Are the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade performances lip synched?

By MixDex Article may include affiliate links

Here’s your annual reminder that most of the musical performances on NBC’s telecast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade are, in fact, lip synched.

  • In addition to the famous balloons and marching bands, the annual event traditionally features performances from Broadway musicals and recording artists in front of Macy’s flagship store in New York.
  • NBC airs most of these performances with a taped version of the vocals and instrumentals.
  • While performers may being singing live at the same time, the broadcast typically doesn’t use the live audio.
  • There are a variety of reasons that NBC uses lip synched performances — including technical challenges and the potential for bad weather making it difficult for performers.
  • It’s also likely not practical to have live musicians playing the instrumental part of many of the songs, some of which may require multiple instruments.
  • In most cases, however, the recording played does feature the performer being shown on screen.
  • It’s worth noting, however, that audio from the marching bands is typically taken from live mics set up around the performance area.