Sounding the Alarm: BMG Amplifies Tinnitus Awareness

I want you to imagine a world where silence isn’t silent. Where the stillness of a quiet room is shattered by a persistent noise that seems to originate from within your own ears. This is the reality for 7.6 million people in the UK, representing a staggering 1 in 7 adults suffering from tinnitus. 

Tinnitus, often referred to as a phantom sound, is the perception of noise where there is no external sound present. It manifests as ringing, buzzing, humming, or other similar sensations. While for some tinnitus may be a temporary nuisance, for others, it can become a constant enemy, a relentless presence that can be both permanent and profoundly debilitating. 

The music community is intimately acquainted with the power of sound, but maybe not so keenly aware of its dangers. Exposure to damaging levels of noise, even just once, can be all it takes to trigger the onset of tinnitus. For musicians, concert-goers, and those working in noisy environments, the risk is ever-present, lurking amidst the crescendo of amplified sound. 

We spoke to BMG’s Michael Cromwell and Alex Crabbe – who suffer from the condition themselves – to find out what the music publishing and record company has been doing to draw attention to this condition. 

LBB> Can you elaborate on the inspiration behind the BMG Tinnitus Fundraising Challenge and organising it during Tinnitus Week 2024?

Alex> The idea of supporting the charity, Tinnitus UK, developed when we were trying to find a suitable cause to support within our BMG Production Music Running Club. There are obviously plenty of charities doing great work, and some more recognisable than others, but from the perspective of a musician, nothing is more debilitating to the creative process than tinnitus. So, being a music company, I feel there is a certain responsibility on our behalf to raise awareness of this condition and show our support.

LBB> How did this initiative aim to address the challenges faced by artists and concert-goers?

Alex> I think first and foremost it’s a case of getting the word out there. Tinnitus is commonly associated with ringing in the ears, but it’s important to acknowledge that it affects so much more than that. At present, there is no known cure for the condition, which just shows how important it is to support charities such as Tinnitus UK and the fantastic work they do. You only have to be exposed to damaging levels of noise once to develop the condition, so who is most at risk? Musicians, concert-goers and people working in noisy workplaces (builders, factory work, etc.). Protective ear plugs may not look flashy, but they certainly serve a purpose. 

Michael> We wanted to bring awareness to a wider group of people. Being someone who suffers from tinnitus, I took a cavalier approach to my hearing, especially at gigs; standing close to speakers for extended periods of time. Now that I use ear protection at live music events, in hindsight I wished that I used it sooner. Given the price range of earplugs, and the quality even at the lower end, it actually makes the listening experience much more enjoyable as you can hear all the range. 

LBB> Could you shed some light on the practical steps participants took during the fundraising challenge, and how these activities contributed to raising awareness about tinnitus?

Alex> We dedicated an entire month to the tinnitus campaign. Members of our team took part in physical activity to raise funds, which went straight to Tinnitus UK. One of our producers, John, ran 10k in support of the campaign. He literally went from zero training to 10k in one attempt. I think his legs gave him a bit of grief after but he raised over £500 for the cause. Magda, in my team, hakken danced in support of the cause. I think it’s commonly associated with gabber music? But I’m not entirely sure! Either way… pretty cool.

It’s all about getting involved and doing your part. Whether you are running, cycling, walking or hakken dancing, it’s the old cliché… taking part is what matters. 

LBB> The campaign emphasises the importance of prevention and awareness. What specific measures or strategies did you promote through this initiative to mitigate the risks associated with tinnitus?

Alex> We recently took some of our close clients to a gig and provided them all with some special ear plugs for protection. They are designed to cancel out the bad frequencies without lessening the listening experience. It’s only one step in the right direction, but we’re hoping we can continue to do things of this nature moving forward to keep spreading the word about tinnitus. 

We spoke to Tinnitus UK last year and they shared some really important information with us about their findings for the previous calendar year about the condition. I’m hoping in the near future we can create more campaigns that support their fight against the condition and highlight the data that Tinnitus UK have found.

Michael> We’d love for people to take hearing damage seriously. It’s become the norm that people don’t tend to take any action until their hearing has been affected. Working in music, we are so aware of how we need to hear but I regularly see people standing next to speakers at gigs without any ear protection.

LBB> Beyond raising funds for Tinnitus UK, what broader impact do you envision this campaign having on the discourse surrounding hearing health within the music industry and beyond?

Alex> I can only comment from my perspective, but as someone who works in the music industry, I haven’t really seen much of an attempt by any of the large music companies to promote awareness about tinnitus to consumers of music. It’s all well and good looking after your artists' hearing and making sure they get the latest in-ear monitors but what about the people who buy that music? I’m certainly not saying we’ve now done that or achieved anything, but I do feel we, as industry professionals, have a responsibility to talk about this.

If you can’t hear properly, how can you enjoy music to its fullest potential?

LBB> Can you speak to any personal anecdotes or stories that have resonated with your team regarding the impact of tinnitus, and how these experiences have shaped your approach to this initiative?

Alex> I have tinnitus myself and I can say now, it’s pretty rubbish. 

I’m still a musician and I’ve played in various bands over the years. We used to have a practice room up in Sheffield and we just used to blast music through the PA system without a care in the world. I started to notice a ringing in my right ear, which I assumed would pass but unsurprisingly, it didn’t. If I’m ever in a silent room or visiting my mum who lives in the countryside, it drives me insane. I have to rely on sleep sounds when I go to bed, white noise, ambient music, etc.

I’ve used hearing protection for years though now and thankfully, it’s not gotten any worse… touch wood. I really feel for the people who suffer much worse than I do. It must be incredibly debilitating.

Michael> I suffer from tinnitus and unfortunately it’s really at its worst when you don’t want it to be. Sitting in quiet rooms or when trying to sleep are when it’s heightened, and although I’ve now adjusted to it, I definitely found at the beginning that it was affecting my mental health and especially my sleep. 

I completely did not realise that there was a charity dedicated to tinnitus, which working in the music industry surprised me, so when we discovered it it really resonated with me and then you realise a lot of people suffer in silence – which is only motivation to bring more awareness to it.

LBB> In what ways do you hope this initiative fosters a sense of community and solidarity among participants, particularly within the context of the music industry?

Alex> I think the hope would be that musicians and colleagues can open up about tinnitus. I think it can seem slightly embarrassing when someone challenges your hearing ability. I know myself that I’ve been challenged by friends for not being able to hear certain frequencies when listening to music and I’m still only 33.

If anything, this campaign has made me realise how many of my colleagues also suffer with tinnitus and fellow musicians. I’ve always felt quite irresponsible as a musician to have damaged my hearing at the age of 24 but I’ve now learnt that others have also had similar experiences to me and it’s not a case of recklessness. 

LBB> Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the future of initiatives like the BMG Tinnitus Fundraising Challenge, and how do you hope they will continue to make a meaningful impact on tinnitus awareness and prevention efforts?

Alex> I would like to think our involvement with Tinnitus Week would continue to develop year-on-year. We did originally have a much larger campaign planned with various commercial artists getting involved but unfortunately, we weren’t able to deliver something to the standard we’d originally envisioned. But, there is always next year!

We have a label in production music called ‘Microcosmic’, which is specifically tailored to music for wellbeing and meditation. A lot of the music within this catalogue contains music that is used to support the condition of tinnitus with white/brown noise and low, calming frequencies. We already have a few plans coming up for promoting this label so we’ll hopefully be able to reveal more soon.

Michael> We’d love to bring more awareness to the general public and especially those that work in music, to ensure that people are getting ahead of the problem before they give themselves tinnitus. The goal is to get more musicians and artists involved in future campaigns, so keep an eye out for our approach next year.