Upcoming Billy Joel dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Billy Joel and his live career today
Billy Joel is the singer, songwriter and pianist known as the Piano Man, and one of the best-selling solo artists in US history. As a live act he is defined by Madison Square Garden, where he played 150 times between 1978 and July 2024. In May 2025 he canceled every concert on his schedule after a diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus (a buildup of fluid in the brain that can affect hearing, vision and balance). When checked on October 1, 2026, his official tour page listed no new dates, so treat any future announcement as news worth confirming at the source.
Joel was born in the Bronx in 1949 and grew up in Hicksville on Long Island. The Stranger (1977) sold more than 10 million copies and gave him "Just the Way You Are," "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" and "Only the Good Die Young." 52nd Street (1978) became his first No. 1 album and won the Grammy for Album of the Year. He has had 33 Top 40 hits, including three Hot 100 No. 1s: "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," "Tell Her About It" and "We Didn't Start the Fire." He entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2013, and released "Turn the Lights Back On," his first new pop single in years, in February 2024.
What his concerts were like
A Billy Joel show is a hits concert in the best sense. He plays from the piano with a full band, and the set draws on two decades of songs: "Piano Man," "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," "Vienna," and "Uptown Girl" among them, often with a few deep cuts and cover songs mixed in. Guest appearances became a feature of the Madison Square Garden residency. The 100th residency show in March 2024 brought out Jerry Seinfeld and Sting, and the final show on July 25, 2024, featured Axl Rose.
Crowds sing along for most of the night, and the closing run of hits brings an arena to its feet. Long Island and New York crowds in particular treat his shows as hometown events.
A concert record few artists match
- Soviet Union tour (1987): one of the first rock tours by a Western artist in the USSR.
- Face to Face tours with Elton John (from 1994): the two played their own songs, each other's songs and duets; the last run went from March 2009 to March 2010.
- Twelve straight sold-out Garden shows (2006): a record that earned him the first retired number in the arena's history for a non-athlete.
- Madison Square Garden residency (January 27, 2014, to July 25, 2024): one show a month, 104 residency concerts in all, closing out his 150th lifetime show at the Garden.
- Stadium shows: he played the first concert at Atlanta's SunTrust Park in 2017, the first-ever concert at Baltimore's Camden Yards in 2019, and joint stadium dates with Stevie Nicks starting in 2023. He is the only performer to have played Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, Giants Stadium, Madison Square Garden and Nassau Coliseum.
- Billy Joel in Concert tour: the touring run that accompanied the residency ended early on February 22, 2025, in Uncasville, Connecticut.
In September 2026, Joel said on SiriusXM that shunt surgery had improved his memory and balance, and that doctors had told him performing had been giving him "something like a concussion every time I did a show." He has not announced a return to touring.
Where to sit for a piano-led arena or stadium show
If Joel or a show built around his music returns to a stage, the seating logic for a piano-centered performance is different from a rock show with a runway.
- Arena, lower bowl on the sides: the 100-level sections angled toward the stage are the sweet spot. You sit above the floor crowd and close enough to see his hands at the keys on screen and in person.
- Arena floor: close, but every row is on the same level. Unless you are in the first several rows, the people in front of you block much of the view of a seated pianist.
- Stadiums: the field seats closest to the stage feel like an arena show; the lower-level sideline sections near the stage are the next best choice. Upper-deck end seats opposite the stage are far away, so plan to watch the screens.
- Behind or beside the stage: avoid anything marked limited or side view unless the listing explains it, because the piano faces the main crowd.
Buying Billy Joel tickets
For years, Joel's Garden shows sold out month after month, and his stadium dates were among the biggest single-night events in their cities. That track record means any new date would likely see heavy demand in the initial sale, especially in the New York area, Philadelphia, where a banner honors his 48 sold-out shows at the arena now called Xfinity Mobile Arena, and on Long Island.
Be careful with listings that are not clearly for a confirmed event. Check that the date and venue match an announcement on his official tour page, and read the event name closely to separate a Billy Joel concert from a tribute act or other performer. Every GoodSeats order includes guaranteed entry. The live event list on this page shows what is on sale at any given time.
Frequently asked questions
Is Billy Joel touring?
Not as of October 1, 2026. He canceled all scheduled concerts in May 2025 after a normal pressure hydrocephalus diagnosis, and his official tour page listed no new dates. Check his site for any announcement.
How many times has Billy Joel played Madison Square Garden?
150 times, from his first show there in 1978 to the final residency concert on July 25, 2024.
When did the Billy Joel Madison Square Garden residency end?
On July 25, 2024, after 104 monthly residency shows that began on January 27, 2014. Axl Rose was the guest that night.
What are the best seats for a Billy Joel concert?
Lower-level side sections angled toward the stage give a raised, close view of the piano. Deep floor rows and side-view seats see less.
Did Billy Joel tour with Elton John?
Yes. Their Face to Face tours began in 1994, and the last run went from March 2009 to March 2010.