It makes sense that loud noise can damage hearing. You’ve probably experienced a ringing or buzzing sound in your ears after a night at a concert or sports game. And you’ve most likely heard from friends or family members that they credit their noisy workplace as the cause of their hearing loss.

Musicians spend hours every day surrounded by extremely loud noise and they often face hearing loss. This is especially true of older musicians who didn’t have access to the hearing technology available today.

Musicians and Hearing Loss

Anyone working in the music industry risks their hearing loss on the job. From practice rooms to recording studios to nightly performances in front of fans, musicians and technicians often experience hearing loss. And 40 years ago, many musicians didn’t have access to hearing technology that protected their hearing while still allowing them to hear their music.

Famous musicians are starting to share their stories of hearing loss and they’re encouraging younger musicians to invest in their hearing health.

Chris Martin

Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, is one of the youngest musicians on this list. He’s had tinnitus since the early 2000s. His tinnitus started as a temporary annoyance, but soon became constant and severe. In the past, Coldplay never performed with hearing protection, so his tinnitus slowly got worse. Now he protects his hearing on and off the stage, wearing musicians’ earplugs and in-ear monitors on stage.  

Bob Dylan

Legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has tinnitus. This annoying ringing in the ears is often a warning sign of hearing loss. In fact, the two usually go hand in hand. It’s no wonder that Bob Dylan has some hearing issues, after a wildly successful career in the music industry.

Roger Daltrey

Roger Daltrey, frontman for The Who, recently told fans about his hearing loss. After years of performing with his bandmates, Daltrey says he’s very deaf. Now he wears hearing aids both on and off the stage to help him hear music and conversations.

Neil Young

Neil Young is known and loved around the world and his music continues to inspire musicians and music lovers. What you might not know is that Neil Young also has tinnitus.

Huey Lewis

Just a few years ago in 2018, the News made a surprising announcement: they were canceling their tour due to hearing loss! Lewis told fans that he just couldn’t hear well enough to perform. He says he has a hard time hearing many of the nuances of the music and this makes it almost impossible to sing.

Bono 

Frontman of U2, Bono has hearing loss and tinnitus. The band even sings about hearing loss and tinnitus in the song Staring at the Sun.

Eric Clapton

Another famous musician with hearing loss is Eric Clapton. This musician has been open about his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. He’s also recently told fans that he has tinnitus and hearing loss that makes it harder for him to hear.

Do Musicians with Hearing Loss Stop Performing?

Hearing loss impacts each person differently. Some musicians with tinnitus and hearing loss can’t hear music well enough to perform. And others recount how tinnitus interferes with their ability to hear all the subtleties of the music. 

Some musicians with hearing loss continue to perform despite it all, and wear hearing aids on stage to help them hear. 

How Can Musicians and Fans Protect Their Hearing?

Musicians aren’t the only ones who face hearing loss. Any noise profession can cause hearing loss. This includes construction workers, emergency responders, farmers, and even bartenders. Music fans also risk their hearing health every time they attend a concert.

The good news is that this type of noise-induced hearing loss is preventable! Wearing hearing protection is the best thing you can do for your hearing health. If you’re on a noisy job site, earmuffs can block out dangerously loud sounds and keep your hearing safe.

If you need to hear conversations or music, musician earplugs are the way to go. These digital devices filter out dangerously loud sounds, but let you hear other sounds normally. 

Find out how you can protect your hearing! Visit us today for a hearing test and consultation. Whether you have tinnitus and hearing loss, or need better hearing protection, we’ve got you covered.