Best earplugs for concerts 2024: Protect your hearing and get your ears gig-ready

There's nothing quite like catching your favourite band live, while discovering a new artist at a festival is always a blast. But in 2024, amid the clamour and chaos of securing a ticket for an upcoming tour, it's easy to forget about protecting your hearing until the last minute before making your journey to the venue – and that's where our guide to the best earplugs for concerts comes in.

Being prepared ahead of a concert or festival is vital, and to better understand why hearing protection is important and to get useful advice, I spoke with Emily Broomhead, the campaigns manager at Tinnitus UK, after the charity reported that 30% of people will experience the condition at some point in their lives.  

Emily told Louder: "Keep taking and using earplugs. Take a spare pair of earplugs too, in case you lose one or both. And importantly, if you feel uncomfortable you can always walk away. No live event is more important than your hearing. Never be afraid to leave. We get so many people telling us, 'If only I had walked away.' Don't let that be you."

Some earplugs offer comfort for long festival weekends, while others are ideal for fans and musicians alike, with various earplugs protecting your hearing to greater levels than others.

For more information about tinnitus and how to protect your hearing at live shows and festivals, visit the American Tinnitus Association, Tinnitus UK, while Loop earplugs have a multiple choice test to assess hearing damage.

Best earplugs for concerts: Quick list

Best earplugs overall

Best earplugs for concerts: Fender Musician Ear Plugs

(Image credit: Future/Chris Barnes)
The best earplugs to keep you safe from loud volumes

Specifications

Materials: Silicone
Noise reduction: 27dB

Reasons to buy

+
Ace for standing close to the stage
+
Reusable
+
Budget friendly

Reasons to avoid

-
Not the softest
At a glance

Buy if you want protection from a big brand: Fender are better known for their range of guitars, but their earplugs are perfect for gig-goers on a budget.
Avoid if you're after a more comfortable fit: These Fender earplugs offer great protection, but in our experience, they're not the most comfy for long sessions.

Our first entry is from one of music’s more familiar brands. The American-made Fender Musician Series plugs are built to withstand the full force of stage volume, delivering an impressive 27dB NRR. They’re also reusable, inexpensive and didn't make me look like an alien while attending a recent concert. 

If heavier music is your thing – and as you're on Louder, I suspect you do – and the shows you attend are typically loud, then these could be the best ear plugs for you.

Read the full Fender Musician Earplugs review 

Best for comfort

Best earplugs for concerts: Vibes Hi-Fidelity

(Image credit: Future/James Farmer)
The best earplugs for not looking like you're wearing any

Specifications

Material: Silicone
Noise reduction: 22db

Reasons to buy

+
Slick design
+
Suitable for all ear sizes
+
Well suited to loud music

Reasons to avoid

-
They sell out regularly so finding a pair may be an issue
At a glance

Buy if you want a slick set of earplugs: Vibes make excellent earplugs and their simple, no-nonsense design makes them a top choice for the fashion conscious.
Avoid if you need more than 22dB of noise protection: 22dB of hearing protection is not to be sniffed at, but if you’re a live musician, there are better options.

The Vibes Hi-Fidelity earplugs focus on reducing (attenuating) volume, employing special filters to fine-tune certain damaging frequencies. Overall noise is reduced, but without muffling the sound too badly. If you're used to using cheap foam options, you'll know what we mean by 'muffled'. I didn't find the muffling to be too distracting with these earplugs.

The design and build is super cool too. Once they're in your ears, I found that the low profile and clear plastic housing meant I barely knew they were there, and neither will anyone else. I found them comfortable during long band practices and multi-band bills, too.

Read the full Vibes Hi-Fidelity review

Best for style

Best earplugs for concerts: Loop Earplugs

(Image credit: Future/Chris Barnes)
The best earplugs if you're after great looks and top performance

Specifications

Materials: Silicone
Noise reduction: 18dB

Reasons to buy

+
Don't muffle the sound
+
They look great
+
Comfortable

Reasons to avoid

-
Style won't be for everyone
At a glance

Buy if you want a distinct set of earplugs: Loop Experience look like no other earplugs thanks to their hoop design which come in a variety of colours.
Avoid if you want a more discreet pair of earplugs: The Loop Experience offer up to 18dB of noise protection, but their eye-catching design won’t be for everyone.

The reusable Loop Experience High Fidelity Ear Plugs are perhaps the most stylish in our list thanks to their cool ‘loop’ design. Not only do they look great, but they also come in a variety of colours: Black, rose gold, gold and silver. But of course the real test is what they can do to help protect you when out and about and at concerts.

They offer an 18 decibel reduction in noise and the pack contains XS, S, M and L silicone tips to ensure a good fit along with a keychain carry case so I could stow them away safely after use – and not go desperately scrambling through my pockets to find them when I got home.

Not only do these dampen the decibels, but they also manage to let the sound in and don’t muffle live music like some foam plugs tend to do… and they stay firmly in place. In my opinion – and taking cost into consideration – having a set of these on hand when you head out to see live music is definitely worth it.

Read the full Loop Experience earplugs review

Best filter options

Best earplugs for concerts: Alpine MusicSafe Pro review

(Image credit: Future/Daryl Robertson)
The best earplugs for using at a festival

Specifications

Materials: Thermoplastic
Noise reduction: 14.3dB / 15.7dB / 16dB

Reasons to buy

+
Interchangeable filters
+
Differing levels of noise attenuation
+
Carry case included

Reasons to avoid

-
Definition gets lost at times
At a glance

Buy if you want a pair of earplugs for festivals: The Alpine MusicSafe Pro are ideal for festival use as they have interchangeable filters and a carry case so they won’t get lost.
Avoid if you want crystal clear audio: While some earplugs will give you excellent sound, these can lose a bit of definition - although that won’t matter so much at a festival.

As one of the bigger names in ear and hearing protection, the Alpine MusicSafe Pro ear plugs are always worth checking out. The good news is that they are superb for most applications, with interchangeable filters ensuring differing levels of noise attenuation depending on the situation. 

The kit comes complete with a carrying case, cleaning fluid and a cable to hold them safely together, making this a pretty compelling package.

Read the full Alpine MusicSafe Pro Earplugs review

Best for musicians

Best earplugs for concerts: Earos One

(Image credit: Earos)
The best earplugs for effective protection for musicians at a good price

Specifications

Material: Silicone
Noise reduction: 17 – 25db

Reasons to buy

+
Comfortable
+
Great price
+
Superb noise protection

Reasons to avoid

-
A bit unwieldy to use
At a glance

Buy if you're a musician looking for comfort and protection: These are a top choice for musicians as they’re comfortable and offer great protection for a good price.
Avoid if you want something easier to use: When we put the Earos One through their paces, we found them to be a bit unwieldy to use.

If you’re a musician who's looking for a cracking set of earplugs, then the excellent Earos One are a great fit. Sure, they can also be used by live music fans but musicians will see the biggest benefit as they were conceived by a former director of the MIT Acoustics And Vibratory Lab. 

I found them to be a little bit unwieldy, but they were comfortable when fitted and they'll make your time on stage much more bearable thanks to their medical grade TPE tips. 

Read the full Earos One review

Best value earplugs

Best earplugs for concerts: Eargrace high fidelity earplugs

(Image credit: Future/Daryl Robertson)
The best earplugs for blocking out high pitch noise

Specifications

Materials: Silicone
Noise reduction: 23dB

Reasons to buy

+
Superb value
+
Blocks out high pitch noises too
+
Durable carry case included

Reasons to avoid

-
A tad uncomfy during longer use
At a glance

Buy if you want to block out high pitch noises: These earplugs from Eargrace offer up to 23dB of noise reduction and will even banish high pitches.
Avoid if you want top comfort: We like the Eargrace high fidelity earplugs but their design makes them a little bit uncomfortable for extended periods.

Look on any large online retailer and you’ll find countless, almost identical-looking earplug models, but the Eargrace High Fidelity stand out for a number of reasons. First is the combination of attenuation filters, which ensured I could hear the full musical frequency spectrum live but at a reduced volume. They also come with a number of handy accessories: a case, cleaning brush and connecting cord. 

I don't think they would give you years of live music and festival outings without falling apart, but as an entry point into hearing protection at a sensible cost, the Eargrace High Fidelity earplugs are very easy to recommend.

Read the full Eargrace High Fidelity Earplugs review

Best for kids

Best earplugs for concerts: Alpine Muffy Kids Ear Defenders

(Image credit: Alpine)

7. Alpine Muffy Kids Ear Defenders

The best ear defenders for young rockers

Specifications

Materials: Polyester
Noise reduction: 25dB

Reasons to buy

+
Hard wearing
+
Lots of colour choices
+
Foldable

Reasons to avoid

-
Not ideal for glasses
At a glance

Buy if you want a good set of ear defenders ideal for children: Alpine have turned their attention to ear defenders and have come up with the Muffy - a robust and colourful set that'll protect your kids' hearing.
Avoid if your child wears glasses: The Alpine Muffy can get a wee bit uncomfortable for kids who wear glasses, as the earcups can cause pressure above the ears.

There are more and more music events being held both indoors and outdoors with families in mind, such as The Big Feastival and Glastonbury’s Kidzfield. Even if there’s not a lot of music at a family event, ear defenders for little ones are a great idea when venues and locations get super busy... and noisy. 

Our top pick for kids are the Alpine Muffy ear defenders which offer up to 25dB of noise reduction - and are the second entry in our guide from the Dutch audio firm. They’re robust enough to withstand repeated uses, are foldable and come with a travel bag to keep them safe and sound. They’re also lightweight and comfortable, but they may not be ideal for kids with glasses as they can press above the ears - a common complaint with any over-ear products. They also come in a variety of colours, making them an appealing option for little rockers.

We also tested

The earplugs above are the ones we highly recommend, but there are many others out there worth a closer look and are still great options for the live music scene. Here are some of our other favourites we've tested.

EarLabs dBud earplugs

<a href="https://www.thomann.de/gb/daddario_dbud.htm?utm_source=musicradar.com&utm_medium=affiliate&offid=1&affid=195&subid=hawk-custom-tracking" data-link-merchant="thomann.de"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">EarLabs dBud earplugs
The EarLabs dBud will give you two levels of noise reduction: 11db and 24dB and they come with three eartip sizes so you're guaranteed to get a good fit. They also have an in-built acoustic filter and while they tend to stick out more than some earplugs in our list, they still come recommended.

Read the full <a href="https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/earlabs-dbud-review" data-link-merchant="loudersound.com"" data-link-merchant="thomann.de"">EarLabs dBud review

Earpeace Concert earplugs

<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076VVP6CX?tag=georiot-trd-21&th=1&psc=1&ascsubtag=hawk-custom-tracking-21&geniuslink=true" data-link-merchant="amazon.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Earpeace Concert earplugs
The neat Earpeace High Fidelity Concert earplugs are a great option as they offer up to 26dB protection for your lugs. They're also reusable and come with a really handy carry case which doubles as a keyring, so you need never worry about heading to a gig without them in your pocket.

Minuendo high fidelity earplugs

<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0979GYPSG?tag=georiot-trd-21&th=1&psc=1&ascsubtag=hawk-custom-tracking-21&geniuslink=true" data-link-merchant="amazon.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Minuendo high fidelity earplugs
The Minuendo high fidelity acoustic earplugs might be a bit more expensive than other options in this list, but we think the extra financial outlay is worth it. You can adjust noise levels between 7dB and 24dB and they come with a bunch of ear tips and flanges so you'll get a great fit to keep your ears safe - whether in the crowd or up on stage.

Expert buying advice

If you’re looking at earplugs for concerts, it’s likely for one of two reasons. Either your hearing is in good shape and you’d like to keep it that way, or your ears have taken a battering over the years and you don’t want to make things worse.

Whatever reason, dedicated hearing protectors are a very wise purchase for anyone who loves live music – or works in a noisy job. As with the best headphones, most hearing protection tends to fall in one of two brackets: over-ear and in-ear. We’re not going to dwell too much on the differences as they should be fairly self-explanatory, however in this best earplugs guide we’ve, rather obviously, opted for in-ears instead of bulky ear defenders.

Within those two brackets, however, there is a fair amount of difference, and you get what you pay for too. You could put a small amount of cash into something cheap, yet ultimately disposable, or you could invest in something that will see you through many years of gigs and festivals.

A decent barometer of performance comes in measuring the levels of noise a product offers protection from. For example, any ear protection sold in the United States must be tested according to American National Standards (ANSI), upon which it is given a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR).

However, attending a concert with a decibel level of 100dB and wearing 33dB-rated earplugs doesn’t mean the new level is 67dB. No, that would be far too simple! Instead, there’s a formula: deduct 7 from the NRR rating and divide the resulting number by two. This is the amount of protection on offer. 

So, continuing the same example; a 100dB concert would be reduced to 87dB by wearing ear protection rated at 33dB.

Moulded earplugs

You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.

Best earplugs for concerts: Loop earplugs

(Image credit: Loop)

With a wide range of earplugs available, there’s much talk about the benefits of custom moulded earplugs and the difference they can make when it comes to protecting your hearing, either at a live show or in the work environment.

Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach like most earplugs, like the name suggests, custom earplugs mould themselves snuggly into the shape of your ear canals to provide a comfortable fit and keep unwanted noise levels out. 

Some, such as the Decibullz custom moulded earplugs, allow you to mould each bud at home. Granted, it can be a bit of a faff to get right, but it does mean you’ll get a good fit which is really what we’re after. You can also remould them should the results not be perfect the first time around... so no worries about messing things up straight out of the box.

If you want to go that extra mile, you can visit a hearing healthcare professional who should also be able to create moulds for earbud use.

It’s also worth pointing out that custom moulded earplugs can be priced higher than other earplugs due to their individual nature, with guidance suggesting that new ear canal impressions are taken every four years as your ears continue to grow as you get older.

Are foam earplugs good?

Foam-tipped earplugs sit at the cheaper end of the scale and in our opinion should only be used as the very last resort. Unlike some of the other options, foam earplugs muffle all the sound and don’t let much audio through unlike the more expensive models. As such, they’re better suited to getting a good night’s sleep than rocking out in a crowd.

On my concert travels, I’ve seen similar foam earplugs given away free at the bar but the uptake has never seemed that high – although at a Swans/Anna von Hausswolff concert several years ago, I was only too happy to see a cup of red foam earbuds perched on a table. In all my years of watching live music, I had never experienced music so loud, and I gratefully stuffed a couple into my lugs.

It was a memorable live event for all the wrong reasons as I couldn’t really pick out any intricacies in the music after only a short time. Even worse was that my head ached for several days afterwards and my hearing took a battering. Despite these negatives, it was that night that convinced me to invest in a good pair of earplugs and I haven't looked back.

So foam earplugs are better than nothing if you’re in a pinch, but remember that each pair should only be worn once and then disposed of. The shape will change with repeated use and they’re not the most hygienic option available.

Advice for musicians

It’s not just fans who need to look after their hearing – musicians who are constantly on the road are well aware of the risk of hearing loss.

I spoke with Liam Hennessy, the head of health and welfare at Help Musicians, and Paul Checkley, who is partner and clinical director at Harley Street Hearing & Musicians Hearing Services about what steps musicians can take to better protect themselves. They both stressed the importance of preventing career-threatening hearing issues and highlighted the Hear For Musicians initiative for members of The Musicians’ Union.

Liam also spoke about the “rising issue” of hearing loss within the industry, saying: “Help Musicians is seeing an increase in the number of musicians getting in touch for help; Tinnitus UK  also saw a 47% surge in those seeking help for tinnitus during lockdown. 

“Speaking openly about these issues helps to remove the stigma and encourages others to seek help, as well as prompting those without symptoms to regularly check their own hearing health. We would encourage all musicians to take preventative measures to protect their hearing in order to sustain a long and healthy career in music."

Paul added: “The key here is to ensure your hearing is protected. There are now special flat-response musicians earplugs, which reduce the level of the music entering the ear but maintain the fidelity by attenuating all frequencies to the same level. Most standard earplugs attenuate more high frequencies, which can result in a dullness of sound and make speech difficult to understand. The flat response plugs simply reduce the volume without affecting the sound quality.

“If you are struggling with tinnitus there are a number of techniques and therapies that can help. The best place to start is with your GP who should be able to direct you to someone who can help.”

Advice for parents

Best earplugs for concerts: Children wearing Alpine Muffy ear defenders

(Image credit: Alpine)

More of us are taking our kids to festivals and indoor concerts, but it's always a worry about just how loud these events will be. Investing in a good pair of ear defenders for little ones will give you peace of mind, with these over-ear devices providing a varying degree of noise protection.

It's unlikely you'll take a baby to a concert, but if going to a location where there could be music playing, a pair of ear defenders from the Banz Bubzee range is a good place to start. They cater specifically for the 0-36 month age range and come in various colours and designs. For older kids, Alpine make top ear defenders with up to 25dB of noise protection, but you'll also find many more on the market.

The American Tinnitus Association recommends building a Hearing Protection Toolkit to help prevent hearing damage in children.

They say: "The two basic styles of hearing protection are earplugs and earmuffs. Because sound waves move like water waves, hearing protection must fit like swim goggles do. Earplugs should seal off ear canals, and earmuffs should fully seal around the ears.

"In environments where noise can’t be avoided, children under age 3 should use earmuffs designed for babies or toddlers. Children aged 3 to 12 can use appropriately sized earmuffs. People aged 13 and older can use earmuffs or earplugs, depending on which fit best."

Why trust us

The Louder team have been attending live music events for decades and we've brought together their expertise to test, review and pick out earplugs that feature across the Louder site.

Metal Hammer editor Eleanor Goodman has been living with tinnitus since she was a teenager and has relied on earplugs when attending concerts and festivals and has spoken about the importance of looking after her hearing and how she deals with the issue.

Louder's ecomm editor Scott Munro, who maintains this guide to the best earplugs for concerts, doesn't suffer from tinnitus, but now wears earplugs regularly after a torturous experience at a live concert several years ago which sparked him into action to do more to protect his hearing.

We've also spoken with experts from Harley Street Hearing & Musicians Hearing Services and Tinnitus UK about the importance of earplugs, and gathered advice and information from the American Tinnitus Association.

How we choose

All earplugs offer varying degrees of noise protection, so we sift through the many earplugs on the market and put them through their paces at live events, in the studio and out and about to be sure that the earplugs we feature and up to the job. At one point, we recommended foam earplugs as a last resort but after a team-wide discussion, we decided to remove them from our guide to the best earplugs for concerts as we want to highlight the benefits the earplugs bring, rather than products that simply muffle the sound: They're fine for sleeping or industrial work, but not so much for gigs.

We’re constantly updating our guide as new products drop on to the market, and we will always strive to bring you what we consider to be the best earplugs and ear defenders.

How we test earplugs

Best earplugs for concerts: Flare Audio Isolate Pro earplugs in a music venue

(Image credit: Future/Chris Barnes)

The Louder earplug review process is editorially independent and not influenced by any third parties. Our review samples are sourced directly from the manufacturer or purchased via a retailer.

We’re music fans here at Louder, therefore, we test our earplugs in the only proving ground we know – live music venues and band rehearsal rooms. 

Our testers evaluate the earplugs in the following categories:

  • Features
  • Comfort and fit
  • Build quality/materials
  • Performance

This enables us to produce accurate, well-balanced and real-life reviews to help you easily figure out whether the plugs you’re interested in are really the best choice for you.

Our testing criteria in detail:

  • Comfort and fit - Do the earplugs come with multiple tips to allow for different size ear canals, or are they shaped in a way to provide decent levels of isolation from damaging frequencies? Are the earplugs comfortable for long periods of wear or do they fatigue the ears quickly?
  • Features - Does the package include things like a carry case, a string to connect the earbuds together or any products to clean them?
  • Build quality/materials - In a nutshell, are they built to last, or will they need replacing quickly?
  • Performance - To what extent do the earplugs reduce the damaging frequencies of the sound you're listening to? Then, just as importantly, how do they impact the quality of the sound you’re hearing?

Testing team: who are we?

  • Louder’s reviewers are a collective of music fans and musicians who have been attending and performing gigs since the 80s – from the noisiest AC/DC stadium shows to ear-splitting club shows from bands like Swans – we know first-hand how bad gigs can be for long-term ear health.
  • Some of us are also musicians – including gigging drummers and guitarists – who have spent more time than we can remember squeezed up against Marshall stacks or ear height with a ride cymbal. We know the impact this activity can have on your ears when you don’t use protection, and we know the protection that works best.
Chris Corfield

Chris Corfield is a journalist with over 12 years of experience writing for some of the music world's biggest brands including Orange Amplification, MusicRadar, Guitar World Total Guitar and Dawsons Music. Chris loves getting nerdy about everything from guitar gear and synths, to microphones and music production hardware.

With contributions from