Roger Taylor leaves Duran Duran after worsening tinnitus forced him to choose his health over the band’s demanding live schedule. The 66-year-old founding drummer announced the decision from his home in the United States, calling it one of the hardest choices he has ever made.
Taylor joined the Birmingham group in 1979 and helped shape its sound during its rise to global fame. Although he previously left in the 1980s, he returned in 2001 and has remained central to the band’s touring and recording work ever since.
“This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” he said in a statement shared on Duran Duran’s social media accounts. “Playing drums in this band has been the joy of my life, and I’ll never be able to properly thank the fans for the love they’ve shown us over the years.”
Why is Roger Taylor stepping away?
Taylor said his tinnitus had been growing “steadily worse” and that he had reached the point where he needed to follow medical advice.
Tinnitus causes people to hear sounds such as ringing, buzzing or humming without an external source. It can be particularly difficult for musicians, who spend decades working around loud instruments, amplifiers and crowds. Drumming professionally is not generally considered a quiet occupation.
“But the truth is that my tinnitus has been getting steadily worse, and I’ve reached the point where I must now listen to my body and my doctors,” Taylor said.
He did not describe any specific treatment or give further details about the severity of the condition. His statement suggests he is retiring from public drumming, although neither Taylor nor the band has outlined whether he could still take part in studio projects or other work away from the stage.
The timing, he acknowledged, had been difficult to settle. Still, he said he was leaving after a particularly rewarding period rather than during a lull.
Taylor says he is ending on a high
The drummer pointed to Duran Duran’s recent UK and European tour, a second headline appearance at BST Hyde Park, induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and new studio sessions with Nile Rodgers.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better final chapter, with so many special moments that I’ll treasure forever,” Taylor said.
He added that he was moving on “with enormous pride” and sent his love to singer Simon Le Bon, keyboard player Nick Rhodes and bassist John Taylor.
Those bandmates responded with a joint statement describing Roger as their “brother” and crediting his playing with defining Duran Duran’s sound from its earliest years.
“Having him back with us since 2001 has been incredibly important to us all,” they said. “We completely support his decision and wish him health and happiness.”
The group added that Taylor would always remain part of the Duran Duran family, while the remaining members continue working on “new and exciting projects.” No replacement drummer or revised touring arrangement has been announced.
What happens to Duran Duran’s live plans?
Taylor’s departure creates an immediate question for a band known for maintaining a busy performance schedule. John Taylor said last year that the group followed a loose rule of not going more than six weeks without playing live because performing “feeds our muse.” That schedule may now require a modest encounter with logistics.
The band has also made clear that it remains selective about certain bookings. Simon Le Bon and Nick Rhodes previously said Duran Duran would not play Glastonbury unless offered a suitable slot on the Pyramid Stage. John Taylor took a more relaxed view, saying he would like to perform there but that the matter did not keep him awake at night.
“You’ve got to keep moving if you want to stay in the game,” he said at the time.
Duran Duran has not yet explained how it plans to keep moving without the drummer whose work helped power songs across more than four decades. For now, the band says it will continue, while Taylor steps away with the support of his colleagues and doctors alike.
