The effect of sounds on the behaviour of sharks has not been investigated since the 1970s. However, in a context where mitigation strategies are in high demand to counter fisheries pressure on sharks caught as bycatch, and negative interactions between sharks and humans, sound offers an advantage over other sensory stimuli, as it can spread in all direction quickly and further than any other sensory cue. We investigated the behavioural responses of wild and captive sharks to the playback of two different sounds: killer whale calls and a custom-made artificial sound. We also presented a combination of the sound with bright flashing (strobe) lights to explore the effect of multisensory cues. Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias), as well as seven species of benthopelagic reef sharks were targeted in the wild, while Port Jackson sharks (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) and epaulette sharks (Hemiscyllium ocellatum) were tested under controlled conditions in the laboratory. Our results show interspecific differences in the effect of underwater sounds on shark behaviour. We also found an enhanced adverse effect when strobe lights were used in combination with sound. We discuss our results within a neuroecological framework, in the context of anthropogenic noise and shark mitigation technologies.