[absolootezer0]

Sadly, the Whitney Houston Super Bowl anthem of 20 years ago has inspired half a generation of less-talented vocalists to ever greater extremes.

goes back earlier- think about the hendrix version in '69.
and i can't stand any modifying- even the most common one of taking "free" up a third or a fifth. proper dynamics makes the climax more powerful.

[DaveA37]

I’m not sure if the people singing our national anthem are being paid to sign or not. I would create a “contract” with anyone who is asked to sign which states NO COMPENSATION would be paid if the song deviates from the original written version. Perhaps that might clean it up. Maybe we should all complain to the promoters of the events threating to boycot their sponsors if the song is “bastardized”.