EXCLUSIVE: Inside Billy Joel's Brain Disorder Battle – 'Uptown Girl' Singer Blames Past Drinking Binges On Alarming Diagnosis That Can 'Lead To Death'
Billy Joel blames past drinking binges on a brain disorder diagnosis that he warns can lead to death.
Aug. 12 2025, Published 7:30 a.m. ET
Piano man Billy Joel said the brain disorder he's battling "sounds a lot worse than what I'm feeling."
RadarOnline.com can reveal, in May, Joel was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus – NPH – a buildup of spinal fluid inside the brain, a condition that can affect hearing, vision and balance, according to MedlinePlus.
Billy's Biggest Challenge
On Bill Maher's podcast, Billy Joel admitted: 'My balance sucks. It's like being on a boat.'
"I feel fine," the 76-year-old hitmaker said on Bill Maher's Club Random podcast, though he added balance has been his biggest challenge so far. "My balance sucks. It's like being on a boat," he explained.
Although he said doctors don't know what caused his condition, the Uptown Girl singer speculated: "I thought it must be from drinking."
Although he is now sober, Joel admitted: "I used to [drink] like a fish."
The condition forced the six-time Grammy winner to cancel his upcoming concert tour in May.
According to a statement posted on Instagram at the time, his medical issues were connected to recent onstage mishaps, including a nasty fall during a February concert.
The rocker was spinning a microphone stand before hurling it across the stage – only to suddenly crumble to the ground.
Billy's Health Condition
Weber and Joel tied the knot in 1973.
"Joel is currently undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period," the statement added.
Treatment for NPH may also require surgery to place a tube to drain the excess fluid out of the brain. People with milder symptoms have the best outcome, according to MedlinePlus.
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MedlinePlus warned Joel's normal pressure hydrocephalus, if untreated, can worsen and even lead to death.
Without treatment, health issues often get worse and can lead to death.
"What I have is something very few people know about, including me, no matter how much you try to research it. I'm doing my best to work with it and to recover from it," Joel told People. "I know a lot of people are worried about me and my health, but I'm okay.
