List of discontinued Guinness World Records explained

This is a list of Guinness World Records that have been discontinued for various reasons. This may include that the record poses a threat to health or the environment.

!Record!Reason to discontinue!Last appearance in the records book!References
"The largest ever mass balloon release"Environmental concerns (see Balloonfest '86)[1] [2]
Controversial animal sportsConcerns with animal welfare. Includes camel wresting records, and "largest fox ever killed during an English fox hunt".
Fastest journey around the world by carBreaking speed limits1996
Fastest yodel
Heaviest petsEncourages people to over-feed their pets1998[3]
Hunger strikes / Fasting[4]
Untimed gluttonyHealth concerns1989
Largest penny pyramidPenny shortage1984
Largest pie fightPolicies on food waste increasing in strictness, including that the food is "for general consumption by humans".[5]
Longest kissHealth concerns[6]
Longest time spent buried aliveHealth concerns[7]
Longest time spent without sleepingHealth concerns1974[8] [9] [10] [11]
Most beer drunk in an hour1991
Most difficult tongue twister
Most greeting cards received by an individualFear of overwhelming the postal system
Most guitars smashed during a concert tour"Guitar welfare"
Most sky lanterns released simultaneouslyEnvironmental concerns
Most tweets in a single second
Video game high scores
Fastest violinist "It has become impossible to judge the quality of the renditions, even when slowed down. In terms of monitoring the number of musical notes, it is not clear if all notes have been played fully."2017[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Michael K. McIntyre . The Plain Dealer . 2011-10-01 . Claim to world record for 'Balloonfest '86' is not all hot air: Michael K. McIntyre's Tipoff . 2023-10-01 . cleveland . en.
  2. Web site: Quinn . Chris . 2023-06-24 . Where truth ends and fake news begins on Cleveland’s 1986 Balloonfest: Letter from the Editor . 2023-10-01 . cleveland . en.
  3. Web site: 60 years on, the categories that Guinness World Records no longer monitors . 1 October 2023 . Guinness World Records.
  4. Web site: Sullivan . Kate . 2021-03-26 . Guinness World Records That Are No Longer Accepted . 2023-10-01 . Grunge . en-US.
  5. Web site: 2022-05-04 . 14 (Thankfully) Discontinued Guinness World Records . 2023-10-01 . Mental Floss . en-US.
  6. Web site: Longest Kiss World Record Contest Was Discontinued, Guinness Explains Why . 2023-10-01 . NDTV.com.
  7. Web site: BBC News UK Going underground - what a record! . 2023-10-01 . news.bbc.co.uk.
  8. Web site: Atwal . Sanj . What’s the limit to how long a human can stay awake? And why we don’t monitor the record . 2024-05-04 . Guinness World Records.
  9. Web site: Zevely . Jeff . 2022-08-09 . No sleep for 12 days! Roger Guy English revisits his 1974 world record . 2024-01-13 . . en-US.
  10. Web site: Keating . Sarah . The boy who stayed awake for 11 days . 2023-10-01 . www.bbc.com . en.
  11. Web site: Brandt . Angela . 2021-11-18 . Poway man who relishes a challenge, no matter how crazy, inspires documentary and a beer . 2024-05-04 . Pomerado News . en-US.
  12. - see pinned comment