“The Star-Spangled Banner” is so ubiquitous in American public life that it’s difficult to hear the song as a song—a living, breathing entity that thrives when reinterpreted by skilled musicians. Such reinventions happen on a small scale on an everyday basis yet they’re often canceled out by rote, dutiful renditions that reveal how hard it can be to perform Francis Scott Key’s national anthem.
What follows are 30 versions of “The Star-Spangled Banner” that excel either due to their execution or imagination. These are the twin tracts of how to play “The Star-Spangled Banner” in modern America, represented by Whitney Houston’s powerhouse vocals and Jimi Hendrix’s galvanizing guitar, respectively. Many musicians followed these respective paths but just as many strayed off course, interpreting the familiar melody with quirky, idiosyncratic flair that’s quintessentially—and thrillingly—American.
30. Kermit Ruffins (2014)
On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” New Orleans trumpeter Kermit Ruffins played a languid, soulful solo version of the national anthem for the Museum of American History. Performing in front of the statue of Satchmo at Louis Armstrong Park in the Big Easy, Ruffins doesn’t mess with the melody much in this clip posted by TMOAH, choosing to accentuate the elongated lines with the occasional woozy phrase, ending with a flourish that’s thoroughly New Orleans.
29. The Charlie Daniels Band (2002)
Taken from Redneck Fiddlin’ Man, an album the Charlie Daniels Band released in 2002, this instrumental version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” is suitably mournful, fitting the national mood in the wake of 9/11. The remarkable thing about this version of the national anthem is how Daniels doesn’t ratchet up the sentiment: it’s played straight and sincere, lacking either kitsch or corn, two elements that usually proved irresistible to Daniels.
28. Stuart Hamm (2010)
One of the premier bassists to emerge in the shred-happy 1980s, Stuart Hamm is known for his work supporting the likes of such guitar titans as Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Here, Hamm shows that he can captivate on his own, transforming”The Star-Spangled Banner” so it’s a liquid, fluid and lyrical number, one that demonstrates that a bass can indeed be a melodic instrument.
27. Kiss (1993)
Kiss closed Alive III—their second sequel to their career-making 1975 double-live LP Alive—with an overdriven version of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” one that allowed guitarist Bruce Kulick to indulge in every arena rock excess, all without losing sight of the familiar melodic through line. Although the arrangement is inflated to an absurd scale—it’s possible to imagine fireworks exploding high in the air as Kulick squeezes out the notes on his guitar—the fun of the song is that it’s utterly lacking in humility: it’s the sound of everything turned up to eleven.
26. Garth Brooks (1993)
Garth Brooks was in the thick of his meteoric run on the charts when he sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl in 1993. Flanked by Oscar-winner Marlee Matlin—she was currently co-starring with Mark Harmon in the second and final season of Reasonable Doubts—signing the lyrics, Brooks performed a stirring and sincere version of the national anthem that found him keeping his bombastic tendencies in check.
25. Mariah Carey (2002)
At Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans, Mariah Carey performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” alongside the Boston Pops, a powerhouse combination that showed how Americans rallied around the flag in the wake of 9/11. The Boston Pops provided the pomp, while Carey sang with skill and control that made her inevitable deployment of a glass-shattering high note at the conclusion all the more powerful: her entire performance built to that moment.
24. Alicia Keys with Jennifer Hudson and Sandy Hook Elementary Chorus (2013)
At Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans, Alicia Keys didn’t hesitate to pull on the heart strings. She didn’t even opt for the center stage. Less than two months after 2012's horrific Newtown school shooting, Alicia Keys brought out members of the Sandy Hook Elementary School chorus, then had Jennifer Hudson, who memorably performed the national anthem in 2009, sing a rousing version of the song, all before Keys sang a reflective, jazzy version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” that effectively acted as a coda to all the grand emotions that preceded it.
23. Dolly Parton (2003)
It was a given that Dolly Parton would find space for “The Star-Spangled Banner” on For God And Country, the unabashedly patriotic album she released in 2003: no American singer could embark on such a project without cutting the national anthem. Parton doesn’t take many risks with the song—it’s solemn and stirring, colored by a hint of showbiz pizazz—but her clear, powerful voice carries it through its conventional path.
22. Duke Ellington (1943)
Duke Ellington kicked off his celebrated Carnegie Hall concerts of 1943 with a sweet, succinct version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” that didn’t reimagine the song so much as serve as an example of the band’s singular power. Playing it relatively straight, the Duke Ellington Orchestra plays with robust control, showing their strength not through swing but through their bold articulation of the melody, allowing themselves a moment of sweetness on the bridge before barreling on through to the conclusion.
21. Diana Ross (1982)
Effectively the first pop superstar to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a Super Bowl, Diana Ross set the pace for generations of singers with her immaculate version of the national anthem in 1982. Singing at Super Bowl XVI in her hometown of Detroit, Ross performed with clarity and control, along with a hefty dose of star power. From this point forward, the Super Bowl didn’t seem Super unless a pop superstar inaugurated the proceedings.
20. Neil Diamond (1987)
Singing at Super Bowl XXI in Pasadena, Neil Diamond managed to give “The Star-Spangled Banner” a good measure of melodrama in his memorable rendition from 1987. The instrumental support left all the bombast to Diamond himself, who performed with a sense of showbiz panache, milking the early verses and building to a forceful conclusion.
19. Floyd Cramer (1974)
The master of the slip-note piano, Floyd Cramer transformed “The Star-Spangled Banner” into a piece of lush easy-listening on his 1974 album The Young and The Restless. Always a melodic player, Cramer never disguises that he’s indeed playing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” yet the grace notes of his slip note—he glides into every other note—and the impossibly sumptuous arrangement make this version of the national anthem so strangely soothing, it hardly seems forceful enough to be a rallying call.
18. Jennifer Hudson (2009)
Jennifer Hudson didn’t bother messing with the arrangement of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida. Hudson milked each melodic turn of its drama, as did her orchestral support, letting each segment of the national anthem swell to a crescendo, creating a wave of emotional climaxes that the singer navigated expertly.
17. Faith Hill (2000)
Faith Hill was at the peak of her powers in 2000, celebrating her crossover from country to pop with such hits as “This Kiss” and “Breathe.” With this wind at her back, Hill delivered a masterful version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta. While she never missed an opportunity to highlight the full extent of her formidable vocal range, the key to her performance here is that it never seems like showboating: each vocal run, each melisma serves the song while also drawing attention to the singer.
16. Metallica (2019)
Before the third game of the 2019 NBA Finals, Metallica guitarists James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett delivered a surprisingly nuanced instrumental duet on “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Neither pushing the volume dial into the black nor neglecting to play with power, the duo use with force and finesse, trading off licks, lines and melodies with the grace of musicians who have played together their entire lives.
15. Bela Fleck (2017)
A standard part of Bela Fleck’s repertoire since at least 1991 when he included it on his Flight of the Cosmic Hippo album, “The Star-Spangled Banner” is utterly transformed in the hands of the progressive bluegrass banjoist. Treating the familiar melody as a suggestion, Fleck finds sweet and spectral interstitials within the song, helping to turn it into an elastic, evolving tune that sounds much different in this 2017 live version than it did many, many years earlier in the studio.
14. Billy Joel (2007)
Billy Joel sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” back in 1989 for Super Bowl XXIII, but it paled in comparison to the version he delivered at Game 3 of the World Series in 2015. Performing sans piano, Billy Joel sang an a cappella version of the national anthem that didn’t just showcase his vocal range but his interpretive skill: here, he teases out a melancholic undercurrent in “The Star-Spangled Banner” that most singers choose to avoid.
13. Jose Felciano (1968)
At Game 5 of the 1968 World Series, at Detroit’s Tiger Stadium, Jose Feliciano turned “The Star-Spangled Banner” into a song that felt of a piece of with his sunny psychedelic-tinged folk-rock. Performing with just his acoustic guitar, Feliciano sung with the open heart that distinguished his hit version of the Doors’ “Light My Fire,” personalizing the national anthem in a way that makes it feel distinctive and fresh.
12. Cher (1999)
While “Believe” ruled the charts, Cher sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami. Eschewing any of the digital flair of her comeback smash, Cher relied on her expertly honed vocal chops. Beginning her rendition with a dramatic hush, she built steadily to a crescendo, never losing control or stretching her voice to its limits. It’s a testament to her status as a showbiz icon.
11. Stan Kenton (1972)
Stan Kenton specialized in adventurous big band music, creating arrangements that utilized the full swinging power of a jazz orchestra. Early in the 1970s, he devised an ambitious latter-day project: National Anthems Of The World, a record where he reimagined national anthems from around the globe. His version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” created new, elastic space within the familiar melody, a bold reinterpretation that’s thrilling in its brassy drama.
10. Beyonce (2004)
One of Beyonce’s first moments in the spotlight on a national stage, her rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXXVIII—an event held in her hometown of Houston—isn’t as splashy and commanding as the halftime shows she’d perform years later. Instead, this version of the national anthem shows Beyonce singing with assurance and restraint, adding some interesting touches on the margin, as when she slides into understated jazz on the verse beginning with “Whose broad stripes and bright stars.” Such subtle grace notes are what makes this version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” memorable.
9. Bruce Hornsby & Branford Marsalis (1995)
Bruce Horsnby and Branford Marsalis had been performing their evocative, elegant instrumental rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” since the early 1990s. They gained the attention of filmmaker Ken Burns, who put it in his acclaimed documentary series Baseball in 1994, thereby earning the duo a Grammy nod for their interpretation of the national anthem.In September 1995, when Cal Ripkin broke the major league record for most consecutive games played, Hornsby and Marsalis were there to celebrate the occasion, delivering a lovely rendition of their thoughtful reinterpretation of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
8. Aaron Neville, Aretha Franklin, and Dr. John (2006)
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Aaron Neville and Dr. John were invited to give “The Star-Spangled Banner” a distinctively New Orleans spin for Super Bowl XL. Kicking off with Dr. John’s rolling piano, this version of the national anthem is initially sung by a quivering Aaron Neville before it’s handed over to Aretha Franklin—hometown hero of Detroit, where this sporting spectacle was held—who brings it over the finish line with the assistance of a full gospel choir. The fusion of two distinct styles of soul make for a compelling rendition of this familiar song.
7. Lady Gaga (2016)
Lady Gaga treated Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, California, with the drama it deserved. Accompanied only by a piano, Gaga sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” with theatrical flair, never resisting an opportunity to indulge in either melisma or showy runs up and down a scale. It’s a performance designed to draw attention to her vocal acumen and, remarkably, she never stumbles, delivering a rendition that stuns precisely as it was intended to do.
6. Marvin Gaye (1983)
Riding high on the success of “Sexual Healing,” Marvin Gaye transformed “The Star-Spangled Banner” into a sensual slow jam when he sang the national anthem for the NBA All-Star Game in 1983 at the Forum in Inglewood, California. As the rendition starts, it’s impossible to ignore how Gaye pushes rhythm to the forefront, a decision that defies all other arrangements of the song. This simmering beat allows Gaye to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” as if it was a seduction, not a salute to the flag.
5. Chris Stapleton (2023)
At Super Bowl LVII earlier this year in Glendale, Arizona, Chris Stapleton gave “The Star-Spangled Banner” a soulful, Southern-fried spin. Playing graceful and gritty rhythm guitar on his Telecaster, Stapleton belted out the national anthem as if it should be sung in a roadhouse, not a stadium. The imaginary shift in setting gives “The Star-Spangled Banner” a welcome sense of earthiness.
4. Luther Vandross (1997)
Picking up a thread left hanging from Marvin Gaye in 1983, Luther Vandross delivered a quiet storm rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans. There’s a difference between Marvin and Luther. Where Gaye sang as if seduction was his intent, Vandross opted for smoothness for its own sake, a decision that gives his interpretation of the national anthem a sense soothing comfort
3. Chicks (2003)
Just months before Natalie Maines uttered an anti-George W. Bush comment that transformed the trajectory of their career, the Chicks—then known as the Dixie Chicks—sang at Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego, a sign of how they were embraced by the mainstream. Their performance shows why they were at the height of their popularity. Singing with taste, nuance and style, the Chicks bring power not through volume but harmony that helps emphasize the collective, not the individual—a sentiment that’s well suited for a national anthem.
2. Jimi Hendrix (1969)
Jimi Hendrix closed the Woodstock festival with a Monday morning set on August 18, reaching an emotional climax with a fiery, feedback-laden version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Captured on Michael Wadleigh’s Woodstock documentary, the version became such an integral part of pop culture it could verge on cliche, but Hendrix’s performance remains a wonder: even before he ascends in waves of feedback, his piercing phrasing of the melody feels revolutionary, retaining its gnarled, psychedelic power all these years later.
1. Whitney Houston & The Florida Orchestra (1991)
By most measures, Whitney Houston’s rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXV in Tampa, Florida, is the definitive modern version of the national anthem. Performed during the heated days of the Desert Storm conflict, this interpretation of “The Star-Spangled Banner” is proudly patriotic: Houston is supported by a military marching band, ensuring that she doesn’t stray from either the written text or intent. What she does do is deliver the anthem expertly, giving the melody dramatic force while using every aspect of her voice. It’s a virtuosic performance that is difficult to match, let alone top.