UK Titles Editorial
Duran Duran announced on 12 November 2026 that Roger Taylor is stepping down from the band and retiring from playing drums. The group attributed his decision to worsening tinnitus following a recent diagnosis in its official statement.
Taylor said the decision had been difficult and that he needed to follow his doctors’ advice. He thanked fans and reflected on the group’s recent UK and European tour.
Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and John Taylor expressed support for their bandmate and credited his drumming with helping to define Duran Duran’s sound. Their response also said the group would continue developing new projects.
Two chapters with Duran Duran
Rolling Stone’s coverage places Taylor’s playing alongside the group’s early albums: its self-titled debut in 1981, Rio in 1982 and Seven and the Ragged Tiger in 1983. After his earlier departure, he returned for the original line-up’s reunion in 2001.
An earlier feature in the band’s archive traces his musical background to Birmingham’s punk scene. It also recalls a March 1981 Smash Hits cover featuring Taylor and keyboardist Nick Rhodes, rather than the whole band.
Duran Duran were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. Roger Taylor is among the musicians listed in the institution’s record of the induction.
Cover: AI-generated illustration of imagined drums, not Roger Taylor’s equipment or a Duran Duran performance.
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