50% of UK concert-goers are at risk for hearing loss, according to new stury

According to a new research study, about 50% of UK concert-goers are at risk for hearing loss and tinnitus, a symptom of auditory damage that leads to constant ringing in the ears.

In a study conducted by Ticketswap, which comes in collaboration with the UK Hearing Conservation Association and Kultlab for their #DontMissABeat campaign, they found that 50% of all UK concert-goers are at risk for hearing loss within any capacity. Additionally, the study found that less than half of its participants even know what “tinnitus” is.

The study was conducted in February 2023 and polled that 50% of gig attendees hear a constant ringing in their ears and only one in ten actually wear earplugs.

“As sound levels at gigs and festivals can reach over 100dB, even short gigs have the potential to cause irreversible harm such as deafness, tinnitus, oversensitivity to noise added to increased risks for early onset dementia and cognitive impairment,” said Clare Forshaw, Founder, and Director at the UK Hearing Convention Association.

In addition to the study, it’s worth mentioning that since the 80s, the music industry has been involved in a “loudness war”, pushing musicians and producers to new loudness thresholds through dynamic range compression in post-production that just keeps getting louder as the years go on, and that’s just within recorded music.  Knowing this, concerts have gotten louder, headphones have gotten louder and even car stereos have gotten louder in order to compete and withstand the ever-changing range.

Hearing loss is preventable through the use of earplugs at live shows and keeping leisurely listening at a comfortable level.

To read the full study, click here.

Image Credit: Anthony Mooney for Creamfields / Provided by Press