Duran Duran Drummer Roger Taylor Retires as Tinnitus Threatens His Hearing

Duran Duran drummer Roger Taylor has announced he is retiring from playing the drums and stepping away from the band due to health concerns.

The band released a statement on its official Instagram, noting that the retirement comes after a worsening of his recently diagnosed tinnitus.

Taylor said in the statement that this was one of the hardest decisions he had ever had to make. Playing drums in the band had been the joy of his life, he said, and he would never be able to properly thank the fans for the love they had shown over the years. But his tinnitus had been getting steadily worse, and he had reached the point where he must now listen to his body and his doctors.

He went on to say that figuring out the timing of all of this had not been easy, but that he was going out on a real high.

Taylor noted that the band had just returned from a hugely successful UK and European tour, after which they headlined a show at BST Hyde Park for the second time and returned to record in the studio with guitarist Nile Rodgers.

He said he could not have asked for a better final chapter, with so many special moments he would treasure forever. He said he moves on with enormous pride, and with nothing but love for Simon, Nick and John.

The statement highlighted Taylor's contributions to the band's success, noting he had been at the heart of Duran Duran's sound across two remarkable chapters, first in its era-defining early records and then again when the original line-up reunited in 2001. After coming back together in 2001, the group released six more chart-topping albums, with Taylor performing with them to millions of fans around the world.

After careful consideration and medical advice, the statement read, he had decided that protecting his hearing and long-term health must now come first.

Fellow band members Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and John Taylor also shared their thoughts, calling Taylor their brother and crediting his drumming for helping define the sound of Duran Duran from the very beginning. Having him back since 2001 had been incredibly important to them all, they said. They completely supported his decision and wished him health and happiness, saying he would always be part of the family while the band continued exploring new and exciting projects.

The post was accompanied by photos of Taylor on stage performing with the band. Fans took to the comments to wish the musician well. One of them was his son, Elliot, who wrote that it was not a bad run for his dad and that he had loved capturing some of those moments on stage. Another fan wrote that Taylor's rhythm had been the soundtrack to the best moments of his life and entire generations.

Duran Duran formed in the late 1970s, releasing their self-titled debut album in 1981 and quickly making a name for themselves. They became household names with their second album, Rio, in 1982, which featured hits such as Hungry Like the Wolf. Despite their success, the band split in the mid-1980s, with two members, including Taylor, pursuing solo projects. They came back together in 2001 and released an album with all five original members from the 1980s in 2004.

Taylor told The Chronicle in 2022 that there was always a sense of unfinished business with the original five. As a band, they have won two Grammy Awards, have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.