Being referred to as a loud person isn’t always a compliment. But for a certain subset of people—the really, really loud, that is—it’s a skill they’re quite proud of.
It can even bring them global recognition and, for at least one of them, a Guinness World Record.
Australian “town crier” crowned World’s Loudest
Believe it or not, The World’s Loudest Person is a record tracked by Guinness World Records. For decades, it was held by one woman: an Irish schoolteacher named Annalisa Flanagan.
Flanagan set her World Record by reaching a vocal magnitude of 121.7 decibels back in 1994. For over 30 years, her record was untouchable. That is, until a humble air conditioning cleaner from Australia came along.
Joseph McGrail-Bateup was recently crowned the new World’s Loudest Person, hitting a peak of 122.4 decibels. To set the record, he yelled the word “now” at the top of his lungs, requiring seven attempts to hit his record-breaking mark.
For reference, 122 decibels is louder than most chainsaws, jackhammers, and car stereos at max volume. It’s not far from the sound of an aircraft taking off.
Here’s McGrail-Bateup showing off his pipes and talking about his record, though the video doesn’t do his true volume justice.
McGrail-Bateup is an honorary “town crier” in his hometown of Canberra
He’s known for years about that his loudness was something of a superpower, and used it to apply for the official position of Town Crier. It’s a symbolic position that honors the rich history of town criers in Australia and beyond.
In Canberra, where McGrail-Bateup makes announcements at community events, he’s known as “Lord Joseph.”
It wasn’t that long ago that having a voice like McGrail-Bateup’s was a critical skill. Before social media, before television, before the printing press even, news spread via word of mouth. And those with the loudest mouths were a critical chain in the distribution of important news.
History.com writes that town criers date back to the days of the Roman Empire. They’d spread news at the will of the Emperor, announce incoming ships, and even collect taxes. They were still in use during the American colonial days.
“If there was news to be announced, people didn’t have access to newspapers before the early 19th century for the most part, so that was the best way to communicate,” historian Christopher Gordon told History.com.
He adds that town criers were chosen to be active, reliable, respectable men of the community. Of course, they also had to be loud as all get-out.
Fun fact: Town criers often had to deliver bad news to the citizens. They were protected by law, and experts say this is where the phrase “Don’t shoot the messenger” came from before it was popularized in plays of yore.
Town criers are a dying breed, but the new record-holder is doing his part to keep the tradition alive
The rise of physical and now digital media made the job of town crier far less crucial, but they still exist today. Their roles are mostly ceremonial and community based: they lead parades, emcee celebrations, announce dignitaries, and more.
There are only a few hundred left around the globe.
For his part, McGrail-Bateup is bringing some much-needed attention to this lost art form with his headline news.
However, according to the AP, he does not consider himself the loudest human on the planet, just the loudest man. “I’m pleased that [Flanagan] gets to keep her record. So, she’s still the loudest woman in the world and I’m the loudest male in the world,” he said.
