RNID: For deaf and hard of hearing people.

Don't Lose the Music from RNID logo

Exposure to sounds above 85 decibels over time will damage hearing. Music played at clubs, gigs, in cars, at home and on personal audio equipment can be well above that level. Yet many people do not know the very thing they love could be harming them. We're campaigning to make sure people know how to protect their hearing while enjoying music.

Watch a video (external link, opens new browser window) where regular festival goer Jim talks about the steps he's taken to ensure he doesn’t lose the music he loves.

Find out how to protect yourself

If you regularly listen to loud music in clubs, bars, gigs, festivals or on MP3 players, you need to know how to look after your ears. There are four really easy steps you can take:

  1. Stand away from speakers
  2. Take regular breaks from loud music – use chill out rooms in clubs and take your headphones off from time to time when listening to music on an MP3 player to give your ears a rest
  3. In loud music venues, wear filtered earplugs – you'll get the same quality of music but at safer levels
  4. If you listen to music on MP3 players loudly to drown out external noise, get some noise cancelling headphones, so you don't have to crank the volume up.

We've got loads more advice and information on our Don't Lose The Music website (external link, opens new browser window).

Get involved

There are lots of ways you can get involved with the campaign (external link, opens new browser window).

Find out more

As well as making sure young people get the advice they need, we are campaigning to make sure that the music industry takes action.

From 6 April 2008, the Control of Noise at Work regulations came into force for the music and entertainment industry, meaning every workplace in the UK is now covered by these regulations. If staff are exposed to daily average volumes that could damage their hearing, the employer must take steps to protect them. There is more information about these regulations on our Don't Lose the Music website.

Find out more about our Noise at work campaign.