Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Fans Can't Ignore the Awful Lip Syncing
Why No Live Singing?
Nearly all of the performers on 34th Street have been lip-syncing instead of performing live for years for a number of logistical reasons – including just how difficult it would be to wire the moving floats for sound in order to have the singers actually be audible as they move along.
In 2018, Grammy winner John Legend confirmed this amid backlash he faced for lip-syncing, writing on Twitter at the time, "Fun fact. We all have to lip sync on this parade because the floats don't have the capacity to handle the sound requirements for a live performance. Hope y'all enjoyed it anyway."
prevnextCold Weather
Another reason has to do with the cold weather that performers have to face during the parade. While crowds only had to withstand temperatures in the high 40s in New York City this year, some years subject the performers to much colder weather, which has the potential to harm singers' vocal cords. Kelly Clarkson, who appeared to actually sing live in 2018, noted on Twitter after her performance that it was "a very cold Thanksgiving moment."
prevnextComplaints
All that didn't stop viewers from complaining about the lip-syncing being so obvious.
Maybe it would be more interesting if the music acts didn’t lip-sync
— JumpCut (@JumpCut94) November 24, 2022
prevnextwhatever this broadway performance is seems like the first one utilizing Lip Sync-ing today.... my official Lip Sync Rating for this is 4/10 .. not the worst ever but the other performances we've seen were so good that they were really singing or perfect lip syncing #MacysParade
— Emily Ward – omgitsemilyward on tumblr (@omgitsemilyward) November 24, 2022
'A Beautiful Noise'
The performance from the cast of A Beautiful Noise, a Neil Diamond musical, was a major target for people who were not thrilled with the lip-syncing.
I haven’t watched in years. Changing the channel now that I suffered through the horrible lip sync of Neil Diamond. I miss the focus on the floats
— V White (@vlwhite24) November 24, 2022
prevnextTurned on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, and it’s a guy lip-syncing and dressed like disco Neil Diamond.
Makes about as much sense as anything. Time for a drink.
— Travis Lazarczyk (@TLazarczykMTM) November 24, 2022
'Just a Reminder'
Others made sure to point out to people that the lip-syncing wasn't exactly voluntary for the performers.
Just a reminder that every performer is forced to lip sync at the macy’s day parade lol
— corn hogan (@hogiebunz) November 24, 2022
prevMacy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the ultimate test for artists and how well they can lip sync
— One Legged Bitch ✨ (@thefifthjuan) November 24, 2022