Billy Joel Announces Tough Career Choice

Billy Joel is drawing the curtain on his Madison Square Garden residency at the close of the year. According to ABC7 New York, Joel will sell his $49 million estate in Nassau County while ending his record-setting residency at the venue after 150 show. Joel opened his residency in 2014 and would perform 90 times consecutively before this decision to end the streak.

“I’m kind of flabbergasted that it lasted as long as it did. My team tells me that we could continue to sell tickets, but ten years, 150 shows – all right already!” Joel said during the press conference confirming the news. “I do remember the first time we played Madison Square Garden, it was the pinnacle of my career. I thought, ‘My God, I’m headlining Madison Square Garden.’ Everybody in the world knows when you play The Garden, it’s not just New York. To our audience, I want to thank them for coming to our shows for this long. It’s hard to end, even at 150 lifetime shows. I just want to thank everyone for the wonderful thing that’s happened here.”

The “Piano Man” singer holds a pair of records at the venue, owning the Most Lifetime Performances By Any Artist at MSG with 136 shows, and Most Consecutive Performances By Any Artist with his 90 shows. “I don’t see how it could ever possibly happen again, it’s the most amazing accomplishment,” MSG CEO James Dolan said at the event.

Joel initially started his residency with the promise that he’d keep doing it “as long as the demand continues.” That promise lasted from 2014 until this year, despite the shows continuing to sell out and the singer’s age continuing to march forward.

“It’s hard to believe we’ve been able to do this for 10 years,” Joel added. “It keeps selling and people keep coming and people keep buying tickets, and I’m now 74. I’ll be 75 next year. It seems like a nice number.”

He also took a moment to address the sale of his Long Island estate and any fears that he was departing from New York for good. “Despite what you’ve read, I’m selling my house in Long Island, but I’m not leaving New York,” Joel joked. “I’m just spending a little more time down in Florida like old Jewish guys do from New York City. We’re just here to hype the next 10 shows.”

Joel is currently holding stadium shows throughout 2023, touring venues alongside Stevie Nicks. New York Daily News notes the pair have performed at stadiums in Southern California, Nashville, and Hollywood, Florida.