America’s Pride and Joy
The national anthem is supposed to make you proud, unified, and awed. Sometimes, however, it can make you do the opposite. From eye-rolling fails to pitch-perfect stunners, national anthem performances definitely vary. With that in mind, here are 10 of the worst and best performances audiences have ever heard.
1. Fergie
In 2018, Fergie's performance of the national anthem at the NBA All-Star Weekend was notable for its unusual, stylized delivery. Fergie's performance had players and celebrities in the audience giggling or laughing out loud on the court. Fergie later claimed that despite the massive online response, her performance was an artistic risk that she did her best on and that she loves the country.
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2. Kat DeLuna
Kat DeLuna is probably best known for her widely panned rendition of the national anthem at a Dallas Cowboys game in 2008. In attempting to sing extremely high diva notes with elaborate vocal runs, DeLuna hit a series of notes erratically, resulting in an extremely choppy performance with several instances of forgotten lyrics and an utterly butchered ending note.
3. Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton's 2003 rendition of the national anthem at a game between the Red Sox and the Yankees is an all-time sports blooper. It was cringe-worthy watching him glance at the words on his hand and hearing that odd echo after every phrase. His attempt to show off his range ended up being one of the most mocked performances ever.
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4. Roseanne Barr
Roseanne Barr's performance of the U.S. national anthem at a 1990 San Diego Padres game was intended to be outrageously offensive and succeeded in shocking even the most hard-core Americans. She sang flat, made vulgar gestures, and spat on the pitcher's mound.
Roseanne_barr.jpg: Stand-Up Sucks, LLC
derivative work: William S. Saturn (talk) on Wikimedia
5. Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera’s 2011 Super Bowl national anthem was extremely powerful, but also cringe-worthy at some points. First of all, she switched up the fourth line with the second, which mixed up the words and was very hard to understand. Her ending note was also her final nail in the coffin for this pathetic travesty.
Rafael Amado Deras on Wikimedia
6. Scott Stapp
One of the most infamous examples of Scott Stapp's problems with the national anthem was his performance in 2005 at the NASCAR Ford 400. Stapp's penchant for using severed notes and growling menacingly over the lyrics created a chaotic version of the song. The performance made it painfully obvious why Stapp's hard rock voice was not the right choice for this important patriotic song.
COMSEVENTHFLT with Chief Mass Communication Specialist Ryan Delcore on Wikimedia
7. Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler's 2001 and 2012 national anthem debacles were infamous for featuring his trademark Aerosmith wail all over the map. Though great for rock ballads, his voice struggles with the controlled phrasing certain verses require. The resulting notes and repeated lyrical flubs weren’t exactly the best.
8. 2006
When three of the most respected living performers in American popular music, along with a gospel choir, were assembled to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl, many thought it was the best possible way to honor the hometown of New Orleans. In 2006, the performers consisted of Aretha Franklin, Aaron Neville, and Dr. John. Despite this, the song was a muddled mess, leaving the audience and TV viewers scratching their heads and feeling uncomfortable.
Cecilio Ricardo, U.S. Air Force on Wikimedia
9. Keri Hilson
Keri Hilson's 2010 rendition of the national anthem before a Lakers vs. Hawks game was a terrible performance that was overshadowed by her forgetfulness of the song's lyrics. Instead of a soaring performance, she stumbled over the words, leaving the crowd bemused and disappointed.
Original uploader was Francky Dicaprio at fr.wikipedia on Wikimedia
10. R. Kelly
For the 2005 national anthem, R. Kelly tried to do a soulier, Marvin Gaye-ish version. He completely lost people. It was filled with questionable choices such as an abundance of handclaps and Chicago step dancers.
Now that we talked about some of the worst renditions, here are 10 that left the nation stunned in the best way.
1. Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston set the standard for the national anthem in 1991 and has not been matched since. Not only did she have the entire crowd in the palm of her hand, but she turned in a powerhouse, technically perfect performance of the anthem. It peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of the few versions of the song to ever reach the charts.
Lander.pauwels2006 on Wikimedia
2. Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato proved a 2010 prediction right when she sang the national anthem at the 2020 Super Bowl. Her performance featured strong and accurate vocals that wowed the crowd and were met with instant praise on social media. The song put her among the best recent anthem singers.
3. Beyoncé
A few years before Beyoncé ruled the Super Bowl halftime show stage, she belted out the national anthem in 2004. The Houston native’s hometown crowd got to witness her pipes in action with a bare-bones, power-packed performance. That infamous high note on “land of the free” still has us shook.
4. Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross sang one of the most velvety smooth national anthem performances in history. He poured his trademark soulful touch and an understated swing into the song. As good as Vandross was, he never let his technical prowess tempt him into showboating.
5. Jennifer Hudson
In 2009, Hudson sang the national anthem at the Super Bowl on a round stage. She emitted a strong, clear voice that vibrated through the entire arena, keeping the audience completely engrossed. This was one of her performances that some people think is the best rendition ever and second only to Whitney Houston's.
6. Chris Stapleton
In 2023, Stapleton performed a stirring rendition of the national anthem in a mournful, powerfully bluesy style as he accompanied himself on a Fender Telecaster. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and center Jason Kelce could be seen tearing up as Stapleton performed the national anthem.
Steve Kwak - Maryland GovPics on Wikimedia
7. Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga sang the national anthem before Super Bowl 50 in an unpretentious but emotionally charged performance that was both patriotic and performed with a bit of her signature pizzazz. Her take on the song during the halftime show for Super Bowl 50 was similarly understated and no-nonsense as she sang simply and without frills and built up to a belted finish that truly showcased her vocal power.
SMP Entertainment on Wikimedia
8. Mariah Carey
In a surprisingly modest and refined version of the national anthem, Mariah Carey took her own sweet time but ended with a crystal-cracking note at the very top of her five-octave range. This performance is one of the shining moments of her frequently underappreciated Glitter years.
9. Renée Fleming
Renée Fleming became the first classical performer to sing the anthem at the Super Bowl. The opera diva added her royal flair, singing the national anthem in her signature soprano. Her soaring version of “land of the free” was in a class all by itself.
10. Faith Hill
Faith Hill sang a simple and stirring version of the national anthem. The traditional song was given an elegant touch. The country singer also put her own Nashville spin on the anthem. Faith Hill even added the bagpipes to make the song her own.
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jason Neal on Wikimedia
