Billy Joel reveals he can’t perform or drive amid brain disorder diagnosis
Billy Joel is sharing a health update after announcing that he had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus last year.
On Thursday, the 77-year-old singer told The Hollywood Reporter that he’s not allowed to drive at the moment.
When asked if he would be performing again, Joel said, “I have to take a series of tests before I know.”
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“I can’t drive right now. I’m not allowed to drive,” he said, before sharing that his doctors have advised him against performing.
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“I have this thing called hydrocephalus. It used to be called water on the brain, so it affects your balance, it affects your memory, it affects your vision, your hearing,” Joel continued. “But I’m OK. They call it a brain disorder, but it’s not that serious. It’s just something that affects your balance mostly.”
“What the neurologist told me, every time you do a show, it’s like you’re getting a concussion,” Joel added.
He said that the combination of extreme sound volume, lighting, stress and energy was the main concern for taking the stage again.
“Rock ‘n’ roll is loud, man. Rock ‘n’ roll made me deaf already,” the Vienna singer said. “There’s a lot going on when you’re onstage. And they said, ‘Well, you really shouldn’t be doing that right now.’ So they have to test me further to see if I can go back and do performing again, which I would like to be able to do.”
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Joel shared that he is auctioning more than 70 motorcycles from his personal collection in Gooding Christie’s auction from Nov. 20-21 at the Javits Center in New York City.
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“I was not a collector,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I was actually a rider. So I figured it was just time to let it go.”
The Piano Man singer said now that he’s in his 70s, he’s realized he can’t ride as much as he used to.
“I don’t want to die like a bug on a windshield. So I thought I’d put a lot of them on auction,” he said of his motorcycles, adding, “And also I have a condition called hydrocephalus, which makes driving a little bit iffy. So I realized it’s time for me to turn it over to somebody else.
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Last month, Joel said that he was doing better after brain surgery, which helped relieve some of the symptoms of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).
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“I just want people to know, don’t worry about me. I’m not going anywhere. I’m here. I’m still here,” he said on SiriusXM’s Billy Joel channel, adding that he’s “OK.”
The Uptown Girl singer said that his neurologist recommended he have a shunt implanted in his brain so that his condition did not continue to get worse.
Joel said he initially didn’t want to have the surgery but he realized it could help him with his balance and memory.
“But then I read up on it and I realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory,” Joel said. “You know, I don’t want to lose my marbles. It’s hard to tell what’s age and what’s a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery.”
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, NPH is the result of excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulating in the brain’s ventricles, leading to cognitive issues, difficulty walking and loss of bladder control. It is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease.
The disorder primarily affects people in their 60s and 70s. Its symptoms resemble those of dementia and can sometimes be reversible.
In May 2025, the We Didn’t Start the Fire singer announced he had been diagnosed with NPH and was undergoing treatment.
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A statement, shared to Joel’s social media accounts, said the condition had been “exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance.”
“Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period,” the statement said. “Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.”
“I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding,” Joel said.
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