Every year, the Super Bowl always kicks off in patriotic fashion.
From Whitney Houston to Lady Gaga, the big game has birthed several performances that have been enshrined in history for many years that followed.
With Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church performing the national anthem at this year’s Super Bowl, let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable national anthem performances over the years.
Whitney Houston, 1991
Whitney Houston’s 1991 performance at Super Bowl XXV has been universally acclaimed and is often looked to as the gold standard of Super Bowl national anthem performances.
With her soaring, octave-jumping vocal range, the late Houston executed her performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" with elegance, exuberance and emotion that touched the hearts of the thousands in attendance and the millions watching at home.
WHITNEY HOUSTON RECALLED AS HAPPY IN DAYS BEFORE DEATH
Natalie Cole, 1994
Natalie Cole captivated her audience with her gospel rendition of the national anthem at Super Bowl XXVIII.
Accompanied by an exquisitely talented choir, the daughter of Nat King Cole and her accompanying choir ascended and descended scales like a rollercoaster — taking the audience along for a wild ride along the way.
Luther Vandross, 1997
With his silky-smooth, velvety delivery, Luther Vandross captivated the audience at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome with his soulful performance of the national anthem at Super Bowl XXXI.
The stoic faces of the players and the coaches on the field, while they listened to Vandross’ voice, told the story of how the singer was able to tap into the raw emotions of everyone in attendance that night.
10 MOST MEMORABLE SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS
Faith Hill, 2000
Faith Hill’s performance at Super Bowl XXXIV kicked off the new century in a big fashion.
Inspiring hope and patriotic values with her powerful performance, the songstress’ rendition of the national anthem is one that is remembered even two decades later.
Complete with a marching band, fireworks and impeccable production, Hill’s performance fired on all fronts in a magnificent way to kick off the 2000s.
Mariah Carey, 2002
People often recall Mariah Carey for her 1994 hit single, "All I Want for Christmas is You," but not enough for her Super Bowl XXXVI performance in 2002.
In one of the most impressive Super Bowl national anthem performances, Carey brought forth an unheard soul and humanity into her rendition of the piece.
At the height of her performance, Carey jumps several octaves and hits a high B, which immediately received a huge pop from the crowd.
WHO'S PERFORMING AT 2021 SUPER BOWL? FULL LIST OF CELEBRITY APPEARANCES
Beyoncé, 2004
As she began breaking away from Destiny’s Child and becoming the cultural phenomenon she is today, Beyoncé had the opportunity to perform at Super Bowl XXXVIII and truly showcase her solo skills.
Complete with a band and orchestra, the silk and calming nature of Beyoncés voice instilled hope for all Americans watching along.
Interlaced with shots of U.S. soldiers in Baghdad, Iraq and crowd members waving American flags throughout the arena, Beyoncé's performance evoked strong feelings of patriotism — especially in a post-September 11 world.
Academy Choirs, 2005
The combined choirs of the U.S. Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and the Coast Guard Academy, alongside the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, continued the tradition of strong early 2000s patriotism with their grand performance at Super Bowl XXXIX.
As the vocal performance concluded, the backing band then tagged the ending with a performance that evoked powerful feelings of victory and success.
Completing the performance were a set of Air Force jets that flew above the Alltel Stadium, captivating fans, musicians and players alike.
2021 SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS WILL STAR THESE CELEBRITIES
Carrie Underwood, 2010
Carrie Underwood performed the beloved "Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XLIV with unmatched power and emotion that had fans cheering loudly by the height of the song.
By retaining the original melody of the piece, Underwood’s delivery was straight to the point and still packed a punch that left viewers and attendees feeling patriotic.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Kelly Clarkson, 2012
Accompanied by a drumline and an angelic choir of children backing her, the Grammy Award-winning Kelly Clarkson opened up Super Bowl XLVI with a truly heartfelt performance.
Like Underwood’s performance, Clarkson keeps the performance relatively straightforward — receiving a positive reception from the audience.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Lady Gaga, 2015
In typical Lady Gaga fashion, the "Paparazzi" singer took listeners on an emotional rollercoaster with her powerful and commanding voice at Super Bowl 50.
The singer wasted no breath as she soared seamlessly through the entire piece while carrying the audience along with her.