Joseph McGrail-Bateup, a 58-year-old air conditioner cleaner and honorary town crier from Canberra, Australia, has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's loudest person. McGrail-Bateup yelled the word "now" at 122.4 decibels, beating the previous mark of 121.7 dB set by Northern Ireland schoolteacher Annalisa Flanagan in 1994, who shouted "quiet."
Embedded below is video posted by the AP. You are in control of the volume, obviously, but it's clear something special is happening with this fellow's voice.
The attempt was recorded May 2 in a Canberra radio studio by an acoustic engineer with witnesses present, and the files were sent to Guinness, which announced the record Friday. He said it took seven attempts and left his voice "shot" for days. The reading sits in the range of a chainsaw, a jet taking off or an ambulance siren heard up close.
Flanagan keeps the women's record; McGrail-Bateup considers himself the loudest man rather than the loudest person.
The shouting fits his second job as Canberra's honorary town crier, a part-time ceremonial role he's held since 2017 and "a bit of fun." As "Lord Joseph" he makes announcements at community events, school fetes and car shows, and belongs to the Ancient and Honorable Guild of Australian Town Criers, where members compete on volume. He won a 2024 guild contest with a 98 dB "Oyez, Oyez, Oyez."
In 2019 he set a speed mark for shooting 10 arrows; a 7-year-old broke it nine months later.
Guinness crowns Canberra town crier as the world's loudest person at 122.4 decibels [apnews.com]
