#Billy Joel’s Madison Square Garden Residency to End After 10 Years

Billy Joel has revealed that his Madison Square Garden residency is coming to a close next year after 10 years.

“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!” the Grammy-winning singer said in a statement. “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.”

He also expressed his appreciation for fans in his statement, saying, “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 performed his first show at Madison Square Garden in December 1978. Then in 2006, he set his first record at the venue for “most consecutive performances by any artist” with 12 shows.

In 2013, Joel was named the venue’s first-ever music franchise, and then the following year he began his recording-breaking run. During his residency, he broke several more records, including his own, for “most consecutive performances by any artist” with 13 shows in 2015, and “most lifetime performances by any artist” later that year with his 65th lifetime show. Banners hang in The Garden’s rafters to commemorate the historic moments.

“Billy Joel’s franchise run has made history – not only for Madison Square Garden, but also for the music industry overall,” said James L. Dolan, executive chairman and chief executive officer of MSG Entertainment. “150 sold out lifetime shows is a remarkable achievement, and speaks to Billy’s extraordinary talent, beloved catalog, and dedicated fanbase. Billy always has a home here at MSG even though the residency is coming to an end with his 150 lifetime performance.”

Joel’s final ten shows at Madison Square Garden will run from October 2023 to July 2024.