Every year, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade brings a morning full of entertainment. The annual broadcast features marching bands, balloons, and floats that house a star-studded lineup of performers from various genres. While there is a little something for everyone, some viewers are disappointed when they see their favorite artists lip-syncing.
This morning, several disappointed viewers took to social media to share their feelings about the pre-recorded performances.
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: Wait, Do All the Performers Lip-Sync During the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?]
“This cast of Ragtime performance on the [Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade] is the worst lip-syncing I’ve ever seen on NBC. And I saw Ashlee Simpson on SNL,” one viewer commented early in the broadcast.
The pre-recorded performances are enough to make some choose to skip the annual broadcast. “I’ve always hated the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade,” one Twitter user shared. “It’s just one giant commercial for Broadway, sh**ty pop stars, and TV shows. The way they always have the artists lip sync their songs was always hilarious to me,” they added.
Why Are Artists Lip-Syncing During the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
While it may be disappointing for some viewers to see artists lip-syncing during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, it happens for a good reason. In short, the performances wouldn’t sound as good if they were live.
Many artists perform while riding on floats. If their microphones were live, they would likely pick up the sound of the floats moving. Other environmental sounds, including wind, crowds cheering, or traffic on adjacent streets, could also bleed into the performances. Additionally, the winter air would likely make singing live more difficult for some.
Moreover, live performances loud enough to be heard by spectators and those watching at home require several large and cumbersome pieces of equipment. The floats don’t have room to pack this equipment along with the entertainers and decorations.
In short, lip-syncing is the only way for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to add performances to the legendary holiday tradition.
Featured Image by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
More Latest Music News & Stories
-
Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic -
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 14: Reba McEntire performs onstage during the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chloe Kern/WireImage) -
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JUNE 02: Morgan Wallen performs onstage for the 16th Annual Darius and Friends St. Jude Benefit at Ryman Auditorium on June 02, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ABA) -
TOPSHOT – US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift attends the MTV Video Music Awards at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California on September 27, 2026. (Photo by Lisa O'CONNOR / AFP via Getty Images) -
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – SEPTEMBER 16: Chris Stapleton performs onstage during the 25th Annual Americana Honors & Awards at Ryman Auditorium on September 16, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Americana Music Association) -
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 13: Zach Top performs onstage during C2C Country to Country day one at The O2 Arena on March 13, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage) -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: Kelly Hansen of Foreigner performs onstage during The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis 39th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner on September 29, 2025 at the New York Hilton Midtown raised millions of dollars to support the pioneering work of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a designated Center of Excellence at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine and the world’s premier research center targeting spinal cord and brain injury and other neurological disorders and diseases. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for The Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis) -
(NO SUB AGENCIES IN UK, FRANCE, GERMANY, HOLLAND, SWEDEN, FINLAND, JAPAN.) Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant) 1969 during Led Zeppelin File Photos at the Led Zeppelin File Photos in Various, United Kingdom. (Photo by