Australian Town Crier Sets New World Record for Loudest Shout
An Australian man has officially claimed the title of loudest shout ever recorded, letting out a single word at a thunderous 122.4 decibels to secure a new Guinness World Record.
Joseph McGrail-Bateup, who works as an air conditioner cleaner and serves as an honorary town crier, achieved the feat by bellowing the word “now” at ear-splitting volume.
Seven Attempts and a “Shot” Voice
The 58-year-old revealed that breaking the record wasn’t easy, requiring seven separate attempts before he hit the mark. He also admitted the effort left his voice strained for several days afterward.
“There’s no way that you can actually practise for it,” McGrail-Bateup said. “You have to just keep it for the day, especially with the world record attempt.”
Before settling on his winning word, he experimented with a handful of different options before ultimately deciding that “now” gave him the best result.
Breaking a Three-Decade-Old Record
McGrail-Bateup’s shout surpassed the previous record held by Annalisa Flanagan, a teacher from Northern Ireland, who shouted “quiet” at 121.7 decibels back in 1994, a record that had stood for roughly three decades.
While the numerical gap between the two records might appear small, the difference is more significant than it looks. Because sound is measured on a logarithmic scale rather than a linear one, every increase of 10 decibels roughly doubles the perceived loudness, meaning even fractional gains at this level represent a considerable feat of vocal power.
Record-Breaking Moment Caught on Tape
The historic shout took place on May 2 at a radio studio, where a professional acoustic engineer recorded the audio in the presence of witnesses to ensure the attempt met official standards. Guinness World Records confirmed the achievement on Friday.
A Town Crier With a History of Records
McGrail-Bateup has served as Canberra’s town crier since 2017, a role in which he makes announcements at local events, something he describes as simply “a bit of fun.”
This isn’t his first brush with record-setting. In 2019, he set a markedly different kind of record by firing 10 archery arrows in just 60.03 seconds. That record, however, didn’t last long in his hands, nine months later, a seven-year-old boy beat his time by more than 11 seconds.
Despite losing that earlier title, McGrail-Bateup now holds bragging rights as the owner of one of the most distinctive records in the book: the loudest human shout ever measured.
