Tinnitus and Music: Pain, Peace and Possibility

Music is all around us.

One week ago as I write this, I left a gig in London early because it was too loud. But last night I fell asleep to gentle piano music. I belt along to the radio when I drive down the M1 (I find the monotony of the motorways produces the best in-car karaoke) and my headphones help block out the noise as I do the hoovering. The bugler at Remembrance services is a strong reminder of the emotional power of music – and yesterday I heard my first Christmas song of the year. I can’t begin to count how many times I’ve listened to music this week, deliberately or otherwise, and my reactions have been just as varied as the music I’ve heard.

Music can cause tinnitus. Music can calm tinnitus. We need to protect ourselves from it, but also remember that it can be a powerful tool in our journeys towards finding peace.

If you’re interested to read more, you can find a full list of the sources referenced in this article at the bottom of the page. 

As we build up towards Tinnitus Week 2026, which this year is focuses on music, musicians and music lovers, we delved down the research rabbit hole to shed some light on this wonderful and nuanced topic.

Did music give me tinnitus?

For many, the link between tinnitus and music is obvious: listen to loud music, get tinnitus. One of the highest-risk groups for tinnitus are musicians because of their increased noise exposure.[1]

But you don’t have to be a musician to be affected. A 2017 study showed a strong link between loud music exposure and tinnitus. It didn’t matter if you heard it live, over speakers or in your headphones.[2] An article from 2021 shows clear links between tinnitus and loud music at concerts, nightclubs or in our own homes.[3] In fact, data published in 2025 found that 56% of clubbers experienced tinnitus after going to a club.[4]

It’s not just music. Any loud noise, heard for long enough, can cause damage to your hearing system and potentially cause tinnitus. In 2023, a report by Tinnitus UK showed 35% of people put their tinnitus down to loud noise exposure.[5]

The message has been clear for a long time: any loud noise can cause tinnitus. But we love music, we love the feeling it gives us, and many of us are willing to risk tinnitus to chase that sensation, even if we know it’s dangerous.

If you want to learn more about safe listening levels, Tinnitus UK has guidance available here. Especially when it comes to music, the safe limits might surprise you – did you know that if music is loud enough, it could cause permanent damage straight away?

Flipside: Can music help my tinnitus?

Tinnitus, especially when combined with hyperacusis, can cause us to avoid sound.[6] However, the same research also recommends that gradual noise exposure could be a valuable way to help recovery. In fact, the latest research happening in Newcastle even suggests that tinnitus itself could play a useful role preventing sound sensitivity for those with hearing loss.[7]

When we think about how music could be used to manage and even treat tinnitus, there are three commonly used terms:

1. Masking

Essentially the practice of “hiding” the sound of tinnitus behind even louder sounds, the use of music dates back over 120 years.[8] However, simply turning up the volume can not only damage your hearing (see above!) but could also prevent your brain from adjusting to your tinnitus – meaning you could end up needing 24/7 masking at higher and higher volumes.[9] This is why we tend not to use the term “masking” any more.

2. Sound therapy

Noises played at a lower level – designed to distract the brain from tinnitus rather than block it out – are called sound therapy.[10] Anecdotally, sound therapy works for many people. It also has a very low barrier to entry: if you have a desk fan or can play music from your phone, you can begin to experiment with sound therapy. If you wear hearing aids, they probably have built-in sound therapy options.

3. Sound enrichment

The idea here is that you use noise to stimulate parts of the brain that are under-used because of hearing loss. Doing so could help “fill the gap”, reducing the impact of tinnitus over time.

For all sound therapy, the choice of sound is really up to you. Some people choose abstract sounds like white, brown or pink noise. Others prefer natural sounds like birds, running water or falling rain – and some people love to listen to music to help their tinnitus.

When it comes to research, full scientific trials have been rare, and often combine sound therapy with another treatment (mindfulness, CBT, relaxation) which means the conclusions are unclear when using sound therapy alone.[11]

The future

This is why more research in this area is so important, and there is more on the horizon.

Veterans’ charity Combat Stress are conducting research into sound therapy as a standalone management option.[12] Much-anticipated research from Newcastle, which hit national headlines earlier in the year, is using music to influence brain activity and potentially “switch off” tinnitus.[13]

You’ve done your part too – this year over 1,300 people took part in our survey Amplifying Awareness: Live Music and Tinnitus. The results will be published during Tinnitus Week 2026, and we hope you’ll join us in campaigning for real change.

But what about you? How does music affect your tinnitus, and how does tinnitus affect your love of music?

If you have a story to share, please reach out to the team on [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!