John Mellencamp Predicts Deafness by Tour End, Refuses Hearing Aids
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer cited his grandmother's advice for his decision not to use hearing aids.
John Mellencamp anticipates he may be completely deaf by the conclusion of his forthcoming tour due to worsening hearing problems and tinnitus. The 75-year-old musician revealed his concerns during a recent appearance on the "Nepo, Baby!" podcast.
Mellencamp described his hearing difficulties as making everyday social interactions challenging. "I don't like going out 'cause I can't hear," he stated. He also experiences pulsatile tinnitus, a condition where one can hear their own heartbeat, which he described as adding to the difficulty of hearing conversations in noisy environments like restaurants.
Pulsatile tinnitus is a less common form of tinnitus that causes individuals to perceive sounds, such as a whooshing or thumping, synchronized with their heartbeat, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Mellencamp suggested that years of exposure to loud music might have contributed to his hearing loss.
Despite the potential for complete deafness, Mellencamp expressed his intention to continue performing. "I probably will be totally deaf by the time the tour is over. Yeah, but you know, I wear earplugs and stuff, but I do not ever, will I ever get hearing aids," he said.
He explained his firm stance against wearing hearing aids by referencing advice his grandmother once gave him. "My grandmother told me, she said, 'John, don't ever get hearing aids because once you get them, you can't live without them.'" He added that his grandmother warned him that managing hearing aids would be as difficult as, if not more so than, constantly searching for misplaced glasses, wallet, or car keys.
This is not the first time Mellencamp has been outspoken. He has previously used his concerts to voice political opinions, including criticism of former President Donald Trump's administration. During a 2026 performance, he humorously addressed Trump's executive order to refer to the body of water as the "Gulf of America" instead of the Gulf of Mexico, prompting a response from the White House at the time.