Most people would find it difficult to imagine a human voice loud enough to rival the roar of a jet engine, but that’s exactly what Australian city crier Joseph McGrail Batetube has achieved.
The 58-year-old from Canberra recently set the Guinness World Record for the loudest shout by a man after reaching a staggering 122.4 decibels, a sound level similar to a jet plane taking off at close range. According to Guinness World Records and the Associated Press, his record-breaking shout surpassed a record that had stood for more than three decades and showed just how powerful the human voice can be.
How loud was Joseph McGrail Battube’s record-breaking scream?
McGrail Battube’s scream reached 122.4 decibels when he shouted the word “now” during an official surveillance attempt in Canberra. The sound level is similar to that of an airplane taking off or a chainsaw or ambulance siren heard at close range. Guinness World Records recognized the feat as the highest shout by a man, making him the current title holder.Noise experts warn that prolonged exposure to sounds above 85 decibels can gradually lead to hearing damage.
At around 120 decibels, the sound reaches the point where it can become painful and may cause immediate hearing damage, especially at close range. Although McGrail-Bateup’s record-breaking scream only lasted a brief moment, anyone standing near it without hearing protection could be at risk of hearing injury.
Breaking a record that had stood for more than 30 years
The McGrail Bathtub surpassed the previous record of 121.7 decibels, set by Northern Irish teacher Annalisa Flanagan in 1994.
While trying to record, Flanagan shouted the word “quiet.” Guinness now recognizes McGrail-Batiope as the loudest male screamer, while Flanagan continues to hold the record for the loudest female screamer.
Who is Joseph McGrail Patiope?
Away from record attempts, McGrail-Batiope works as an air conditioning technician and serves as Canberra’s honorary city crier, a role he has held since 2017. City criers traditionally announce important news and public events using exceptionally powerful voices, making the role well-suited for someone capable of producing such extraordinary volume.Before setting the world record, he had already gained recognition in Australian town crier competitions, where projecting his voice clearly among large crowds was an essential part of the job.
How was the record achieved?
The recording attempt took place on 2 May 2026 inside the Radio Canberra studio. Guinness World Records requested that the screams be measured using professional sound monitoring equipment under controlled conditions, with independent witnesses present throughout the attempt.McGrail-Bateup reportedly needed seven attempts before he let out the winning shout. Afterwards, he said he temporarily lost his voice for several days, highlighting the physical demands of producing such an intense sound.Generating sound louder than 120 dB using only the human voice is extremely rare. It requires great breathing control, vocal technique and projection while avoiding injury to the vocal cords.
McGrail’s Bathtube feat demonstrates the extraordinary limits of human vocal power, although experts do not recommend trying it without professional supervision.
Not his first Guinness World Record
This is not the first appearance of the McGrail-Bateup in the Guinness Book of World Records. In 2019, he set the record for the fastest time by an archer to shoot 10 arrows. Although that record was later broken, he said he was happy to have another Guinness title and wouldn’t mind if someone surpassed his latest achievement as well.
