Billy Joel opens up about brain disorder diagnosis
Billy Joel recently opened up about his health on ‘Bill Maher’s Club Random’ podcast, revealing his diagnosis with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).
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Billy Joel disclosed he underwent brain surgery to alleviate the neurological condition that had sidelined him since last year.
The veteran music man said on SiriusXM’s The Billy Joel Channel that after being diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus in 2025, doctors recommended a shunt implant into his brain.
“I said, ‘Nah, I think I’ll pass on that,’” Joel, 77, says. “I didn’t want to do that, but then I read up on it and realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory … so I agreed to the shunt and I had a surgery and they implanted the shunt in my brain and it actually improved things.”
Joel said his symptoms were like “this rocking motion” akin to being on a boat, and that doctors connected its cause to his job as a musician.
“Playing rock ‘n’ roll music very loud, it was giving me something like a concussion every time I did a show. It was causing damage to my brain nerves and I could be losing more brain cells the more shows I did and I realized that means I shouldn’t be doing this right now,” says Joel, who ended his record-setting Madison Square Garden residency in July 2024 and subsequently canceled his concert dates in 2025 following his diagnosis.
Joel shared that he’s doing physical therapy and trying to keep his stress levels low. He also doesn’t want fans to worry when they hear the term brain disorder.
“I’m OK. I just want people to know, don’t worry about me,” he says. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m still here.”
The Billy Joel Channel, which makes periodic appearances on SiriusXM, is available on channel 93 through Oct. 1.