After 10 years, nearly 100 concerts, and a staggering 1.6 million tickets sold, Billy Joel will conclude his monthly residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden in July 2024. A final run of 10 shows will begin Oct. 20, tickets for which go on sale to the general public on June 9.
The news was delivered this morning (June 1) at a press conference given by Joel, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and Madison Square Garden CEO James Dolan.
“I’m kind of flabbergasted that it lasted as long as it did,” Joel said. “My team tells me that we could continue to sell tickets, but 10 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.”
“For more than 50 years, Billy’s music has defined our city and brought us together,” said Adams. “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.” Added Dolan, “Billy always has a home here at MSG, even though the residency is coming to an end with his 150th lifetime performance.”
Joel, 74, first performed at MSG on Dec. 14, 1978, when he was touring in support of his breakthrough album The Stranger. He set a record at the venue in 2006 when he played 12 consecutive shows there, an achievement commemorated by a banner now hanging from the MSG rafters.
Since then, Joel has broken numerous other records at the venue, including the most lifetime performances by any artist. His 100th appearance at MSG in July 2018 featured a surprise appearance by Bruce Springsteen, and Joel has also been joined by artists such as John Fogerty, AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, Paul Simon, Miley Cyrus, John Mellencamp, and Olivia Rodrigo throughout the run.
Aside from his MSG appearances and a one-off London show on June 7, Joel is touring U.S. baseball stadiums this year with Stevie Nicks. Their next gig is June 16 in Philadelphia.
