Jay Weinberg won't go on stage without wearing earplugs or in-ear monitors to protect his hearing. Losing his hearing would end his music career drumming for one of the biggest bands on the planet.
I strongly encourage you to wear earplugs, do it the right way, do it intelligently," he said. "You can still rock out, you can still play the way you want to, and you'll be able to play for the rest of your life. —Weinberg reported to Neoscope
Why it matters
Today, teens and young adults engage in two widespread hazards for noise-induced hearing loss: daily in-ear listening at high volumes and attending concerts without wearing hearing protection. Separately and combined, these two threats put listeners at higher risk of hearing loss.
- World Health Organization warned that over 1 billion teens and young adults risk hearing loss from unsafe listening habits.
- Harmful noise levels at nightclubs, bars, and sporting events compound the risk.
- Hearing loss impedes learning, motivation, and concentration.
- Hearing loss promotes poorer mental health, depression, falling, cognitive impairment, and dementia.
I don't go on stage without wearing earplugs or in-ear monitors where I can hear myself and my bandmates," he continued. "It's incredibly important, and if I had not worn earplugs and in-ear monitors from a young age, I might have done a tremendous amount of damage to my hearing. —Jay Weinberg talking to Neoscope
The big picture
While many people are warming up to earplugs, most don't wear them.
- Not helpful, some hardliners say you're a wimp or spoiling the sound if you do.
- Helpful, hardcore rocker Jay Weinberg advocating for earplugs.
The backstory
Weinberg learned how damaging noise can be after a session when his friends cranked up their guitars.
We had a great day jamming, but then the next morning I had no high-end frequencies in my hearing," he said. "I thought I honestly lost my hearing altogether, and I was really frightened 'cause I didn't know how to deal with that. —Weinberg said in an interview with Neoscope
What to do
- Talk to an audiologist about hearing protection. Learn the options and what's best for you.
- Wear ear protection in loud places (foam ear plugs).
- Distance yourself from the sources of loud noise (speaker systems).
- Keep listening devices at a safe volume (<85 dB).
- Monitor the health of your hearing with annual hearing screenings.
Concerned about your hearing?
Schedule a free, 15-minute hearing screening with an audiologist. Don't guess. Find out.
If you have hearing loss, your audiologist will explain
- How much hearing you've lost
- Whether your hearing needs treatment now or later
- The most effective treatment plan
