15 Years Ago, An Iconic Rock Band Broke A Dangerous Record That Will Officially Stand Forever

It was 15 years ago that an iconic rock band broke a dangerous Music record, and because of the risks involved, it’s very unlikely to ever be broken. There are plenty of records to be matched and broken in the music industry, from sales to live performances, but rarely are these records ever categorized as something harmful to either the artist or the audience. This particular record, however, is remarkably dangerous, even if impressive – because it has the potential to leave a massive, long-term effect on the artist’s audience.

The volume of concerts remains a concern in today’s world, despite how popular music’s sound has shifted over the years. It can often take hours for one’s hearing to adjust after attending a concert, particularly venues where the sound is given more freedom and power to bounce around. This is the case no matter the genre, but of course, rock concerts are notorious for producing a higher level of volume. Years ago, it was desirable for rock bands to have extremely loud concerts, which ultimately led to the record for the loudest band. This record, however, is now retired.

Why The Loudest Band Record Was Retired

It Had Dangerous Long-Term Effects

While it was quite an achievement for these bands to be crowned as the loudest, the concern about long-term effects on the audience, particularly regarding hearing loss, began to triumph over achieving this title. While earplugs and other noise-canceling devices are now widely available, they still have yet to become common practice, with most concertgoers opting not to use them. This means that the sound produced by artists at their venues has an even higher chance of damaging their audience’s hearing long-term, especially if it pushes the limit on what people’s ears can healthily take.

Kiss Recorded The Loudest Performance Ever In 2009

They Reached 136 Decibels

Prior to this record being retired, however, Kiss managed to record the loudest performance in North American history in 2009. Their performance at Ottawa Bluesfest in the summer of that year managed to reach an impressive, yet also concerning, 136 decibels, prompting complaints from neighboring areas of the Canadian festival. Considering the safe limit for human hearing is around 70 decibels, this far exceeds what human ears are meant to endure, especially since this is about 20–30 decibels above the average concert volume. For this reason, Kiss’ performance in 2009 will likely forever reign as the loudest concert.

While the era of rock bands competing for this title of the loudest is now over, this change has at least inspired these bands to get even more creative in making their shows memorable for their audiences. With technology having developed the way it has, there are now endless possibilities for ways in which rock artists can push the envelope in their performances in a way that won’t harm their audiences in the long term. Music is always evolving and shifting, but as far as the loudest performance is concerned, this title will now forever belong to Kiss.