"It was so bad I turned off my tv": Netizens roast Conan Gray's national anthem rendition at Home Run Derby 

Internet star Conan Gray kicked off Monday's Home Run Derby by singing the American national anthem, leaving fans unimpressed. The singer started his career on YouTube and his first album went gold in 2020.

When he sang his rendition of the national anthem to mark the beginning of the event, unimpressed fans did not hold back on their comments on social media.

Viewers took to Twitter to critique the musician's performance, making him a trend on social media. One user said that "it was so bad, I turned off my tv."

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Internet users troll Conan Gray's singing the national anthem at Home Run Derby on the internet

The 23-year-old California native, wore a Dodger jersey while performing the anthem and though he looked great, it didn't matter to the viewers. It was his singing that they focused on.

Fans of the Home Run Derby slammed the singer and said that this was the worst national anthem performance to be given on the occasion.Viewers compared the performance to Fergie's rendition at the 2018 Home Run Derby. However, others said that Gray's performance was worse than the Meet Me Half Way singer.

Some viewers called Gray "tone deaf" while others said that there was "no worse national anthem" than the one they had just heard. This was a thought that was echoed by a number of Home Run Derby viewers.

Some questioned Major League Baseball and Home Run Derby's decision to select the singer for the performance. Meanwhile, others thought that it was inappropriate for pop singers to sing in such circumstances, where they don't have access to "backing tracks and auto tunes."

Some people also wondered how Gray had a platinum album.

A few said that Gray's Home Run Derby performance was "horrific" and that he "butchered" the anthem. Some took the opportunity and trolled the singer with memes.

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Why is the national anthem sung before athletic events?

Sports is a big part of America, and the national anthem Star-Spangled Banner is sung before every athletic event from professional leagues to high school games. The Super Bowl has featured the anthem since its first game in 1967.

The song was published in 1800s and became an anthem for the then war-struck country. It was played during patriotic celebrations and parades, much like those held on Independence Day.

However, the song wasn't connected to sports events until 1900s, after being sung at the 1918 World Series when the Chicago Cubs faced the Boston Red Sox. The Star-Spangled Banner played during the seventh-inning stretch and became a sporting tradition.

At that time, sports were rising very fast and became intertwined with country and patriotism, which gave more fuel to the tradition. Over time, the simple sports tradition evolved and famous artists started getting invited to sing the anthem before a big game.

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A little more about Conan Gray

Conan Lee Gray is an American singer and songwriter. He was born on December 5, 1998, in Lemon Grove, California and raised in Georgetown, Texas.

The artist started his music journey with YouTube, where he uploaded vlogs, covers and original songs as well. As his popularity grew on the internet, he was signed by Republic Records.

The singer released his first album under the label, including successful singles like Maniac and Heather. His 2020 album, Kid Krow, debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200, making him the biggest US new artist of the year.

Gray's second album was also successful and received critical acclaim. The album took the top 10 spots in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and the Netherlands.

The singer has a massive internet following with over 6.5 million followers on Instagram and 4.7 million followers on YouTube. The artist is said to have a net worth of close to $4 million.