The situation could simply be that your SO has some kind of behavioral or respect issue, but what you're describing rings a bell for me, and I'd like to play devil's advocate for a minute and suggest that your boyfriend may have a much broader issue that he is dealing with. Assuming first that he's doing this unintentionally, and really isn't attempting to freeze you out or offend you: does he have any other peripheral issues with his attention span, or problems with time management or organization? Does he have trouble listening to music recreationally, or have trouble picking the lyrics of the song?
It really may not be you at all, especially since he says that he struggles with the same issue when interacting with others. Like I said, this sounds similar to a problem I have. I suffer from attention deficit disorder (not quite the same as ADHD), and while I'm not at all hard of hearing, when I am not on my meds I process about 50% of what I hear. I'm also so mentally disorganized that I'll find myself distracted by mundane things to the exclusion of people or high-priority tasks.
Thankfully, I have some very patient people in my life, and they understand why they may have to repeat something to me two or three times while I literally stare directly at them, unable to turn the noise they're making into words. Strangers think I'm deaf or a jerk, but it's simply a matter of not being able to mentally prioritize what I'm trying to focus on over background distractions.
I know that it is a hilarious ready cliché to immediately suggest that somebody is suffering from a mental disorder, but your boyfriend may be oblivious to the fact that he's unable to properly focus on people, tasks, communication. If you notice any of the other signs that I mentioned, if you see him struggling to maintain focus elsewhere in his life, then at least you can take some comfort in the knowledge that this isnt a matter of how he views you specifically. At that point , you may have to just decide if he's worth the extra patience and occasional guidance.
... Now, if he only acts this way to you, then he may just be a jerk.