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Manowar: The Undisputed Champions at 139 dB
Let me tell you something that’ll blow your mind – or perhaps your eardrums. Manowar registered an SPL of 139 dB during the sound check (not the actual performance) at the Magic Circle Fest in 2008. This wasn’t just any old gig either, they did it in front of 35,000 people at their own festival in Bad Arolsen, Germany. A PA containing, amongst other things, 64 subwoofers managed to power Manowar to 139 decibels.
The band’s commitment to sheer volume is legendary. The band had a technical contract “rider” that specified a minimum sound pressure level of 126 decibels for their sound systems. In 1984, in Hanover, Germany, they overtook The Who’s record when two sound specialists measured them playing at 129.5 decibels. They were using 10 tons of amplifiers and speakers that were 40 feet in length and 21-feet high.
Kiss: 136 dB of Glam Rock Thunder
Kiss didn’t just bring the makeup and pyrotechnics – they brought the noise. On July 15, at a Canadian concert in Ottawa, the band Kiss recorded an SPL of 136 dB measured during their live performance. The 2009 Bluesfest in Ottawa actually had a 90-decibel sound limit, which makes Kiss’s achievement even more impressive – or terrifying, depending on your perspective.
The band’s legendary stage presence combined with their ear-splitting volume made them a force to be reckoned with. Their concerts weren’t just musical performances; they were full-scale sensory assaults that left audiences both exhilarated and temporarily deaf. The combination of Gene Simmons’ bass roar and Paul Stanley’s guitar work created a wall of sound that literally shook venues to their foundations.
Leftfield: Electronic Chaos at 137 dB
Electronic music proved it could be just as punishing as heavy metal when Leftfield took the stage. Electronic pioneers Leftfield caused pieces of plaster from the Brixton Academy ceiling to fall onto the crowd at their show in support of 1995 album ‘Leftism’ after reaching volumes of 137 dB. They were summarily banned from using the same sound system at the venue after the high bass levels started disintegrating the ceiling, resulting in showers of dust and plaster.
The June 1996 performance at Brixton Academy became the stuff of legend. 137 dB, by the way, is the ear-bleeding equivalent of strapping yourself to the bottom of a Boeing 747 as it takes off. Imagine dancing while a commercial airliner revs its engines right next to you – that’s what Leftfield delivered that night. The band’s crushing bass frequencies literally brought the house down, creating one of the most memorable and structurally damaging concerts in history.
Motörhead: 130 dB of Pure Aggression
Lemmy Kilmister and Motörhead lived by a simple philosophy: if it’s not loud enough to kill grass, it’s not loud enough. In 1975, Motörhead singer Lemmy famously joked that the band “will be so loud that if we move in next door to you, your lawn will die”. In it, Cohen alluded to an undated concert during which Cleveland’s Variety Theater actually sustained damage from Motörhead reaching a decibel level of 130.
The band’s reputation for ear-splitting volume wasn’t just marketing hype – it was a legitimate health hazard. Their shows regularly exceeded safe hearing thresholds, and fans came prepared with earplugs or left with permanent hearing damage. Motörhead’s approach to volume was philosophical: louder meant better, and better meant loud enough to cause structural damage to buildings. The Cleveland incident proved that rock and roll could literally be destructive force.
The Who: 126 dB That Changed Everything
The Who were next to be listed as the “record holder” at 126 dB, having been measured 32 metres (105 feet) from the speakers during a concert in London at The Valley on 31 May 1976. This performance became legendary not just for its volume, but for what it represented – the moment when rock concerts officially became dangerous.
Pete Townshend and pals beat the standing record of 117 dB, recorded by Deep Purple at London’s Rainbow Theatre in 1972. The irony wasn’t lost on anyone that Pete Townshend, the man who helped create the record, would later suffer permanent hearing damage from his own band’s performances. To put these record decibels in perspective, a clap of thunder from a storm that is directly overhead registers at around 120 dB. Even though the clap only lasts a few seconds, the short exposure can cause permanent hearing damage.
Deep Purple: The Pioneers at 117 dB
Before everyone else went crazy with volume, Deep Purple set the standard. Deep Purple was recognised by The Guinness Book of World Records as the “globe’s loudest band” for a concert at the London Rainbow Theatre, during which the sound reached 117 dB and three members of the audience fell unconscious. Think about that for a moment – the music was so loud it literally knocked people out.
The 1972 concert at Rainbow Theatre wasn’t just a performance; it was a medical experiment nobody signed up for. When three audience members collapsed from the sheer volume, it became clear that rock concerts had crossed a new threshold. Deep Purple’s achievement was both a badge of honor and a warning sign about the dangers of pursuing volume for its own sake.
AC/DC: 130 dB of Highway to Hell
AC/DC’s thunderous performances reached dangerous levels consistently throughout their career. This Aussie rock outfit was so determined to be the world’s loudest band that it played a series of shows during an early 1980s tour at a whopping 130 dB. The noise was mostly fueled by Angus Young’s wall of high-powered Marshall amps and his set of Gibson SG guitars.
Eventually, complaints from promoters forced AC/DC to turn the volume down a few notches to a less-deafening dB level. But the damage was done – or rather, the reputation was established. AC/DC proved that Australian rock could be just as punishing as anything coming out of Britain or America, and their commitment to volume became part of their identity as one of the world’s most dangerous live acts.
Swans: Art Rock at 120-130 dB
Swans took a different approach to extreme volume, using it as an artistic statement rather than just showing off. The post-punk noise rock group became notorious for their crushingly loud performances that bordered on endurance tests. Unlike other bands who cranked up the volume for shock value, Swans used extreme decibel levels to create an immersive, almost spiritual experience.
Their concerts were legendary for their intensity and duration, with some songs extending for 20 minutes or more at punishing volumes. The band was known to provide earplugs at shows, acknowledging that their art came with genuine health risks. Swans proved that extreme volume could be more than just noise – it could be a transcendent experience that pushed the boundaries of what live music could achieve.
My Bloody Valentine: 120+ dB of Shoegaze Destruction
My Bloody Valentine turned guitar distortion into a weapon of mass destruction. Their infamous “Holocaust section” during performances of “You Made Me Realise” became legendary among noise music fans. This wasn’t just loud music – it was a 20-minute sonic assault that tested the limits of human endurance.
The band’s approach to volume was methodical and almost clinical. They understood that extreme loudness could alter consciousness, creating an experience that was as much about physical sensation as musical appreciation. Their concerts weren’t just performances; they were experiments in how sound could affect the human body and mind. Fans would emerge from My Bloody Valentine shows feeling like they’d been through a transformative experience.
Foo Fighters: 122 dB That Shook the Earth
The Foo Fighters proved that modern rock could still pack a seismic punch. The stamping feet of 50,000 Foo Fighters fans literally shook the earth under Auckland, seismic tests show. Geonet today said seismic stations set up in Herne Bay and Eden Park recorded ground movement similar to a volcanic tremor as the band played through their nearly three-hour set at Western Springs on Tuesday. The first vibrations were recorded around 7:30pm, part way through the set of support band Tenacious D. But the biggest shakes came after the Foo Fighters took to the stage at about 8:20pm.
According to two seismic stations outside the Western Springs stadium — 1.5 and 2 kilometers from the locale respectively – a strong low frequency of tremors were detected at the time of the show, correlating specifically with the highs and lows of the performance. The levels recorded were consistent with that of volcanic activity. The 2011 Auckland concert became proof that rock music could literally move the earth.
The Science Behind the Madness
Understanding these extreme decibel levels requires some scientific perspective. A volume of 115 dB(A) risks permanent damage after only 30 seconds; in the UK, Norway, and possibly certain other countries, exposure to sound at that level without ear protection for more than a few minutes is strictly prohibited. The sound level claimed at some of Manowar’s performances may cause ear damage almost immediately; the phrase deafening sound should be taken literally.
The human ear simply wasn’t designed to handle these levels of sound. Health experts say that significant damage can occur due to sustained exposure to any noises above 85 dB. To put this in perspective, a normal conversation happens at about 60 dB, while a lawnmower operates at around 90 dB. These concerts were operating at levels that could cause immediate and permanent hearing damage.
The End of an Era
The pursuit of extreme volume eventually came to an end for safety reasons. The Guinness World Records no longer celebrates “The Loudest Band in the World” for fear of promoting hearing loss. Now, of course, there is more knowledge about the dangers of concert-goers having their ear-nerve endings destroyed, and Guinness subsequently ditched the category. The band claimed a louder measurement of 129.5 dB in 1994 at Hanover, but Guinness did not recognise it, having discontinued the category by that time for fear of encouraging hearing damage.
Modern concerts now operate under strict noise regulations, with venues required to monitor decibel levels and provide hearing protection. The era of volume wars is over, replaced by a more responsible approach to live music. While we can appreciate the extremes these bands reached, we’re probably better off with our hearing intact. The loudest bands in history created a legacy that’s both impressive and cautionary – a reminder that sometimes, the pursuit of being the biggest and loudest comes with real consequences.
What would you have guessed was the loudest band before reading this?
Christian Wiedeck, all the way from Germany, loves music festivals, especially in the USA. His articles bring the excitement of these events to readers worldwide.
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