Whitney Houston. Chris Stapleton. Marvin Gaye. Jimi Hendrix. All have delivered unforgettable performances of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Each brought their own style, gave us goosebumps, and created a moment people still talk about years later.
And then… there are the performances that get remembered for very different reasons.
This weekend, Motown legend Martha Reeves unexpectedly found herself going viral after her rendition of the National Anthem.
Reeves, the iconic lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas, gave us classics like “Heat Wave,” “Nowhere to Run,” and “Dancing in the Street.” But instead of celebrating those timeless hits, the internet spent the weekend debating whether her anthem belongs on the list of the most memorable—and perhaps most off-key—performances ever.
At 85 years old, Reeves took the field with two background singers to perform the anthem before Opening Day of the Women’s Pro Baseball League at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois. Bless her heart, she gave it everything she had, and while some fans appreciated the effort, others weren’t quite as forgiving.
To be fair, performing the National Anthem is no easy task. Even some of music’s biggest stars have stumbled under the pressure. Hammer argues there have been performances that were far worse—so before we hand out any unofficial “worst ever” titles, let’s take a look at some of the other contenders.
1. Carl Lewis
Lewis’ famous “uh-oh, I’ll make it up for it now!” in the middle of his 1993 performance at a NBA Bulls vs Nets game, that’s hard to beat.
2. Fergie
The Black Eyed Peas alum tried to bring some jazz to her rendition at the NBA All-Star Game in 2020. The holdback laughter from the players really solidified why she’s on our list.
3. Roseanne
The comedian tried to bring in her own style during her performance in 1990. Fans clearly weren’t in a laughing mood.
4. Steven Tyler
We can’t end our list without Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, bringing his questionable creative take on the National Anthem at the Indy 500.
