Highs and lows of the national anthem | CNN

CNN values your feedback

1. How relevant is this ad to you?
2. Did you encounter any technical issues?
Thank You!
Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much appreciated.
Close
Ad Feedback
US
Crime & Justice
Immigration
Education
Transportation
Race & Identity
Crime & Justice Immigration Education Transportation Race & Identity
Watch Listen Live TV
My Account
  • Settings
  • Newsletters
  • Topics you follow
  • Sign out
Your CNN account Sign in to your CNN account

My Account
  • Settings
  • Newsletters
  • Topics you follow
  • Sign out
Your CNN account Sign in to your CNN account

Live TV Listen Watch
Edition
US
International
Arabic
Español
Edition
  • US
  • International
  • Arabic
  • Español

Crime & Justice
Immigration
Education
Transportation
Race & Identity

Follow CNN
Download the CNN App

  • World
    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • China
    • Europe
    • India
    • Middle East
    • United Kingdom
  • US Politics
    • Elections 2026
    • Trump
    • Facts First
    • CNN Polls
    • Redistricting Tracker
    • Epstein Files
  • Business
    • Tech
    • Media
    • Calculators
    • Videos
  • Markets
    • Pre-markets
    • After-Hours
    • Fear & Greed
    • Investing
  • Health
    • Life, But Better
    • Fitness
    • Food
    • Sleep
    • Mindfulness
    • Relationships
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Celebrity
  • Tech
    • Innovate
  • Style
    • Arts
    • Design
    • Fashion
    • Architecture
    • Luxury
    • Beauty
    • Video
  • Travel
    • Destinations
    • Food & Drink
    • Stay
    • News
    • Videos
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsport
    • US Sports
    • Olympics
  • Science
    • Space
    • Life
    • Unearthed
  • Climate
    • Solutions
    • Weather
  • Weather
    • Video
    • Climate
  • Ukraine-Russia War
  • Israel-Hamas War
  • Features
    • As Equals
    • Call to Earth
    • Freedom Project
    • Impact Your World
    • Inside Africa
    • CNN Heroes
  • Watch
    • Live TV
    • Featured
    • CNN Fast
    • Shows A-Z
    • CNN 10
    • CNN TV Schedule
  • Listen
    • All There Is with Anderson Cooper
    • Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta
    • The Assignment with Audie Cornish
    • Terms of Service with Clare Duffy
    • CNN 5 Things
    • All CNN Podcasts
  • Games
    • Daily Crossword
    • Jumble Crossword
    • Photo Shuffle
    • Sudoblock
    • Sudoku
    • 5 Things Quiz
  • About CNN
    • Photos
    • Investigations
    • CNN Profiles
    • CNN Leadership
    • CNN Newsletters
    • Work for CNN

Download the CNN App
U.S.

Highs and lows of the national anthem

Updated 1:01 PM EDT, Wed September 2, 2015
Link Copied!
T-Pain sang the national anthem without his trademark Auto-Tune before the San Francisco Giants-Los Angeles Dodgers game Monday, August 31. Fans cheered his rendition. Here are some of the song's highs and lows.
T-Pain sang the national anthem without his trademark Auto-Tune before the San Francisco Giants-Los Angeles Dodgers game Monday, August 31. Fans cheered his rendition. Here are some of the song's highs and lows.
Harry How/Getty Images
Motley Crue band member Vince Neil performs the national anthem before an arena football game between the Las Vegas Outlaws and the San Jose SaberCats on Monday, March 30, in Las Vegas.
Motley Crue band member Vince Neil performs the national anthem before an arena football game between the Las Vegas Outlaws and the San Jose SaberCats on Monday, March 30, in Las Vegas.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Idina Menzel sang the national anthem at Super Bowl XLIX. "The Star-Spangled Banner" has a challenging melody, and not everybody has been able to deliver it effectively.
Idina Menzel sang the national anthem at Super Bowl XLIX. "The Star-Spangled Banner" has a challenging melody, and not everybody has been able to deliver it effectively.
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images
Chris Botti's November 3 performance of the national anthem during a "Monday Night Football" game left one Indianapolis Colts player in tears, with viewers at home calling it one of the best they've ever heard.
Chris Botti's November 3 performance of the national anthem during a "Monday Night Football" game left one Indianapolis Colts player in tears, with viewers at home calling it one of the best they've ever heard.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images/File
At the World Series game on October 24, 2013, it was James Taylor who had the save of the night. The singer was there to lead the stadium in the national anthem, but instead of "The Star-Spangled Banner," he began singing "America the Beautiful."
At the World Series game on October 24, 2013, it was James Taylor who had the save of the night. The singer was there to lead the stadium in the national anthem, but instead of "The Star-Spangled Banner," he began singing "America the Beautiful."
Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
Comedian Roseanne Barr's disastrous rendition of the national anthem during a San Diego Padres game in July 1990 drew almost unanimous boos. <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dk6o-AMClTXA" target="_blank" target="_blank">In a 2012 interview</a>, Barr told CNN's Piers Morgan it was "a huge regret that was hard to come back from."
Comedian Roseanne Barr's disastrous rendition of the national anthem during a San Diego Padres game in July 1990 drew almost unanimous boos. In a 2012 interview, Barr told CNN's Piers Morgan it was "a huge regret that was hard to come back from."
Michael Poche/Reuters/Landov
But Whitney Houston hit the right notes at Super Bowl XXV in January 1991, stirring Americans' patriotic feelings during the Persian Gulf War. Her version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" reached the Billboard chart's Top 20 that year.
But Whitney Houston hit the right notes at Super Bowl XXV in January 1991, stirring Americans' patriotic feelings during the Persian Gulf War. Her version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" reached the Billboard chart's Top 20 that year.
Michael Zagaris/Getty Images
No stranger to performing the national anthem, Christina Aguilera nevertheless forgot some of the words when she did the song at Super Bowl XLV in February 2011. "I got so lost in the moment of the song that I lost my place,"<a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmarquee.blogs.cnn.com%2F2011%2F02%2F07%2Fchristina-aguilera-does-know-the-words-to-the-national-anthem%2F"> Aguilera told CNN</a>.
No stranger to performing the national anthem, Christina Aguilera nevertheless forgot some of the words when she did the song at Super Bowl XLV in February 2011. "I got so lost in the moment of the song that I lost my place," Aguilera told CNN.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Cyndi Lauper became another singer to flub the national anthem when she performed at the U.S. Open tennis tournament around the 10-year anniversary of 9/11. "The moon shone done on us and I tried to say a prayer at the same time.. I hope I didn't mess up too bad. I wanted it to be comforting," <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fcyndilauper%2Fstatus%2F112718783164063744" target="_blank" target="_blank">she tweeted afterward</a>.
Cyndi Lauper became another singer to flub the national anthem when she performed at the U.S. Open tennis tournament around the 10-year anniversary of 9/11. "The moon shone done on us and I tried to say a prayer at the same time.. I hope I didn't mess up too bad. I wanted it to be comforting," she tweeted afterward.
Jared Wickerham/Getty Images for USTA
Beyonce wowed the nation with <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fvideo%2F%23%2Fvideo%2Fpolitics%2F2013%2F01%2F21%2Finaug2013-sot-beyonce-national-anthem.cnn">a rendition</a> on Inauguration Day in January 2013. The singer later told reporters "<a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2013%2F01%2F31%2Fshowbiz%2Fbeyonce-super-bowl">she decided to sing along with my prerecorded track</a>," a decision she made in part because she didn't have time to rehearse with the U.S. Marine Band and had had "no proper sound check." But she wowed any doubters in her rehearsals and halftime show at the Super Bowl in February.
Beyonce wowed the nation with a rendition on Inauguration Day in January 2013. The singer later told reporters "she decided to sing along with my prerecorded track," a decision she made in part because she didn't have time to rehearse with the U.S. Marine Band and had had "no proper sound check." But she wowed any doubters in her rehearsals and halftime show at the Super Bowl in February.
JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Marvin Gaye, pictured in 1984, sang a <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.npr.org%2Ftemplates%2Fstory%2Fstory.php%3FstoryId%3D985241" target="_blank" target="_blank">memorable but untraditional version</a> during the 1983 NBA All-Star Game.
Marvin Gaye, pictured in 1984, sang a memorable but untraditional version during the 1983 NBA All-Star Game.
Detroit Free Press/MCT /Landov
Luke Bryan was so nervous about becoming one of the stars famous for messing up the national anthem, he wrote a few lyrics on his palm before singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a baseball game in July 2012 -- and was swiftly called out for it. "I had a few key words written down to ensure myself that I wouldn't mess up," <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmarquee.blogs.cnn.com%2F2012%2F07%2F11%2Fluke-bryan-wants-to-explain-his-all-star-game-performance%2F%3Firef%3Dallsearch" target="_blank">Bryan later explained</a>. "I just wanted to do my best. I promise it was from the heart. If I offended anyone with my approach I sincerely apologize. Anytime I sing the anthem it is an honor and my heart beats out of my chest."
Luke Bryan was so nervous about becoming one of the stars famous for messing up the national anthem, he wrote a few lyrics on his palm before singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a baseball game in July 2012 -- and was swiftly called out for it. "I had a few key words written down to ensure myself that I wouldn't mess up," Bryan later explained. "I just wanted to do my best. I promise it was from the heart. If I offended anyone with my approach I sincerely apologize. Anytime I sing the anthem it is an honor and my heart beats out of my chest."
Getty Images
Canadian singer Alexis Normand made headlines when she forgot the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a hockey game in May 2013. Normand, pictured performing at a later game, <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FAlex6Normand" target="_blank" target="_blank">tweeted she was sorry</a>.
Canadian singer Alexis Normand made headlines when she forgot the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a hockey game in May 2013. Normand, pictured performing at a later game, tweeted she was sorry.
TODD KOROL/Reuters/LANDOV

My Account
  • Settings
  • Newsletters
  • Topics you follow
  • Sign out
Your CNN account Sign in to your CNN account

Live TV Listen Watch
  • World
    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • China
    • Europe
    • India
    • Middle East
    • United Kingdom
  • US Politics
    • Trump
    • Facts First
    • CNN Polls
    • Elections 2026
    • Redistricting Tracker
    • Epstein Files
  • Business
    • Tech
    • Media
    • Calculators
    • Videos
  • Markets
    • Pre-markets
    • After-Hours
    • Fear & Greed
    • Investing
  • Health
    • Life, But Better
    • Fitness
    • Food
    • Sleep
    • Mindfulness
    • Relationships
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Celebrity
  • Tech
    • Innovate
  • Style
    • Arts
    • Design
    • Fashion
    • Architecture
    • Luxury
    • Beauty
    • Video
  • Travel
    • Destinations
    • Food & Drink
    • Stay
    • News
    • Videos
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsport
    • US Sports
    • Olympics
  • Science
    • Space
    • Life
    • Unearthed
  • Climate
    • Solutions
    • Weather
  • Weather
    • Video
    • Climate
  • Ukraine-Russia War
  • Israel-Hamas War
  • Features
    • As Equals
    • Call to Earth
    • Freedom Project
    • Impact Your World
    • Inside Africa
    • CNN Heroes
  • Watch
    • Live TV
    • Featured
    • CNN Headlines
    • Shows A-Z
    • CNN 10
    • CNN TV Schedule
  • Listen
    • All There Is with Anderson Cooper
    • Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta
    • The Assignment with Audie Cornish
    • Terms of Service with Clare Duffy
    • CNN 5 Things
    • All CNN Podcasts
  • Games
    • Daily Crossword
    • Jumble Crossword
    • Photo Shuffle
    • Sudoblock
    • Sudoku
    • 5 Things Quiz
  • About CNN
    • Photos
    • Investigations
    • CNN Profiles
    • CNN Leadership
    • CNN Newsletters
    • Work for CNN

US
Watch Listen Live TV
My Account
  • Settings
  • Newsletters
  • Topics you follow
  • Sign out
Your CNN account Sign in to your CNN account
Follow CNN

Download the CNN app
Download the CNN app

Terms of Use Privacy Policy Ad Choices Accessibility & CC About Newsletters Transcripts Sitemap

© 2026 Cable News Network. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved.
CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.

Download the CNN app

Scan the QR code to download the CNN app on Google Play.

Scan the QR code to download the CNN app from Google Play.

Download the CNN app

Scan the QR code to download the CNN app from the Apple Store.

Scan the QR code to download the CNN app from the Apple Store.