Gary Numan, the iconic musician behind the hit 'Cars,' has revealed that he is now 90 percent deaf, a condition that has significantly impacted his life and led him to give up his beloved hobby of display flying.
During a recent appearance on the podcast I’m ADHD! No You’re Not, Numan pointed out his hearing aids to hosts Paul Whitehouse and Dr. Mine Conkbayir, stating, "I’ve got hearing aids on so I can hear what you’re doing," and confirming his severe hearing impairment. When Whitehouse humorously suggested that decades of plugging into Les Pauls and amplifiers at maximum volume had taken their toll, Numan agreed, noting that his hearing loss was a key factor in ending his display flying pursuits.
"I’ve got hearing aids on so I can hear what you’re doing," Numan said, revealing he was "90 per cent deaf."
Research underscores the risks musicians face: the Hearing Health Foundation reports that musicians are four times more likely to develop noise-induced hearing loss compared to the general public, with a 57 percent higher risk of tinnitus. A survey by the charity Help Musicians further found that 40 percent of professional musicians across various genres have experienced hearing loss directly related to their work.
Despite these challenges, hearing health charities emphasize that noise-induced hearing loss is preventable, advocating for accessible hearing protection to safeguard musicians' auditory health.