Duran Duran’s drummer Roger Taylor announces his retirement

Drummer Roger Taylor joined Duran Duran in 1979, one year after the group was formed in Birmingham. He remained with the band until 1985 and returned in 2001. Now, the 66-year-old musician has announced his retirement as Duran Duran’s drummer following a worsening of his recently diagnosed tinnitus.

Duran Duran’s drummer Roger Taylor announces his retirement

“This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. 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. 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.”

“Figuring out the timing of all of this has not been easy, but I’m going out on a real high. We’ve just returned from a hugely successful UK and European tour, which followed our second headline show at BST Hyde Park, our induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and a return to the studio with Nile Rodgers. I couldn’t have asked for a better final chapter, with so many special moments that I’ll treasure forever. I move on with enormous pride, and with nothing but love for Simon, Nick and John,” he said.

What the band said

“Roger has been at the heart of Duran Duran’s sound across two remarkable chapters. He played on the band’s era-defining early records, then returned for the celebrated reunion of the original line-up in 2001, writing and playing on six additional chart-topping albums and performing with them to millions of fans around the world. After careful consideration and medical advice, he has decided that protecting his hearing and long-term health must now come first.”

“Fellow band members Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and John Taylor said: “Roger is our brother. His drumming helped define the sound of Duran Duran from the very beginning and having him back with us since 2001 has been incredibly important to us all. We completely support his decision and wish him health and happiness. He will always be part of this family, while we continue exploring new and exciting projects with the band.”

Roger was part of the albums “Duran Duran” (1981), “Rio” (1982), “Seven and the Ragged Tiger” (1983), “Thank You” (1995 – two tracks as a session drummer), “Astronaut” (2004), “Reportage” (2006), “Red Carpet Massacre” (2007), “All You Need is Now” (2010), “Paper Gods” (2015), “Future Past” (2021) and “Danse Macabre” (2023).