Guinness Crowns Canberra Town Crier World's Loudest Person at 122.4 dB

Q: Is it physically safe for a human to shout louder than a jet engine?

No. A human can briefly produce an extremely loud shout, but doing so at levels comparable to a jet taking off is not considered physically safe. Joseph McGrail-Bateup’s 122.4-decibel shout was measured in a controlled studio and is in the range of a chainsaw, siren or nearby jet noise. That level is far above normal speech, around 60 dB, and close to the range where sound can cause immediate pain and rapid hearing damage. Hearing experts generally warn that the louder the sound, the less exposure time it takes to injure the inner ear, and very loud bursts can cause permanent hearing loss or tinnitus. There are also risks to the voice itself. Forceful yelling makes the vocal folds collide violently and can cause acute hoarseness, swelling, strain and, in some cases, longer-term injury. McGrail-Bateup himself said his voice was “shot” for days after seven attempts, which is consistent with short-term vocal trauma. It is also worth noting that “as loud as a jet engine” can be misleading. Decibel readings depend on distance, measurement method and weighting. His record was 122.4 dB C-weighted, which is extraordinarily loud for a human voice, but still not the same as standing next to a jet engine at close range, where levels can be even higher and more dangerous. So while such a feat is possible in a brief, measured attempt, it carries real risks to both hearing and vocal health and should not be treated as safe.

3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 23

Joseph McGrail-Bateup, 58, was recognized by Guinness World Records after shouting “now” at 122.4 decibels in a Canberra radio studio on May 2.
The mark beat the previous 121.7 dB record set in 1994 by Northern Ireland teacher Annalisa Flanagan, whose record Guinness had listed as the loudest individual shout.
McGrail-Bateup said the attempt took seven tries and left his voice husky for days, adding that it was not something he could realistically train for.
Canberra’s honorary town crier since 2017, he had already built a reputation for volume, winning a 2024 Australian guild contest with a 98 dB “Oyez, Oyez, Oyez.”
The Australian air-conditioner cleaner said he is happy for challengers to beat him, calling records “meant to be broken.”