National Anthem

Most performers don’t really get going until the last half of the song so these first few phrases are comparatively tame. But Anthony Hamilton — he’s basically singing a different melody at the 2019 NBA All-Star Game.

Let’s see how Fergie is doing. Her 2018 NBA All-Star Game performance is surprisingly tame Diva Score-wise. Sadly, the Diva Score can’t capture when someone manages to pronounce every single word in the weirdest, most sultry way possible.

By looking at the pitch line, you can pick out artists’ signature shapes, like scooping into notes. This is a common technique for country stars like Chris Stapleton and Scotty McCreery.

Speaking of “country” stars, our dataset has two Taylor Swift performances — both (2006 and 2008) well before her pop shift. Back then she was just a kid with a guitar, so it’s understandable that she records some of the overall lowest Diva Scores (#114 and #129).

Two words: Aretha Franklin. The “Queen of Soul” shows out on this phrase, and she’s in good company: 8 of the top 10 Diva Scores for this phrase are from fellow R&B artists.

The Diva Score measures chaos, but it can’t tell if that chaos sounds good or bad. Case in point: Jazmine Sullivan rarely has a top 3 Diva Score (although she ranks as the #17 overall diva), but we think she consistently sings some of the most beautiful and creative vocal runs.

This phrase is a common trip up for performers like Christina Aguilera and Eric Burton, who both double back over previously sung phrases. After her gaffe, Aguilera said she hoped the “true spirit of [the] anthem still came through.” It did, X-Tina.

Good anthem performances are rarely a given, but artists like Whitney, Beyoncé, and T-Pain make it look easy. Yes, you read that right, Mr. Autotune delivered a sterling rendition. This phrase was one of his top Diva Scores.

The “Star Spangled Banner” is treacherous to sing — start off too high and “you’re screwed.” Trace Adkins sings in the lowest key among our dataset (D); Jennifer Hudson (and others) are in the highest (A); and Steven Tyler sings just a step below that in G, by far the highest of any other man in our dataset.

If you’ve been with us since the beginning, you’ll notice that Chaka Khan has racked up 5 top diva appearances in these first 9 phrases. She has the highest average Diva Score per phrase, making her our #1 Diva.

For slightly more mellow, but still noteworthy performances, check out H.E.R. at the 2023 World Series and Taylor Swift at the 2008 World Series, T-Swift's highest recorded Diva Score for a phrase.

Some singers are National Anthem pros with 3 or more performances in our dataset. Carrie Underwood performed in 2010, 2007, 2006, and 2017, with all her renditions sounding nearly identical.

Meanwhile, Demi Lovato switches it up. They use unique vocal runs for each of their performances from 2012, 2015, and 2020.

Two inauguration performances, where “flag” is emphasized, rise to the top for this phrase: Beyoncé (2013) and Lady Gaga (2021). We’ve seen a big evolution since Juanita Booker’s more traditional 1981 take.

Fergie, what are you doing, girl?

Towards the end of the anthem, you’re not making the top diva list unless you have a well-deserved royalty nickname: “The Queen of Funk” Chaka Khan, “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul” Mary J. Blige, and the “Godmother of Soul” Patti Labelle.

Mary J. Blige, in particular, holds down two of the top 10 Diva Score spots for this phrase: her performances at the 2009 World Series and 2012 NBA All-Star Game.

Remember, the Diva Score measures how different a performance is from the standard, so artists like Nicole Scherzinger and Steven Tyler who go up the octave and hit (well, sometimes hit) the high notes on “free” get bonus points.

Here, you can also see the really tight vibrato waves from classical- and Broadway-trained singers like Renee Fleming and Kristen Chenoweth.

The true divas shine for the anthem’s closing phrase. Here are the top 10 Diva Scores. It’s pure chaos in the best way possible.