Ordinary headphones will not help. The popping effect is caused by changing air pressure and density inside the plane. However, there are some special earplugs made to help deal with changing pressure!
Noise cancelling headphones can also help you enjoy the rest of your flight by drowning out loud engine noise and helping you sleep better during long flights. Studies have found that listening to music has reduced anxiety by a whopping 68%! So grab a pair of noise cancelling headphones (we recommend the Sony WH-1000XM4s), block out the excess flight noise and noisy seat neighbors, put on your favorite playlist or podcast and relax.