Should I Wear Earplugs When Going to Concerts?

When heading to a musical concert, you can feel the adrenaline pumping early into the day. The excitement of what is to come feels natural, as does the likelihood of an amazing night you’ll struggle to forget. However, alongside that excitement often comes a feeling of trepidation. When you are heading out, you might have one question in particular in mind: “Should I wear earplugs when going to a music concert?”

If you are wondering that, then you are at least thinking along the right lines. Now, some people might think it sounds counterproductive – why would you want to drown out the music at a music event? – but there’s method to this for sure.

For one, being around such low volume of sound for a long period of time can have a damaging and detrimental impact on your ears. It’s quite common to leave a gig with your ears feeling damaged and a little under pressure, often leading to hearing loss (temporarily). If you consider that a normal conversation that you would hold would be around 65 decibels in volume, and a musical concert can be anything from 100-120 decibels, it’s easy to see why your ears might be feeling the pressure.

By the same token, though, it only takes two minutes of hearing above 110 decibels for your ears to be at risk of becoming damaged. With that in mind, then, it’s easy to see why you should consider wearing earplugs if you go to a concert: it can insulate you from the excessive noise.

I Love My Ears

Credit must go out to websites such as I Love My Ears, which have been around for a while, raising awareness of the damage that can be done to hearing by prolonged exposure to loud music. This particular website offers sound health advice for those who have concerns about their hearing because of loud music. It is also updated regularly with news around this issue.

Could wearing earplugs at a music concert stop hearing loss?

It could certainly protect you from the worst of the damage, yes. However, you do need to wear a good quality pair of earplugs if you intend on doing this. With the fact that loud music is likely to cause temporary hearing loss, repeated exposure to such large volumes could, over time, lead to permanent hearing loss – or even the development of conditions such as tinnitus.

Naturally, you should be doing all that you can to protect your ears and your body from such a damaging experience. If you are going to be going to a loud musical concert, then it’s important that you prepare accordingly. Whilst going to a quiet acoustic set is unlikely to need such proactive treatment, you would be quite likely to need such assistance if you were to go to a musical concert with consistently loud music.

Therefore, you can easily wear earplugs when you go to a musical gig so long as you pick ones that don’t entirely stifle the sound. You can pick up what are known as high fidelity music earplugs; these will limit the excess nature of the sound, but it won’t hurt the quality of the music. This helps to deliver a flat attenuation to the sound, meaning that you can enjoy the gig just as you would without the earplugs, but without the lasting impact on your ears!

So, while wearing earplugs to a music concert might sound odd, there really are some exceptional benefits to choosing to do so.

Best Earplugs for Concerts

Original DownBeats Earplugs - BLACK

Original DownBeats Earplugs – BLACK

£17.99

These high-fidelity earplugs for concerts are designed to reduce sound moderately and evenly. They are low-profile which means that they can be worn without being noticed. Supplied in an aluminum case that fits easily to keys, belts, or bags. Perfect for at concerts, music festivals & clubbing ...
Original DownBeats Earplugs - BLACK

Original DownBeats Earplugs – BLUE

£17.99
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These Original DownBeats Earplugs are designed to give you the killer concert experience, without killing your ears! They offer high-fidelity ear protection and are perfect for wear at any musical event ...
Original DownBeats Earplugs - BLACK

Original DownBeats Earplugs – PURPLE

£17.99
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The Original DownBeats earplugs filter noise without muffling, making them the perfect high fidelity earplugs for gigs and concerts. They lower sound levels moderately and evenly and are low-profile for subtle, in-ear wear ...
MACK'S Hear Plugs High Fidelity for Live Concerts Festivals Nightclubs Sports

Mack’s Hear Plugs – High Fidelity Earplugs

£14.99
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Unique open-air filter reduces sound levels evenly so music and speech are clear and natural, not muffled Includes 2 comfort tip sizes and 1 set of filters Super-low profile design for inconspicuous wear Soft flanges ensure maximum comfort Great for concerts, jam sessions, nightclubs, loud events, shop work and motorcycles ...
PartyPlugs Transparent Earplugs

Alpine PartyPlug Earplugs

£13.99
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Loud music at concerts, outdoor music festivals, clubs and parties is all part of the fun of a day or night out, but the volume can leave you with ringing, sore ears when the fun comes to an end. Over time, repeated exposure to loud music can actually damage your ...
ER20 Earplugs

Etymotic Research ER20 Musicians Earplugs

£14.99
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Replicates the ear's natural response Sound quality is preserved Speech is clear, not muffled Reduces sound approximately 20 dB at all frequencies Perfect for Musicians Come complete with Carry Case ...
Mack’s Acoustic Foam Corded Earplugs

Mack’s Acoustic Foam Corded Earplugs

£4.99
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Innovative hollow-cut and grooved design provides clearer acoustics and allows for improved communication Safe, comfortable hearing protection Great for concerts, jam sessions, nightclubs, shop work, etc. #1 Doctor Recommended Brand to Prevent Hearing Loss Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) – 20 decibels ...
Howard Leight Corded Earplugs FUSION Small

Fusion Resuable Corded Earplugs – Small

£4.99
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Dual material design combines firm core for easy handling with soft flanges for comfort and fit FlexiFirm stem is easy to grasp, ensuring easy insertion into the ear canal SoftFlange creates comfortable seal in the ear canal for superior comfort and protection Unique detachable nylon cord system adapts to virtually ...
Fusion Earplugs Large

Fusion Resuable Corded Earplugs – Large

£4.99
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Fusion corded earplugs from Howard Leight are ideal for protecting your hearing in noisy workplaces. An optimum level of protection is achieved by softly pushing these earplugs into the ear canal. As these earplugs are corded you need not worry about losing them or dropping them whilst in use. Also, ...

This post has been updated since its original publication in 2019.

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