Would it work to put one earbud in at a time? So you can still hear it, but you can also hear if someone starts talking to you, and it isn't loud for everyone else? (This random suggestion brought to you by my pair of earbuds where one of them doesn't work...)

Also, I totally get this. Music has serious power. Back when I thought I could un-depress myself by making and following rules, one of the rules I made was "I must sing at least one song every day". I still actually try to keep to this one, having tossed most of the others by the wayside.