Music legend Billy Joel, 77, forced to undergo brain surgery after constant concussions

Billy Joel is slowly recovering from brain surgery following his diagnosis of a rare condition last year.

The Piano Man singer, 77, revealed he’s “not going anywhere” on SiriusXM’s The Billy Joel Channel.

“I’m okay, don’t worry about me, I’m not going anywhere. I’m here. I’m still here,” he said.

In the segment, he explained how he knew something was off before he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus in 2025.

The condition leads to cerebrospinal fluid building up in the skull and presses on the brain, according to the Hydrocephalus Support Association Australia.

“I noticed that my balance was not good,” Joel explained. “I had this sense of being on a boat, like this rocking motion. I wasn’t steady on my feet.”

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Joel continued to explain he saw a neurologist who recommended he have surgery to correct the issue. The condition can be treated with an implant to drain excess fluid from the skull.

“I said, ‘Well, what does that entail?’” he said. “Well, [they] drill a hole in your brain and [then] stick a shunt in your head. I didn’t want to do that…but then I read up on it, and I realised it can help improve your balance and can help your memory.”

“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 surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain, and it actually improved things.”

The Uptown Girl musician also revealed that his doctors recommended he stopped performing as he would suffer a “concussion,” every time he did a show.

“The doctors told me this, because of my job, which is playing rock and roll music very loud, that it was giving me something like a concussion every time I did a show,” he explained.

“It was causing damage to my brain nerves, and I could be losing more brain cells the more shows I did, I realised that means I shouldn’t be doing this right now. I got to improve.”

The singer revealed he is undergoing physical therapy and listening to his doctor’s advice.

“I’m doing whatever it is they tell me to do because I don’t want to lose it, you know?”

The singer announced his diagnoses in May 2025, after he was forced to cancel shows he had already postponed.

A posted to his Instagram at the time explained that Joel’s condition “has 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.”

“Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritising his health.”

The statement added that Joel “looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.”