Why So Loud? Rethinking the Volume of Our Everyday Experiences

I am not a neurotologist or a musician. I am simply someone who enjoys music, movies, and sporting events, and wants to preserve my hearing while still being able to hear the people around me. Yet, increasingly, the volume at many of these events feels less like entertainment and more like an auditory assault.

Reunions, receptions, dinners, and parents’ weekends are designed for connection. They are opportunities to catch up with old friends, meet new colleagues, and share stories. Instead, the music or background audio is often so loud that conversation requires shouting, listening becomes exhausting, and the experience becomes anything but enjoyable. We talk about building community, but then create environments where communication is nearly impossible.

I recently attended my husband’s college reunion and genuinely enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones. But at the main event, the music was so loud that everyone had to shout just to be heard, making meaningful conversation nearly impossible. We left asking the obvious question: Why does it have to be this loud?

A trip to the movies with my teenagers a few weeks later only reinforced that concern. During the PG-rated “Wicked: For Good,” the sound was so painfully loud that I opened the decibel meter on my phone. It peaked at 97 dB and stayed above 90 dB for long stretches—levels far beyond what children or adults should be exposed to for any sustained period.

We are living in a global hearing–health crisis. More than 1.5 billion people worldwide live with hearing loss, and nearly half a billion experience disabling impairment. Progressive hearing loss is rising across all age groups, and excessive noise exposure is a major contributor. We now understand more clearly that hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline, including increased risk for dementia, as well as difficulties with focus, academic performance, and social engagement.

Sound regulations vary widely by country. Smartphones made for the European market include an 85-dB maximum headphone volume, following EU laws. U.S. phones do not have the same default limit, leaving individuals responsible for setting it themselves. Many consumers are unaware of the sound levels they encounter daily or the risks of prolonged exposure above 80 dB. Event organizers, meanwhile, often prioritize “energy” and “immersion” over comfort and safety.

My own awareness began in high school. After my first concert, I lay in bed terrified by the intense ringing in my ears. Thankfully, it faded by morning, and I began wearing earplugs to future concerts—not because I understood anything about hearing loss, but simply because I didn’t like the ringing.

There is no question that music and sound are essential elements of how we experience events. But while excessively loud environments may enhance enjoyment for some, for many, they diminish it.

Konstantina Stankovic, MD, PhD, chair of otolaryngology at Stanford University, discussed the risks of loud noise exposure on hearing and brain health in a recent Huberman Lab episode, “Protect and Improve Your Hearing and Brain Health.” She recommends wearing earplugs, which can reduce exposure to safer levels (often around 80 dB), and considering magnesium, which shows promise in mitigating noise-induced cochlear injury, though optimal dosing remains unclear.

It is time to rethink the idea that louder is better. Events should be engaging, not harmful. People should leave concerts, movies, and gatherings energized—not with ringing ears, strained voices, or the first step toward irreversible hearing loss.

Sometimes the simplest question is also the most important: Why so loud, and what will it take for us to turn the volume down?