Aaron Lewis, lead singer of Staind, butchered "The Star-Spangled Banner" ahead of last night's World Series game. He has since apologized, but he needn't; his rendition immediately goes down in history as one of the most memorable.
It is a remarkably hard song to sing, even without the pressure of doing it in front of millions. So it takes a special disaster to qualify for this hastily compiled countdown of the worst pre-sporting event national anthem renditions of all time, or at least of the Youtube era.
Honorable mention: R. Kelly, 2005. Many anthems go wrong when the singer tries to get creative. This was almost creative enough to work.
Honorable mention: Drew Magary, 2012. Competent!
Honorable mention: Natalie Gilbert & Mo Cheeks, 2003. Unfortunately, Mo Cheeks can't be everywhere.
15) Measha Brueggergosman, 2012. Two anthems for the price of one! When players from both teams can't stop laughing, you've achieved something.
14) Harper Gruzins, 2012. Age is no excuse.
13) Michael Bolton, 2003. Had the lyrics written on his hand. Ruined the anthem anyway.
12) Christina Aguilera, 2011. Extra points for screwing up the most-watched anthem in American history up to that point.
11) Keri Hilson, 2010. Those aren't the words.
10) Steven Tyler, 2012. Physically painful to listen to.
9–Tied) Scott Stapp, 2010. High treason.
9–Tied) Scott Stapp, 2005
7) Alexis Normand, 2013. "I wish I'd had more time to learn the American anthem."
6) Madison Rising, 2014. What the hell?
5) Aaron Lewis, 2014. Are we overrating it just because it's recent? Listen to it again. We are not.
4) Kat DeLuna, 2008. It takes something special to get the anthem booed in Texas.
3) Roseanne Barr, 1990. Objectively the worst. Points off for trying to be bad, though.
2) Unknown hockey lady, 20??. Forgets the lyrics. Leaves mid-song to grab a cheat sheet, and falls on her ass when she returns. Scurries off, this time for good. Simply immortal.
1) Carl Lewis, 1993. The king.