Roger Taylor, Duran Duran's drummer, leaves the band after being diagnosed with tinnitus

Duran Duran drummer Roger Taylor has retired from the popular British band after being diagnosed with tinnitus.

Duran Duran themselves broke the news.

"Duran Duran today announced that drummer Roger Taylor is stepping down from the band and retiring from playing the drums, following a worsening of his recently diagnosed tinnitus," the British band wrote in a statement.

"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," the statement added.

Roger Taylor wanted to say a few words to his bandmates and all their fans after making "one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make" of his personal and professional life.

"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," he said.

Active since 1978, Duran Duran is one of the most famous rock bands, having reached its peak in the 1980s. Roger Taylor is one of the members still active in the group, along with Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and John Taylor.

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a condition that affects the ear and the perception of sounds. It is a ringing that comes and goes and has no external source, so other people cannot hear it.

Instead of ringing, some patients may hear a kind of roar or beep. As detailed the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), it affects about 10% to 15% of adults, although it can also occur in early stages of life.

When tinnitus lasts three months or longer, it is considered chronic. There is no definitive cure for the condition; however, treatments include the use of sound therapy devices (such as hearing aids), behavioral therapies and medications.