(NEW YORK, NY) -- Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (‘MSG Entertainment’) announced that all 150 lifetime performances by legendary musician and MSG franchise Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden are officially sold out. This includes the remaining shows as part of his record-breaking residency, which concludes on July 25, 2024. Since his unprecedented residency began in January 2014, Joel has sold nearly 2 million tickets, redefining the concept of a residency – and making Madison Square Garden history – with the scope and ambition of his music franchise at the iconic venue.
The upcoming final shows in Billy Joel’s MSG residency, which are all sold out, include: November 22 and December 19, 2023; and January 11, February 9, March 28, April 26, May 9, June 8, and July 25, 2024.
Joel’s history with Madison Square Garden began with his first performance at The World’s Most Famous Arena on December 14, 1978. In 2006, with 12 consecutive performances, Joel set the record for “most consecutive performances by any artist.” To commemorate the historic moment, a banner stating “Joel – 12” was raised to The Garden rafters, making him the first entertainer in the venue’s history to accomplish this feat.
In December 2013, Billy Joel was named Madison Square Garden’s first-ever music franchise, joining the ranks of the storied venue’s other original franchises – the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. The record-breaking residency began in January 2014 with Joel playing one show every month at The Garden for, as Joel said at the time, “as long as the demand continues.” In January 2015, Joel broke his own record of the “most consecutive performances by any artist” with the 13th show of the residency and a new banner was raised to The Garden’s rafters. In July 2015, with his 65th lifetime show, Joel broke another record for the “most lifetime performances by any artist,” for which another banner was raised. Both of Joel’s banners continue to hang at The Garden and are replaced each month with each performance.
In July 2018, to commemorate his 100th lifetime performance at the venue, then Governor Andrew M. Cuomo officially proclaimed July 18, 2018 “Billy Joel Day” in the State of New York in honor of Joel’s extraordinary history of leadership and contributions to the music industry and New York State. As part of the celebration, Joel’s piano was put on display outside of Chase Square at the Seventh Avenue entrance to The Garden. The 100th lifetime performance was one for the ages – with Bruce Springsteen joining Joel on stage to celebrate the milestone. A multitude of other incredible surprise guests have joined him on stage throughout the course of the ten-year run including Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon, John Fogerty, Billy Gibbons, Brian Johnson, John Mayer, John Mellencamp, Olivia Rodrigo, Paul Simon, and more. And, throughout the course of his legendary run, more than 1.6 million tickets have been sold to fans from all 50 states and more than 120 countries – further establishing Joel’s status as a global icon.
In addition to his ongoing residency run, Joel has also performed alongside other music greats at two of Madison Square Garden’s most extraordinary benefit concerts – “12-12-12, The Concert For Sandy Relief,” which raised awareness and money for those affected by Hurricane Sandy, and “The Concert for New York City,” which was held to help aid 9/11 victims and heroes.
Billy Joel is one of the world’s most iconic musicians, having received The Kennedy Center Honors, one of the United States' top cultural awards, in December 2013. He is also the recipient of six GRAMMY® Awards, including the prestigious Grammy Legend Award. Joel has been inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has received numerous industry awards including a TONY AWARD for “Movin' Out,” a Broadway musical based on Joel’s music. For his accomplishments as a musician and as a humanitarian, Joel was honored as the 2002 MusiCares Person Of The Year by the MusiCares Foundation and the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences.
In November 2014, Billy Joel received both The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song which honors living musical artists’ lifetime achievement in promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of cultural understanding; entertaining and informing audiences; and inspiring new generations, and the once-in-a-century ASCAP Centennial Award, which is presented to American music icons in recognition of their incomparable accomplishments in their respective music genres and beyond. In 2016, the Library of Congress selected “Piano Man” for preservation in the National Recording Registry for its “cultural, historic, and artistic significance.”
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG Entertainment) is a leader in live entertainment, delivering unforgettable experiences while forging deep connections with diverse and passionate audiences. The Company’s portfolio includes a collection of world-renowned venues – New York’s Madison Square Garden, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and Beacon Theatre; and The Chicago Theatre – that showcase a broad array of sporting events, concerts, family shows, and special events for millions of guests annually. In addition, the Company features the original production, the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes, which has been a holiday tradition for 89 years.
