Meta-analysis of 67 studies: 42.6% of musicians report tinnitus versus 13.2% in controls
A 2026 meta-analysis in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery covered over 28 thousand professional and amateur musicians; 25.7% of them had hearing loss.
According to adnkronos.com, a meta-analysis published in 2026 in the journal Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery pooled 67 studies with over 28 thousand musicians, both professional and amateur. Of them, 42.6% reported tinnitus, compared with 13.2% in the control population adnkronos.com
adnkronos.comadnkronos.comOpen source ↗. Tinnitus is the perception of whistling, buzzing or hissing without an external sound source.
Tinnitus and hearing loss in the data
Hearing loss was found in 25.7% of the musicians. The authors found no significant differences in the prevalence of tinnitus, hyperacusis and hearing loss between classical and pop-rock musicians. The problem is therefore not limited to rock. The disorder is associated with years spent on stage, in rehearsal rooms and in recording studios, where sound levels are high and exposure is often prolonged.
Cases among performers
Duran Duran drummer Roger Taylor, 66, announced his retirement from the band and from drumming because of tinnitus, which had worsened progressively after a recent diagnosis. "Playing in this band was the joy of my life," he said, adding that he put his health and his doctors' opinion first.
The Italian rapper Caparezza has lived with tinnitus and hearing impairment since 2015. In 2022 he said he could no longer undertake long tours as before, without announcing a farewell to live performance adnkronos.com
adnkronos.comadnkronos.comOpen source ↗. For Piero Pelù, a technical error while changing headphones during a recording session in October 2022 caused an acoustic shock; he fainted, and the tinnitus he already had became worse. Permanent damage to the auditory nerve forced him to postpone his summer 2023 tour.
Lars Ulrich of Metallica began to notice symptoms in 1988, after years of very loud concerts. Eric Clapton has spoken openly about tinnitus and hearing loss. Chris Martin of Coldplay has lived with the disorder for years and began protecting his ears with dedicated devices during performances, as did Noel Gallagher, Neil Young and Ozzy Osbourne.
Phil Collins is a different case: in 2000 he developed sudden deafness in the left ear, attributed to a viral infection, a condition distinct from tinnitus.
