Musicians face growing risks of hearing damage from prolonged exposure to loud performances, a concern highlighted by recent disclosures from artists including BTS's V, DJ Alesso, Chris Martin, Dave Grohl and Neil Young. While custom in-ear monitors are one solution, they aren't practical for every musician or setting, making affordable, off-the-shelf earplugs a useful alternative for marching bands, orchestras, garage jam sessions and DJ sets alike.

Billboard rounds up several editor-picked earplugs, each rated by decibel (dB) reduction and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), factors that determine how much loudness they filter while preserving sound clarity:

– Loop Switch 2 — adjustable dial with 20–26 dB SNR range and three modes; case isn't fully secure
– Eargasm high-fidelity earplugs — up to 21 dB reduction, 16 dB NRR, with a key ring-attachable case
– Alpine MusicSafe Pro — three interchangeable filters (16, 19, 22 dB SNR) for different instruments/venues
– Earasers — up to 19 dB reduction at peak frequency, 14 SNR, praised for near-invisible comfort but easy to misplace