10 of the Worst National Anthem Renditions of All Time: From Ingrid Andress to Roseanne Barr and More
Aaron Lewis
Staind founding member Aaron Lewis sang his rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Game 5 of the World Series held at AT&T Park in 2014. While he smoothly started his performance, he hit a glitch when he flubbed the line “at the twilight’s last gleaming" as he sang "were so gallantly streaming" instead.
Lewis posted an apology statement on his website a few hours later.
“All I can say is I'm sorry and ask for the Nation's forgiveness. My nerves got the best of me and I am completely torn up about what happened. America is the greatest country in the world,” he wrote.
The rocker continued, “'The Star-Spangled Banner' means so much to so many, including myself. I hope everyone can understand the intensity of the situation and my true intent of this performance. I hope that the Nation, Major League Baseball and the many fans of our national pastime can forgive me.”
Lewis previously criticized Christina Aguilera when she had a similar blunder at the Super Bowl three years before his performance.
Fergie
Fergie unveiled a "creative rendition" of the national anthem at the 2018's NBA All-Star Weekend, though not everyone was impressed by her performance as they believed she "botched" it with her style.
On the other hand, the 49-year-old "Just Can't Get Enough" singer explained that — while she was a risk taker — the rendition "didn't strike the intended tone."
“I love this country and honestly tried my best," said the Black Eyed Peas star.
Ingrid Andress
Ingrid Andress made headlines for her disastrous National Anthem performance before the annual Home Run Derby in Texas. The unusual rendition made viewers and listeners brand it "the worst ever" since Fergie's presentation.
Several videos on X showed players seemingly holding back laughter amid the gaffe.
After a day, Andress addressed the issue on her X and Instagram pages, admitting she was drunk at the time and would seek treatment afterward.
"That was not me last night. I apologize to MLB, all the fans, and this country I love so much for that rendition," part of her statement read.
Jesse McCartney
Jesse McCartney left his fans speechless when he graced the NASCAR Pepsi 500 with a buzzworthy rendition of the national anthem. He forgot the lyrics and skipped a whole verse during his performance.
Kat DeLuna
In 2008, Kat DeLuna was tapped to sing the anthem before the Dallas Cowboys' game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The "Whine Up" singer, 36, sounded like she was trying so hard to hit the notes throughout the song while also forgetting the lyrics from time to time.
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Keri Hilson
Keri Hilson also messed up her national anthem performance at a Lakers vs. Hawks game on March 31, 2010. Like the previous singers, she kept forgetting the lyrics — leaving everyone stunned.
Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton survived the first few lines of the national anthem when he sang it at Game 4 of the 2003 ALCS. But in the middle of his performance, he suddenly looked at his hand, where he had the lyrics written down.
R. Kelly
Disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly made a soul rendition of the national anthem in 2005. However, he made headlines for the unnecessary details he added to his performance, including the handclaps and using Chicago step dancers.
Rachel Platten
Before the Utah Royals vs. Chicago Red Stars game in 2018, Rachel Platten sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Rio Tinto Stadium, but she had to restart twice after forgetting the words.
“I feel really embarrassed, honestly. I’m having a hard time forgiving myself, but I’m working on it. It was incredibly, incredibly embarrassing,” she told People after the flub. “I’ve been trying to retrace steps of what happened … it has just been hanging over me.”
Roseanne Barr
In 1990, Roseanne Barr attracted criticism over her disastrous singing of the national anthem at the San Diego Padres game. She added more fuel to the fire by making controversial gestures — grabbing her crotch and spitting — at the end of her performance.
The crowd showered her with boos afterward and called it one of the worst renditions of all time.