Eric Church and Jazmine Sullivan are scheduled to perform the national anthem at Super Bowl 55 on Sunday in Tampa, Florida.
To many, the singing of “The Star Spangled Banner” is as meaningful as the game itself.
Citizens everywhere turn solemn in the moment of hearing those first familiar chords — we remove our hats and place our hands over our hearts. Patriotism galvanizes the crowd, closely followed by a collective cheer.
Every year, we look to vocalists to inspire us or to help us reflect on the true meaning of being an American.
Sunday night will be no different for Church and Sullivan.
Here’s a look back at some of the top national anthem performances at the Super Bowl, including the most memorable one 30 years ago in Tampa:
7. Pink
Pink’s commanding voice gave us an anthem filled with emotion at the Super Bowl in 2018.
6. Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross recast the anthem as his own in 1997. Many described his smooth tenor version of the anthem as a velvety love song.
5. Gladys Knight
In 2019, Gladys Knight showed us why she’s called “The Empress of Soul.” She sang the anthem in her hometown of Atlanta for Super Bowl LIII.
4. Beyoncé
Who can forget Beyonce’s rendition at the Super Bowl in 2004?
3. Jennifer Hudson
What can we say about Jennifer Hudson’s performance besides simply amazing?
2. Lady Gaga
Gaga gave the crowd goosebumps in 2016 with a stunning rendition of the anthem, which ranks up there with Whitney Houston's version.
1. Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston’s rendition of the national anthem at Super Bowl XXV in 1991 is widely considered the greatest performance of “The Star Spangled Banner.” The song was released as a single and re-released after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America in 2001.
Rich Barak of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this report.
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