TicketSwap launches sonic safety campaign

Price-capped ticket resale platform TicketSwap has launched global sonic safety campaign #dontmissabeat in response to findings showing music fans should be doing more to protect their hearing health.

Research shows that only one in 10 music fans in the UK wear earplugs to gigs, less than half of fans know what tinnitus is, and only 20% are familiar with the decibel rate of music when at a gig. The research was gathered in February 2023 by TicketSwap among 1,000 music event attendees in the UK, via research platform Attest, with further studies carried out in France and the Netherlands.

In collaboration with the UK Hearing Conservation Association (UKHCA), #dontmissabeat will see DJ partnerships, further medical specialist research into sonic safety, and TicketSwap cool-off zones at festivals around Europe, including Into The Woods ADE and Wildeburg. The campaign hopes to change behaviours regarding hearing health protection among music fans, with one in two young people now at risk of noise-induced hearing loss.

“You can enjoy live music in a safe way by using the right earplugs; so you still get the full experience but without the harmful levels”

“Many of us love the buzz and enjoyment from attending gigs and festivals. However, as sound levels can reach over 100dB, even short gigs have the potential to cause irreversible harm such as deafness, tinnitus, oversensitivity to noise added to increased risks for early onset dementia and cognitive impairment,” says UKHCA Clare Forshaw, founder and director.

“You can enjoy live music in a safe way by using the right earplugs; so you still get the full experience but without the harmful levels, avoiding being right in front of the speakers and giving your ears a rest are all simple ways you can enjoy sound in a sustainable and healthy way.

“The UKHCA are proud to support TicketSwap with their sonic safety campaign and hope it brings about awareness and action to keep gig and festival goers safe from hearing health harm so they can continue to enjoy live music and entertainment for a long time to come.”

“The latest industry data we collected showed us that we’re not doing enough as a music industry to promote hearing health”

Amsterdam-headquartered TicketSwap, which works with event organisers such as LWE and Secret Garden Party in the UK, aims to inspire both music fans and event organisers to start making sonic safety a priority.

“TicketSwap is run by just over 220 music fans, all of whom live and breathe music; either making it, or attending live events regularly,” says James Fleury, marketing lead at TicketSwap. “We know just how invaluable the experience of live culture is to our daily lives: it has a unique power to inspire and elevate us emotionally and intellectually.

“As a community, we are passionate that everyone can keep experiencing music to its fullest beauty, for as long as we can, and the latest industry data we collected showed us that we’re not doing enough as a music industry to promote hearing health. Hence, I’m proud that TicketSwap is starting a long-term commitment today to make sure music fans worldwide have the most accurate information on practices which’ll enable them to keep enjoying music safely, together.”

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