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Anthems hold significant cultural and historical importance, and here are some interesting facts about them:

1. Oldest National Anthem:

   • The oldest national anthem in the world is the Dutch national anthem, "Wilhelmus." It was written between 1568 and 1572 during the Eighty Years' War, making it over 400 years old.

2. Lyrics and Music Origins:

   • Many national anthems have lyrics that were written separately from the music. For example, the music for the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner," was originally a British song called "To Anacreon in Heaven."

3. International Anthem:

   • The most internationally recognized anthem is the "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The European Union adopted it as its anthem, symbolizing unity, peace, and shared values.

4. Unofficial Anthems:

   • Some songs become unofficial anthems for certain groups or movements. For instance, "We Will Rock You" by Queen is often used as a sports anthem, and "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor is associated with motivation and overcoming challenges.

5. Changing Anthems:

   • Countries sometimes change their national anthems due to political or social reasons. South Africa, for example, changed its anthem multiple times during and after the apartheid era, eventually adopting a multilingual anthem, "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" (God Bless Africa).

6. No Official Lyrics:

   • Some countries have national anthems without official lyrics. Spain's national anthem, "Marcha Real," is one such example. There is no official wording, and it is one of the few national anthems in the world without lyrics.

7. Multiple Anthems:

   • Some countries have multiple national anthems. New Zealand, for instance, has two anthems, "God Defend New Zealand" and "God Save the Queen," which are both considered official.

8. Length Variation:

   • National anthems vary in length. Some, like Japan's anthem, are very short, while others, like Uruguay's anthem, are much longer. The length can range from less than a minute to several minutes.

9. Instrumental Anthems:

   • A number of national anthems are purely instrumental, without any lyrics. Examples include Kosovo's anthem, "Europe," and Bosnia and Herzegovina's anthem, "Intergalactic."

10. Record for Longest Performance:

    • The record for the longest continuous performance of a national anthem goes to a group in the Philippines. They played the Philippine national anthem for 56 hours and 25 minutes in 2007 to celebrate Independence Day.