His trumpets have delighted more than 150 million people

One pair of ivory clappers, two sistra (rattles), and two trumpets - one made of silver with a gold mouthpiece and the other of bronze with some gold overlay—were among the few musical instruments found among Tutankhamun's grave goods. This would not have produced a very good orchestra, and it appears that Tutankhamun did not place a high value on music for his afterlife. In reality, his trumpets are in the category of military hardware, whilst his clappers and sistra were probably used for rituals.

The two trumpets were played on April 16, 1939, during a live BBC radio transmission from the Cairo Museum that was heard by an estimated 150 million people. James Tapper, a band member, damaged the silver trumpet by using a contemporary mouthpiece. The bronze trumpet was used once more in 1941 but without a contemporary mouthpiece.

Some have asserted that the trumpets can call forth war, motivated by the legend of "Tutankhamun's curse." They contend that the 1939 broadcast was what prompted Britain to join the Second World War.