Yahoo Lifestyle 10 Phenomenal Super Bowl National Anthem Performances That Made History
Whether you’ve made flight and hotel reservations for New Orleans or called your favorite spot on the sofa, chances are you’ve got Super Bowl LIX on the brain. Come February 9, football fans will be hyper-focused on the various plays, infractions, field goals, and touchdowns that happen during the course of the three-and-a-half-hour game.
But fear not, non-football fans! There are plenty of other fun things to consider on Super Bowl Sunday, starting with the blingy rings won by the champs. Did you know they’re worth about $40K? You could also discuss how this year’s cheerleaders compare to the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in general —we all watched that America's Sweethearts documentary on Netflix. (You could also discuss the fact that on average, cheerleaders earn about $150 per game, but why bring the room down?)
Fan or no, you should absolutely attend a Super Bowl party. No matter who you’re rooting for or what the theme is, you can suggest Taylor Swift for the playlist and be absolutely correct! Then there are the Super Bowl recipes—it’s a proven fact that Super Bowl Sundays are the source of the best chips, dips, wings, and every other sweet and savory bite-sized treat. Don’t eat too much though because you’ll have to bop to the halftime show. This year, rap superstar (and Drake’s sworn enemy) Kendrick Lamar will be pulling out all the stops with hits like “Not Like Us” and “tv off.”
But before Kendrick or even kick-off, take a minute to enjoy the “Star Spangled Banner.” Award-winning singer, songwriter, and composer Jon Batiste will put his own spin on the National Anthem in 2025. The tradition began in 1967 (although “America The Beautiful” was performed instead in 1977), and really famous people began performing it in 1982. Let’s look back at a few folks who were able to put their own spin on it.
Diana Ross
1982: Super Bowl XVI
The Queen of Motown Records was, well, a supremely fitting choice for the start of the celebrity-singing-the-National Anthem trend. Back in the early 1980s, she was burning up the charts with hits like “Upside Down,” “I’m Coming Out,” and her duet with Lionel Richie, “Endless Love.” She showed up at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan ready to do battle—or sing about it anyway—with her tresses flowing beneath a sparkling headband. While in years previous, the “Star Spangled Banner” had been performed by marching bands, Miss Ross chose to do it a cappella. Spoiler alert: She nails it.
Whitney Houston
1991: Super Bowl XXV
Back in 1991, Whitney Houston was it. She had just released her third album, I’m Your Baby Tonight, which would go on to sell 10 million copies. A little movie called The Bodyguard (maybe you’ve heard of it?) was in production and would come out the following year. All that’s to say that she was at the height of her superpowers. For her performance in Tampa, she chose to slow down the arrangement with the orchestra, and the result is a utterly unforgettable. She hits every single note. While she did receive some blowback when it was revealed that she pre-recorded her vocals, the performance was still a major hit and exactly what the country needed as the first Gulf War began. The song was released as a single, and all the proceeds went to charity.
Garth Brooks
1993: Super Bowl XXVII
In the early 1990s, nearly everyone knew every single word to “Friends in Low Places,” whether they were country music fans or not. So it made sense that Garth Brooks would be tapped to perform “The Star Spangled Banner” for the big game. However, the performance didn’t go off without a hitch. Former NFL Executive Director Don Weiss wrote that Brooks ditched the stadium less than an hour before showtime in his book The Making of the Super Bowl: The Inside Story of the World’s Greatest Sporting Event. It wasn’t nerves—the network had agreed to show his music video for "We Shall Be Free" during the broadcast, but backed off when they actually deemed the footage too controversial. After scrambling for a replacement—Jon Bon Jovi was apparently in attendance—the suits relented and showed the video. So Garth took the stage in a terrible shirt, hat in hand, and gave a very heartfelt performance as Marlee Matlin passionately signed the words (watch it on Youtube).
Cher
1999: Super Bowl XXXIII
Do you believe in life after love? Everyone at Miami’s Pro Player Stadium sure did after Cher gave a super powerful rendition of the National Anthem. The Goddess of Pop managed to turn back time with her distinct contralto voice—along with some very blunt bangs—mesmerizing the crowd, including a very young (and very cute!) John Elway.
Mariah Carey
2002, Super Bowl XXXVI
Mimi jetted down to New Orleans and for a performance that wowed lambs and non-lambs alike at the Louisiana Superdome back in 2002. At the time, she ruled the music world—she was the biggest selling recording artist in history—and she looked and sounded like a billion bucks. She was fresh-faced as ever when she joined the Boston Pops on the field while wearing a regal blue gown. When the music started, she went to work, hitting really, really, really high notes, and making it all look so darn easy.
Beyoncé
2004, Super Bowl XXXVIII
Fresh off the release of her first solo album Dangerously in Love, Bey returned to her hometown of Houston, Texas, to perform before one of the most exciting games in the history of the Super Bowl. Prior to the New England Patriots beating the Carolina Panthers by three points and the very controversial halftime show (yes, that one. Janet and Justin.), Beyonce took to the stage in a crisp white suit and hit every single note without any problem whatsoever (watch it on Youtube).
Billy Joel
2007, Super Bowl XLI
The Piano Man is a repeat performer at Super Bowls. He first sang the National Anthem in 1989 and then came back in 2007 for an encore at Miami’s Dolphin Stadium. Clad in a suit and sitting at a piano (of course!), the Long Island-born crooner gave a very Billy Joel-inspired performance that pleased uptown girls—along with everyone else (watch it on Youtube).
Kelly Clarkson
2012, Super Bowl XLVI
Long before Eli Manning hosted the Manningcast with his brother Peyton, he was very busy playing football. Back in the early aughts, the former New York Giants quarterback faced off against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, and (spoiler alert!) his team won. But before the game even started, there was cause for celebration when Kelly Clarkson performed the “Star Spangled Banner.” Though she took to the stage in a simple black dress, there was nothing simple about her rendition. Backed by a children’s choir, she managed to take the notes to superhuman heights. She did such a great job, in fact, that she was asked to do it seven years alter at The Indy 500 (watch it on Youtube).
Lady Gaga
2016, Super Bowl L
When it comes to birthdays, a half-century is a pretty big deal. So on the Super Bowl big 50th celebration, they pulled out all the stops, starting with a “Star Spangled Banner” performance by Lady Gaga. She took to the field in a sparkly red suit accompanied by a pianist, and together they wowed the crowd with a noteworthy showcase of her talent—some say it was the best performance of the song of all time (watch it on Youtube).
Reba McEntire
2024, Super Bowl LVIII
One time I pretended to like blackberry cobbler at a Cracker Barrel because Reba McEntire enthusiastically told me to try it. That magic was on display when she was tapped to sing the National Anthem. As the fiery red head sang out in her sparkly jacket, pants, and big ol’ belt buckle, she brought some Kansas City Chiefs to tears with her beautiful, heartfelt performance (watch it on Youtube).
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