92% of people have experienced temporary tinnitus after attending a live music event, according to a new report from the charity Tinnitus UK, with just over a third (35 per cent) admitting they never use hearing protection at such gatherings.
Published on Monday to coincide with this year’s Tinnitus Week, the Amplifying Awareness report also found that of the survey respondents who reported temporary tinnitus – a condition defined as perceiving sounds such as ringing and buzzing with no external source – 40 per cent indicated that these symptoms later persisted.
The findings, which follow “extensive surveying” by Tinnitus UK over the summer of 2025, also concern the live music workforce and venues – with 93 per cent of employees experiencing hearing problems as a direct result of working or performing at live music events, and only 18 per cent of venues stating they had implemented “meaningful measures” to reduce the risk of hearing damage at their events.
In its executive summary, Tinnitus UK write: “For many, the ringing in the ears after a gig is brushed off as part of the experience. Yet, this ringing is very likely to be the result of damage and could be an early warning sign of long-term harm such as tinnitus and/or hearing loss.
“Tinnitus can be something people learn to live with, but for others tinnitus and hearing loss can have a profound impact on wellbeing, mental health, relationships, and careers, particularly for the very people who dedicate their lives to music: performers, sound engineers, and venue staff.”
More than half (53 per cent) of live music professionals said they had sought advice or treatment for work-related hearing issues, with Tinnitus UK claiming the majority approached the NHS for support.
According to a 2017 estimate, tinnitus costs the NHS around £750 million a year in GP appointments, hearing services and therapy. An updated forecast said the annual figure is expected to increase to around £850 million by the end of 2025.
While half of venues (52 per cent) said they offer earplugs at live music events and 47 per cent said they display signage, close to two thirds of fans (62 per cent) said they had never seen earplug handed out or hearing health information displayed, and a similar proportion of music professionals (61 per cent) said they had never been offered hearing protection by a venue or organiser.
When asked what the biggest barrier was to introducing or improving hearing protection in their spaces, 60 per cent of venues and promoters cited budget constraints, prompting Tinnitus UK to warn of continued “uneven” hearing conservation without “targeted funding, coordinated support, and national leadership”.
The charity makes nine recommendations in the report, including national guidelines for safe listening at live events, mandatory hearing health training for employees working in live music, greater access to affordable and high-quality earplugs, mandatory licensing requirements for hearing health, and a national safe listening campaign.
Tinnitus UK concludes: “The live music sector is ready for change. Audiences want protection, workers want training, and venues want clarity and practical tools. The recommendations translate these findings into a roadmap for action.
“With coordinated leadership, collaborative partnerships and a unified national approach, the UK can take meaningful steps towards protecting the hearing of everyone who creates, delivers and enjoys live music.”
The report’s publication comes on the same day that the Royal National Institute for Deaf people (RNID) published data which found a third of sufferers surveyed said the condition has left them worried about the future, with two thirds saying the condition impacts their stress levels.
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