationals Park
- Sept. 20, 2025: Cincinnati, Paycor Stadium
- Oct. 4, 2025: Santa Clara, California, Levi’s Stadium
- Oct. 18, 2025: New Orleans, Superdome
- Nov. 1, 2025: Hollywood, Florida, Seminole Hard Rock (rescheduled from Jan. 17, 2025)
- Nov. 15, 2025: Detroit, Ford Field (rescheduled from March 29, 2025)
- March 14, 2026: Toronto, Rogers Center (rescheduled from March 15, 2025)
- April 10, 2026: Syracuse, New York, JMA Wireless Dome (rescheduled from April 11, 2025)
- May 22, 2026: Salt Lake City, Rice-Eccles Stadium (rescheduled from May 23, 2025)
- June 6, 2026: Edinburgh, Scotland, Scottish Gas Murrayfield (rescheduled from June 7, 2025)
- June 20, 2026: Liverpool, England, Anfield (rescheduled from June 21, 2025)
- July 3, 2026: Charlotte, North Carolina, Bank of America Stadium (rescheduled from May 10, 2025)
Alex Sundby is a senior editor at CBSNews.com. In addition to editing content, Alex also covers breaking news, writing about crime and severe weather as well as everything from multistate lottery jackpots to the July Fourth hot dog eating contest.
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