Billy Joel’s publicist has confirmed that the singer is still alive, following a Google glitch that claimed the 77-year-old had passed away on Thursday.
The search engine included an information box on the ‘Piano Man’ legend, which stated his date of death as yesterday (September 17). This sparked a flurry of concern online, with Joel’s publicist confirming to Newsday that he is still among us.
Don’t worry, Billy Joel is alive.
Search results for "Billy Joel" on Thursday included an informational box that read: "Died Sept. 17, 2026."
"Billy’s not dead," the singer’s publicist, Claire Mercuri, said firmly. "I was just emailing with him."
“Billy’s not dead,” Claire Mercuri said. “I was just emailing with him.” Joel is yet to address the error himself on social media.
Joel has been battling health issues recently, which caused him to cancel tour dates last year.
Billy Joel has revealed he underwent brain surgery last year to alleviate normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).
The Piano Man singer shared the update on his health via SiriusXM's The Billy Joel Channel, sharing that his doctor recommended the operation because his NPH "could get worse".
He was told that the procedure meant surgeons would "drill a hole through your skull" and "stick a shunt inside your brain".
The advice came after Joel was diagnosed with NPH in May 2025.
"I noticed that my balance was not good," he noted. "I had this sense of being on a boat, like this rocking motion. I wasn't steady on my feet. I didn't know why that was, and I went to meet with the neurologist, and I was diagnosed with having something called normal pressure hydrocephalus, which they used to call water on the brain."
Initially, the Honesty singer resisted the idea of going under the knife. "I said, 'Nah, I think I'll pass on that,'" he recalled. However, Joel changed his mind about undergoing the procedure once he learned it could alleviate his symptoms.
"I read up on it and I realised it can help improve your balance and can help your memory," Joel continued. "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, and they implanted a shunt in my brain."
The procedure has had positive effects on his health. "It actually improved things," he explained. "My memory got better, my balance got a little better, my ability to function was better.
"I know people have heard, 'Oh, he's got a brain disorder,' and I'm OK," he concluded. "I just want people to know, don't worry about me. I'm not going anywhere. I'm here. I'm still here."
