Tinnitus UK has said that 92 per cent of people experience tinnitus after live music events, and has called for earplugs to be as routine as seatbelts. Whether you’ve got a festival booked for the summer, a concert coming up, or you're a regular gig-goer, the right pair of earplugs will reduce the sound in your environment to a safe level, without dampening the quality, and are a must for live music.

That ringing you might hear in your ears after a concert happens when the sound has “agitated the nerve”, says audiologist at The Wellbeing by Cubex, Adam Schulberg. This “could lead to constant or longer exposure to permanent tinnitus” that “can prevent sleep, and will often go hand in hand with hearing loss”.

We can think of noise like a dose, says Schulberg. The louder the noise, the less our ears can tolerate. And everyday noises add up. “It doesn’t need to be one loud event, it can be just travelling on the tube every day, just walking through the streets of London”. He explains, “constant exposure to loud noise at fairly modest levels can create long-term problems and accelerate hearing loss”.

Unlike foam earplugs, filtered earplugs “attenuate (reduce) the music at different levels, but retain its integrity”, Schulberg says. It's just like “listening to a piece of music at a lower volume but still enjoying it”.

Earplugs offer different attention levels. For louder events, like rock or metal concerts, Schulberg recommends maximum protection, such as 26dB. While at his clinic he mostly makes bespoke earplugs, he also offers Happy Ears, an over-the-counter option that, in testing, worked exceptionally well. When it comes to “extremely loud” music, he says they ensure “you're fairly safe throughout the concert” and will retain the integrity of the music, although they will be “quite deadening” for just “moderate” noise. When music isn’t especially loud, or for open-air concerts when you’re “some distance from the stage and the speakers”, or for occasional concerts, he recommends 15dB.

But earplugs will only work if we don’t get a few things right. While bespoke earplugs will provide the attenuation they claim to, others depend on “whether you put them in correctly and whether you’ve got the right size”, Schulberg warns. “Make sure they’re a snug fit in the ear”. Earplugs have multiple cones (flanges) which can help with this, but the outer cone needs to be very snugly in the ear, he stresses.

Read more: Best noise-cancelling headphones, tried and tested

The best earplugs for concerts in 2026 are:

  • Best overall –Loop experience 2 plus: £39.95, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best budget option– Wellthy by Boots party earplugs: Was £15, now £12, Boots.com
  • Best for high protection– Happy Ears: £28.50, Happyearsearplugs.com
  • Best for customisable protection– Sennheiser soundprotex plus: £63.99, Amazon.co.uk

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  • Bestearplugs overall
  • Why we love it- Look great
  • Option for foam and silicone earplugs

  • Three sizes in the box

  • Take note- Not enough protection for extremely loud events

Loop earplugs are a common sight at any music event, and not without reason. In testing, the Loop experience 2 plus worked brilliantly, and they were so comfortable that I forgot I was wearing them, even after more than four hours. They have a shallower fit than some, which can help long-wear comfort.

They’re available in several metallic hues that make them almost look like jewellery. And they have a distinct, premium look. The experience 2 earplugs are for live events, but the ‘plus’ version comes with a removable ‘mute’ accessory that brings the volume down by an extra 3dB (total 20dB). When I put them to the test at a gig, the lyrics and percussion sounded crisp.

They come with three eartip sizes, but what’s unusual is that there’s also a choice of both silicone and foam eartips in the box, so you can find whatever's most comfortable and effective for you. The foam ones were especially comfortable as they seemed to expand to fit the shape of the ear.

Key specifications

  • Noise reduction:Up to 20dB

  • Bestbudget earplugs for concerts

  • Why we love it- Four ear tip sizes
  • Great value for money
  • Comfortable

These Boots earplugs prove you don’t necessarily have to spend a lot to get good hearing protection. The 21dB of noise filtering and reduction effectively brought down the volume of a relatively loud gig to a comfortable level – I really noticed the difference in volume when I took the earplugs out for a second to compare – but all the instruments and lyrics were nice and clear.

I was able to find a size of ear tip from the four sizes available, and they fit my ears comfortably, and swapping the ear tips over took a couple of seconds, and I didn’t find it too fiddly. Made from a soft silicone, the eartips have a barely-there feeling and were comfortable for a full four hours of wear, but I definitely could have worn them for longer without issue. Some people may also like that they don’t go as deep into the ear canal as earplugs with multiple cones.

They don’t look the flashiest and certainly don’t have the flair of the likes of Loop and Hears. But the large, flat pull tabs (which look like little tyres) were the most practical and intuitive I tested, making them quick and easy to remove. I also liked that, unlike with some earplugs with thin stems, there’s no risk of having to fish them out with tweezers if they go too far into the ear canal. Overall, I was really impressed with these, especially considering they cost less than £15.

Key specifications

  • Noise reduction:Up to 21dB

  • Bestearplugs with very high protection

  • Why we love it- Very high protection
  • Comes with different sizes
  • Secure fit

  • Recycled materials

  • Take note- Takes some adjusting

  • Overkill for quiet or acoustic gigs

Providing a volume reduction of 25-27dB, Happy Ears earplugs are protective enough for very loud live music. In testing, the noise reduction was striking, but the sound quality remained surprisingly intact, with bass that didn’t sound muddy, and high hats and lyrics sounding nice and clear.

The flat, oval shape of the tips made them the most secure and snug-fitting of all those on test. The design replicates the inner ear canal, and while finding the right angle to put them in took a little bit of trial and error, once they were in, they created a perfect seal and didn't drop out or need adjusting. I wore them for more than four hours, and they were just as comfy by the last minute.

The discovery pack comes with three sizes of earplugs rather than different tip sizes, so it's quick and easy to find the one that will be the best fit. They feel like they go a little deeper into the ear than others, but the stems are long, so that they are easy to remove.

The ocean plastics version is made with post-consumer ocean plastics, which makes me feel slightly better that the two buds that don’t fit may not end up getting used unless I give them to someone else to try.

Key specifications

  • Noise reduction:Up to 27dB

  • Bestfor customisable sound reduction

  • Why we love it- Different filters included
  • Discreet design
  • Comfortable for longer wear

  • Convenient carry pouch

  • Take note- Quite expensive

  • Sit quite deep in the ear canal

Sennheiser soundprotex plus come with four acoustic filters, with different options to suit your environment. These include ‘full’, for blocking out as much noise as possible, like when you’re sleeping or trying to concentrate at the office, plus high, mid and low. This is great if you’re a regular at a variety of different live music events and don’t want to be stuck with one attenuation level that’s overkill at one venue and lacking at the next. The high protection filter worked excellently, but didn’t muddy the sound of the music.

They’re soft and malleable, and they come in three different sizes so you can find the perfect fit. They didn’t take much adjusting before they were in place, and they fit snugly and felt secure. However, their design means that they do sit quite deep in the ear canal, which some people may not like.

The dark grey design and discrete pull tabs mean they’re hardly noticeable in-ear. The zippered pouch made it easy to retrieve earplugs. I found some of the containers with a lid to be quite hard to hold while putting the earplugs in. Although the bag may be less hygienic than a plastic or metal container.

Key specifications

  • Noise reduction:10db, 17db, 20db and 25db

  • BestEarplugs with a spare

  • Why we love it- Very soft and comfortable eartips
  • Multiple filters available
  • Discreet

  • Two sizes included

  • Take note- Easy to lose

Available with three filters, 24dB, 20dB or 16dB, the Earpeace music pro earplugs have soft, malleable eartips that, for me, felt comfortable for at least five hours. Music at a gig sounded less harsh, while the sound quality remained intact with crisp, clear vocals and hi-hats.

There are two sizes in the pack – I found the smaller size to work nicely. Creating a good seal took some adjusting, and they do sit quite deep in the ear canal, which not everyone will like, but they felt reassuringly secure once in, even throughout a particularly lively gig.

As they’re semi-transparent, they're discreet, although if you drop them, it’ll be hard to locate them in the dark. However, if you do lose one, there’s thankfully a back-up third earplug included in the pack. The slick silver case looks great and comes with a handy clasp, so you attach it to your keys or purse, which makes it easier to find in your bag mid-concert.

Key specifications

  • Noise reduction:Up to 24dB, 20dB or 16dB

  • Bestpremium-looking earplugs

  • Why we love it- High protection (with the 25dB earplugs)

  • Cool design

  • Take note- Not as secure as some

The Hears earplugs look distinctive with their metallic detailing and hoop pull tabs. While the tabs helped to keep the earplugs in place, they were a little fiddly to remove.

They’re not as slim as some earplugs, as they don’t have flanges (multiple cones) and instead sit a little further outside of the ear canal than those with. This made them slightly less snug, but this kind of fit may be more comfortable for long wear for some people.

I tested the 25dB of noise reduction (Hears plus), but they're also available with either 20dB (Hears one). The filter reduced the volume of a live event to a reassuringly comfortable level, without detracting too much from the overall clarity.

Key specifications

  • Noise reduction:20dB or 25dB

The Eargasm earplugs seriously impressed when it came to retaining sound clarity. They reduce noise by up to 21dB, but in testing, live music sounded nice and crisp.

In the box, standard and smaller-sized earplugs are included, which should be enough to cover all ear sizes, according to the brand. Sure enough, the earplugs were super squishy, although they require a snug fit deep in the ear canal, which not everyone finds comfortable. I found them fine, but after around four hours, I was ready to take them out.

The transparent design is discreet. Their shape makes them a little harder to clean, and if you drop them on the floor during an event, you might have a difficult time finding them. They’re also available with different colour filters.

Key specifications

  • Noise reduction:21dB