Movin’ Out! Billy Joel cries as he announces the END of his decade-long residency at NYC’s Madison Square Garden in 2024: Star has also put his longtime Long Island home on the market for a staggering $49 million
Billy Joel has announced he will be ending his decade-long residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden in July 2024.
The Piano Man appeared emotional on Thursday as he revealed his run of monthly concerts will end after his 150th show at the famed arena.
Joel’s shock announcement comes after the Bronx-born musician put his long-time Long Island home on the market for $49million. It is unclear if he is leaving New York entirely after the long-term residency comes to an end – with the listing agent claiming Joel wants to spend more time at his Florida estate.
The 74-year-old will begin the first of his final 10 shows at MSG on October 20, 2023.
Joel’s regularly sold-out residency started in 2014 and he holds the record for the most consecutive shows at the world’s most famous arena.
He has played a show at the Garden every month since 2014 and has performed 90 consecutive times.
Joel said: ‘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!’
‘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.’
Joel currently holds Madison Square Garden’s only two performance-related records – one for ‘Most Lifetime Performances By Any Artist,’ currently at 136 shows, and one for ‘Most Consecutive Performances By Any Artist,’ currently at 90 shows.
Despite being the longest-running residency at MSG, Joel changes each performance for his audience.
He will play his biggest hits, but also play a variety from his vast catalog of original tunes to remind his fans of songs they might have forgotten.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams added: ‘There’s only one thing that’s more New York than Billy Joel – and that’s a Billy Joel concert at MSG.
‘For more than 50 years, Billy’s music has defined our city and brought us together.
‘On behalf of 8.5 million New Yorkers, congratulations, Billy, on a historic run of sold-out shows at MSG, and thank you for a lifetime of bringing joy to us all.’
The announcement comes after it was revealed that Joel is ‘Movin Out’ of his home in Long Island that he shares with his wife Alexis Roderick.
DailyMail.com reached out to a representative for Joel regarding his decision to sell his home, but did not immediately receive a response.
Joel, 74, is selling the North Shore mansion in the Long Island suburb of Oyster Bay after having paid $22.5million for it in 2002.
He has recently been adding to the parcels of land he owns at what is known as Middlesea, trying to restore the original 1950s version of the estate.
One of the renovations currently happening are for a playroom for children, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The main house also has everything from a spa to a hair salon to a bowling alley and wine cellar.
Williamson said that the renovations and construction are scheduled to be finished by the end of the summer or early fall.
‘Whoever buys will want to do their own selections of how to paint and decorate and perhaps style the kitchen,’ she added, explaining why he’s selling mid-renovation.
Joel’s estate in Florida is located in the town of Lantana. He purchased it for $22million in 2015. He also reportedly own a second Long Island property in Sag Harbor.
