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The Super Bowl is the biggest sporting spectacle in the United States, marked not only by its athletic implications but also its marketability.
It is a cash cow for broadcasters, corporations and the NFL alike. Between the game itself and its endless hum of commercials, things can get hectic.
But upon the conclusion of the first half and before the start of the second, the chaos fades away. Fans are provided a brief respite from the corporate-backed sludge that covers their television screen. The players fall away, as do the commercials — save for a few delicately placed brand designs lined across the broadcast.
In their stead comes a musical supernova who, for 15 minutes or so, has thousands in the stands — and millions at home — in their grasp. This is the Super Bowl halftime show. It is, for better or worse, the most memorable part of The Big Game.
So, just how did the Super Bowl halftime show come to be? The Sporting News gives you the run down on the history of the concert, from its humble origins to its present-day dominance over the sporting calendar.
MORE: Full list of best and worst Super Bowl national anthem performances
Super Bowl halftime show performers
Here’s a look at every Super Bowl halftime show, starting with the most recent headliners.
Super BowlYearPerformer(s)592025Kendrick Lamar with guests SZA and Mustard582024Usher with guests Alicia Keys, Jermaine Dupri, H.E.R., will.i.am, Lil Jon and Ludacris572023Rihanna562022Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige552021The Weeknd542020Jennifer Lopez and Shakira532019Maroon 5 with guests Travis Scott and Big Boi522018Justin Timberlake512017Lady Gaga502016Coldplay with guests Beyonce and Bruno Mars492015Katy Perry with guests Missy Elliott and Lenny Kravitz482014Bruno Mars with guests Red Hot Chili Peppers472013Beyonce with guests Destiny’s Child462012Madonna with guests Cee Lo Green, LMFAO, M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj452011The Black Eyed Peas, Usher and Slash442010The Who432009Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band422008Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers412007Prince402006The Rolling Stones392005Paul McCartney382004Janet Jackson, Kid Rock, P. Diddy, Nelly and Justin Timberlake372003Shania Twain, No Doubt and Sting362002U2352001″The Kings of Rock and Pop” featuring Aerosmith, *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige and Nelly342000″A Tapestry of Nations” featuring Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias and Toni Braxton331999″Celebration of Soul, Salsa and Swing” featuring Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Savion Glover321998″A Tribute to Motown’s 40th Anniversary” including Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Queen Latifah, Martha Reeve and The Temptations311997″Blues Brothers Bash” featuring Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman, James Belushi, James Brown and ZZ Top301996Diana Ross291995″Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye” featuring Tony Bennett, Patti LaBelle, Arturo Sandoval and Miami Sound Machine281994″Rockin’ Country Sunday” featuring Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Wynonna and Naomi Judd271993″Heal the World” featuring Michael Jackson261992″Winter Magic” including a salute to the winter season and the winter Olympics featuring Gloria Estefan, Brian Boitano and Dorothy Hamill251991″A Small World Salute to 25 Years of the Super Bowl” featuring New Kids on the Block241990″Salute to New Orleans” and 40th anniversary of Peanuts’ characters, featuring trumpeter Pete Fountain, Doug Kershaw and Irma Thomas231989″Be Bop Bamboozled” featuring 3-D effects221988″Something Grand” featuring 88 grand pianos, the Rockettes and Chubby Checker211987″Salute to Hollywood’s 100th Anniversary”201986″Beat of the Future”191985″A World of Children’s Dreams”181984″Super Bowl XVIII’s Salute to the Superstars of the Silver Screen”171983″KaleidoSUPERscope” (a kaleidoscope of color and sound)161982″A Salute to the 60’s and Motown”151981″A Mardi Gras Festival”141980″A Salute to the Big Band Era” with Up with People131979″Super Bowl XIII Carnival” Salute to the Caribbean with Ken Hamilton and various Caribbean bands121978″From Paris to the Paris of America” with Tyler Apache Belles, Pete Fountain and Al Hirt111977″It’s a Small World” including crowd participation for first time with spectators waving colored placard on cue101976″200 Years and Just a Baby” Tribute to America’s Bicentennial91975″Tribute to Duke Ellington” with Mercer Ellington and Grambling University Bands81974″A Musical America” with University of Texas Band71973″Happiness Is…” with University of Michigan Band and Woody Herman61972″Salute to Louis Armstrong” with Ella Fitzgerald, Carol Channing, Al Hirt and U.S. Marine Corps Drill Team51971Florida A&M Band41970Carol Channing31969″American Thanks” with Florida A&M University21968″Old Man Winter Takes a Vacation in Miami” featuring seven local Miami-area high school bands11967University of Arizona and Grambling University bands
How Super Bowl halftime show performers are selected
There is but one man who is tasked with deciding who headlines the Super Bowl: Jay-Z. The rapper-turned-mogul’s company, Roc Nation, announced a formal partnership with the NFL in 2019. The agreement sees Roc Nation lead NFL-backed entertainment events and “social activism”, claimed by Jay-Z to be a continuation of efforts led by Colin Kaepernick to advocate for racial injustice and an end to police brutality.
Kaepernick was famously exiled after sitting — then kneeling — while the national anthem spilled from stadium speakers.
While labeling his collaboration with the league as a form of activism, Jay-Z bristled at the concept of taking a similar stance to that of Kaepernick.
“I think we’ve moved past kneeling and I think it’s time to go into actionable items,” Jay-Z said during an introductory presser, via the Associated Press.
“I think everyone knows what the issue is — we’re done with that,” he added. “We all know the issue now. OK, next.”
Jay-Z’s decision to align so firmly with the league that paid out a settlement to Kaepernick and teammate Eric Reid amid allegations of collusion was polarizing, to say the least.
Nevertheless, it has proved a useful tool for the league’s bottom line. Under Jay-Z’s stewardship, the Super Bowl has played host to The Weeknd, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny, some of the music industry’s biggest stars.
MORE: Why is it called the Super Bowl?
How long are Super Bowl halftime shows?
Super Bowl halftime shows can vary slightly in length, but the spectacle typically lasts between 12-15 minutes. Setup and breakdown can take up to 30 minutes to complete, making the whole venture take around 45 minutes to conclude.
Super Bowl halftime show history timeline1922: Oorang Indians introduce pro football’s first routine halftime show
Forty-five years before the first Super Bowl, the Oorang Indians — a LaRue, Ohio-based traveling team fielded entirely of Native American players, including player-coach Jim Thorpe — hosted what is widely considered pro football’s first routine halftime show. The spectacle featured purebred Airedale Terriers team owner Walter Lingo’s product of choice.
The Indians were more marketing gimmick than franchise. Lingo was a notorious dog-breeder. He used the halftime show as an audition for Airedales. Oorang players were caught in the crossfire, forced to adhere to racist stereotypes regarding Native Americans. Thorpe and his teammates engaged “in shooting exhibitions” and would “throw tomahawks, knives and lariats at targets that the Airedales would fetch”, according to Sportsnet. Dogs would then be tasked with critters, including raccoons, to showcase their hunting skills. The action would conclude with Oorang players — decked out in U.S. Indian Scouts costumes — ward off German impersonators. The Airedales weren’t too far behind, flaunting their talents as aid dogs.
“We’re entertainment, we’re something to look at, we’re objects, like a piece of art,” said Bill Winneshiek, whose grandfather, William, played on the Indians. “It was kind of belittling and demeaning, but you had to do what you had to do to make money.”
Indians games became one of the hottest tickets in LaRue, averaging more than 3,000 fans per contest despite going 7-18 across two seasons, according to Sportsnet. The halftime shows were a hit despite their bigoted origins, setting the stage for the glitzy showcases that have come to define the Super Bowl’s intermission a century later.
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1967: Super Bowl 1
The first Super Bowl was split apart by a memorable halftime show that saw Arizona and Grambling State’s marching bands prance onto the field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The marching bands combined to create an outline of the continental United States on the grass as melodies swirled across the pitch. Famed American trumpeter Al Hirt featured, as did 300 pigeons and one Bell Rocket Air Man who ascended into the stratosphere with a jet pack.
1992: Super Bowl 26
Super Bowl halftime shows settled into a familiar refrain by 1992, with performances tending to featuring notable musical figures, albeit some who weren’t household names to the larger American public.
Things changed during Super Bowl 26 though. The spectacle itself featured famed Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan, as well as the Pride of Minnesota marching band. The number, titled “Winter Magic”, was an ode to the winter season and the Winter Olympics. Former Olympic champions Brian Boitano and Dorothy Hamill pranced across a makeshift ice rink as the program rolled beneath CBS’ banner.
To compete with the halftime show, Fox opted to screen a live episode of “In Living Color.” The episode was a major hit, wrestling eyes away from the game. Fox’s chicanery, which reportedly snagged around 11.7% of the 79.5 million average viewers of CBS’ broadcast, prompted the NFL to seek out music’s biggest stars to headline the event.
1993: Super Bowl 27
One year on from the “In Living Color” conundrum, the NFL pulled out the biggest star it could find to helm its halftime show: Michael Jackson. The league had to open up its checkbook to land Jackson, albeit not in the way one might think. The NFL and Frito-Lay agreed to donate $100,000 to Jackson’s Heal the World Foundation. It also agreed to give the charity commercial time.
Jackson delivered stirring renditions of “Jam”, “Billie Jean”, “Black or White” and “Heal the World” while a video montage rolled on in the background.
Unsurprisingly, the show was a major success, with Super Bowl viewership rocketing to 133.4 million viewers during Jackson’s performance, a record at the time.
MORE: Rappers who have played Super Bowl halftime shows
1997: Super Bowl 31
The Blues Brothers, James Brown & ZZ Top performing at Super Bowl XXXI (1997)
Those were the days… pic.twitter.com/L0JoZbd6Dp
— 🎸 Rock History 🎸 (@historyrock_) December 13, 2025
It’s not everyday that the “Godfather of Soul” emerges from his abode to soundtrack football’s finest event. In 1997, fans were greeted with quite an offering during the Packers‘ match with the Patriots. The Blues Brothers mounted the stage, with actors Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman and Jim Belushi reprising their roles from the “Saturday Night Live” skit and subsequent film.
The show served as a love letter for blues music. The Blues Brothers lent their services for a moment before giving way to Brown, the eccentric front man of the J.B.’s whose raspy vocals and erratic guitar-playing made him a hit.
Brown, then in his 60s, turned back the clock with emotionally-charged renditions of “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine).” He was eventually overtaken by rock band ZZ Top, accompanied by a procession of motorcycles. “Tush” and “Legs” rose and fell at the Superdome before the Blues Brothers and Brown returned to finish things with “Gimme Some Lovin”.
2007: Super Bowl 41
In 40 years, it had never rained during the Super Bowl. On the day of 41st the heavens opened up and poured down hard.
Because everything on the stage were live instruments and the stage floor was slick with water for he and his dancers, they asked Prince what did he want to do… https://t.co/5o1cjiTvar pic.twitter.com/TMH7glgdcW
— O’Shea Jackson Jr (@OsheaJacksonJr) January 28, 2026
Then came his signature hits: the notes from “Let’s Go Crazy” and “Baby I’m a Star” danced as dew fell to the ground. He rounded off his performance with “Purple Rain”, an appropriate closer given the storm that erupted under the moonlight. All these years later, his legacy still lingers on the South Florida coliseum.
MORE: How much is the Lombardi Trophy worth?
2013: Super Bowl 47
#BeyMas: NINE DAYS. 🏈
Feb. 3, 2013 | Beyoncé headlines the Super Bowl XLVII Halftime show and performs a number of hits from her catalog. pic.twitter.com/Kv0Xylf6EN
— ★ ON AIR, Occasionally. (@aliensgroove) December 16, 2024
Onlookers got into formation ahead of Beyonce’s Super Bowl debut, taking to their posts — be that in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome stands or in front of their television screens.
There were rumors that Jay-Z could lend his vocals to the performance. Fortunately, he stepped aside, setting the stage for a showcase that was, above all else, distinctly Sasha Fierce.
Beyonce took to the stage in a lace-and-leather bodysuit and thigh-high stockings. She crooned — and danced — for 15 minutes, dovetailing between a host of her biggest hits: “Love on Top”, “Crazy in Love”, “End of Time” and “Baby Boy.” The performance’s crescendo was marked by Destiny’s Child’s reunion — former bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams rose from the earth as nostalgia flowed down the roof. “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” and “Halo” followed, with many contemporary pundits placing the showcase near the top of all-time Super Bowl halftime lists.
“Now that was a halftime show, and that is a star,” Rolling Stone’s Rob Sheffield wrote in a review. “This woman single-handedly blew out the power in the Superdome. No special guests, no costume changes — just Beyoncé, her heels, her thighs, her leather-and-lace corset and a freewheeling romp through her songbook, ignoring most of her proven crowd-pleasers just because she’s Beyoncé and Beyoncé can get away with doing whatever Beyoncé feels like doing.”
MORE: Which NFL teams have never won a Super Bowl?
2022: Super Bowl 56
Dr. Dre
Snoop Dogg
50 Cent
Mary J. Blige
Kendrick Lamar
Eminem
One of the greatest halftime shows in Super Bowl history 🏟️pic.twitter.com/4GAzVSIaJO
— Dr. Dre Radar (@dreradar_) January 30, 2024
Dr. Dre is a polarizing figure in the music industry. His credentials are numerous; he anchored N.W.A., one of the most influential rap groups in history, while “The Chronic”, “Doggystyle” (which he completely produced) and “The Chronic: 2001” are some of the most seminal albums in the genre’s history.
Privately, Dr. Dre’s history of abuse towards women has drawn widespread condemnation, albeit it doesn’t appear to have affected his bottom line in any significant way. In 2022, Dr. Dre landed perhaps the grandest opportunity of his lengthy career, earning marquee billing at Super Bowl 56, held at SoFi Stadium, a stone’s throw from his hometown Compton.
Dr. Dre brought myriad luminaries onto stage during the performance, with Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent and Anderson. Paak all contributing to the display. The showcase was the first headlined by a rap artist. It wouldn’t be the last.
2025: Super Bowl 59
Ever So Often I Love To Come Back And Watch Kendrick Lamar’s Emmy Award Winning NFL Super Bowl Halftime Show From Caesars Superdome In New Orleans
Kendrick Really Put On A Stellar Performance That Became The Most Viewed Super Bowl Halftime Show Of All Time Featuring SZA And… pic.twitter.com/uvmZeOS826
— Mr GNX (@MrGNX407) December 26, 2025
Kendrick Lamar rounded off his glimmering 2024 with a starring display at Super Bowl LIX, enchanting the Caesars Superdome crowd — and formally vanquishing his hated rival, Drake — with a momentous adaptation of “Not Like Us”, his vengeful diss track towards the Canadian MC.
Samuel L. Jackson, Serena Williams, Mustard and SZA all made cameo appearances during the performance, which surpassed Michael Jackson’s 1993 effort to become the most-watched halftime show in Super Bowl history.
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Super Bowl halftime show controversies 
2004: Super Bowl 38
Reliant Stadium played host to a motley crew of musicians during the Super Bowl 38 halftime show, with Kid Rock, P. Diddy, Nelly, Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson lending their voices to the festival.
The latter two were the subject of an unfortunate bit of drama when, nearing the end of their performance, Timberlake tore off a part of Jackson’s top, briefly exposing her breast. The incident was accidental, with Timberlake dubbing it a wardrobe malfunction. Nevertheless, the moment remains a talking point among Super Bowl enthusiasts past and present.
Jackson was at the zenith of her career, having landed her fifth consecutive No. 1 album with the release of “All for You.” Prior to “Nipplegate”, the then-37-year-old looked poised to continue to capture headlines for her musical exploits.
In one fell swoop, she was labeled a pariah, facing death threats, FCC warnings, an invitation to the Grammys revoked and plans to star in a Hollywood blockbuster thwarted, according to The Guardian. Jackson’s treatment fell in stark contrast to that of Timberlake, whose solo career took off in the aftermath of the incident.
Playwright and performer Paula Varjack explained that as a Black woman “it feels like you are not allowed to put a foot wrong.”
“One thing goes wrong, and that is it,” said Varjack, whose 2024 play, “Nine Sixteenths”, takes a look at the blowback following “Nipplegate.” “The terrifying thing for me about [Jackson’s] story is that I strongly believe it was an accident.”
The reaction was somewhat predictable, according to the Los Angeles Times’ LZ Granderson. Jackson’s “error” took place in the context of “two religious wars” — one marked by Islamophobia and a desire to manage resources in the Middle East in response to 9/11 and the other seeing President George W. Bush use “the threat of same-sex marriage” to drum up a “culture war.”
Jackson was one of myriad women to be caught in the crossfire. Barbara Lee, the only legislator who voted against the Authorization for Use of Military Force resolution — an authorization that granted Bush free reign to pursue any “necessary and appropriate force” against those who perpetrated the September 11 attacks — faced death threats. The Chicks — formerly known as the Dixie Chicks — were also reviled for their audacity to oppose the United States’ invasion of Iraq.
“Less than a year later, it was Jackson’s turn,” Granderson wrote.
“Every other performer at Super Bowl halftime shows ends the night feeling on top of the world. Jackson ended hers hiding and in tears. … Not because she crossed a line, mind you, but because we overreacted.”
Jackson overcame the witch hunt, returning to her post as pop music’s most prominent figure in due time. In 2019, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Still, the fallout from the regrettable incident — shaped by its racist and misogynistic dimensions — lingers more than two decades on.
2012: Super Bowl 46
The Super Bowl 46 halftime was fairly unremarkable, with Madonna, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. and Cee Lo Green combining to produce a solid, if unspectacular showcase — at least compared to some of the event’s greatest displays.
But towards the end of “Give Me All Your Luvin'”, M.I.A. — the British emcee who came to prominence with her 2008 hit, “Paper Planes” — lifted her middle finger instead of singing the word “s—.”
13 years ago, M.I.A showed her middle finger at the Super Bowl pic.twitter.com/onOePDKg16
— Culture (@notgwendalupe) February 9, 2025
While a fairly benign gesture, the NFL was incensed. The league was unable to obscure the gesture. The Federal Communications Commission received 222 complaints pertaining to the incident, prompting the FCC to levee a fine towards the league. The NFL, citing language in its contractual agreement with M.I.A., filed a $16.6 million arbitration against the then-26-year-old artist.
M.I.A. was defiant, releasing a video statement, saying the gesture built on tenets of punk rock. She also blamed the league and its broadcast partner, NBC, for failing to blur out the signal.
“They’re basically [saying] it’s OK for me to promote being sexually exploited as a female, than to display empowerment, female empowerment, through being punk rock,” M.I.A. said. “That’s what it boils down to, and I’m being sued for it.”
The NFL eventually reached a confidential settlement with M.I.A.
2025: Super Bowl 59
Lamar’s showcase at Super Bowl 59 was already cloaked in controversy, rife with speculation over whether he would perform “Not Like Us” — a track littered with barbs alleging Drake engaged in sexual relations with underaged women. Ahead of the performance, some hypothesized that Drake would sue Lamar if he uttered the track’s familiar chorus.
In the end, Lamar performed the track, although he avoided labeling Drake a pedophile, as the song’s original lyrics suggest. The performance also featured a notable Easter Egg, with a dancer — Zul-Qairnan Nantambu — breaking character to unveil the flags of Palestine and Sudan during the show. “Sudan” and “Gaza” were written on the white sections of the flags, along with a heart and a solidarity fist. The flags referenced ongoing genocides in Palestine and Sudan, perpetrated by Israel and the United Arab Emirates, respectively — two political entities that receive material support from the United States.
Free Palestine streaker 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/x0khjg15sS
— 🇵🇸 (@JoeDaActivist) February 10, 2025
“I don’t get caught up in politics or anything,” Nantambu said to The Intercept. “What’s going on in these places are inhumane. The civil war in Sudan, the oppression and the war and the tyranny that’s going on in Gaza, is inhumane. And these people are connected with us all as humans, and especially with me in faith.”
Security guards chased Nantambu before bringing him down and pulling him away from the action. He was summarily issued a lifetime ban from all NFL stadiums and events. The New Orleans Police Department initially sought to work “to determine applicable charges in this incident.” But no charges were filed against Nantambu, who cited Lamar — widely considered one of the most socially-conscious artists of his generation — as inspiration for the act of solidarity.
“Looking at Kendrick Lamar’s performance, when he was talking about revolution, because we were at practice,” he said. “So I’m seeing the performance. … I’m seeing him talk about the revolution is not going to be televised. This is a lot bigger than all of us, bigger than me, bigger than the Super Bowl, bigger than Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s beef, because humanity is involved.”
Lamar hasn’t yet responded to Nantambu’s gesture.
2026: Super Bowl 60
The NFL landed a pop music supernova ahead of Super Bowl 60, securing the services of Bad Bunny for its halftime show. The decision proved controversial for a number of factors. Bad Bunny — real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — is Puerto Rican and performs primarily in Spanish. He has also protested vociferously against President Donald Trump, who has regularly belittled Puerto Rico throughout his two terms as president. The United States acquired Puerto Rico as an “unincorporated territory” rom colonial power Spain in 1898 after claiming victory in the Spanish-American War.
Bad Bunny also left the United States off of his DTMF World Tour, citing the Trump administration’s pursuit of mass deportation as reason to avoid the country. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reportedly is planning to be on the grounds for the contest, raising concerns that federal agents could attempt to detain onlookers and workers at Levi’s Stadium.
How many people watch the Super Bowl halftime show?
Super Bowl ratings have grown precipitously over the years, with the advent of television and the pursuit of higher-profile stars — both on- and off-the-field — bringing about a rise in the contest’s popularity. The match typically exceeds 100 million viewers, with the halftime show often peaking at 120 million viewers.
Celebrity sells. And the Super Bowl, for all of its faults, does give a platform for some of entertainment’s biggest names to serve a salespeople for the NFL brand.
What is the most viewed Super Bowl halftime show ever?
To date, the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history is Kendrick Lamar’s showcase at the 2025 iteration of the competition. The spectacle reeled in more than 133 million viewers at its peak, larger than Michael Jackson’s 1993 Super Bowl debut.
Super Bowl halftime show FAQs
What is considered the best Super Bowl halftime show ever?
The question of best and worst Super Bowl halftime show is up for debate, with differences ranging from ideological to purely material. There are plenty of candidates who have a claim for best performance, including Jackson, Ross, Beyonce and Lamar.
Ultimately, though, it’s hard to look past Prince, whose elegance, musicality and sensuality was on full display under dwindling raindrops at Dolphins Stadium. A noted multi-instrumentalist whose command of his vocals was only matched by the spells he conjured with his six-string, Prince pranced across the stage like only he could do. It’s hard to imagine him getting surpassed any time soon.
What is considered the worst Super Bowl halftime show of all time?
Look, Big Boi is cool. SpongeBob Squarepants is cool. Travis Scott has some good songs. But the reliance on so many outside influences gives you a taste of just how middling Maroon 5’s 2019 Super Bowl offering was.
Frontman Adam Levine ripped off his shirt in an act of solidarity (with Chipotle paper bags). “Moves Like Jagger” is the sort of track you’re forced to listen to again and again while working as a counselor at a youth Christian camp. A terrible game brought with it a terrible halftime show. You gotta love balance!
Do Super Bowl halftime show performers get paid?
Super Bowl halftime performers do not receive a paycheck for their services. The league does cover the costs of theatrics, though. The plume of smoke that envelops musicians as they step to the stage? The NFL is writing that check. The sturdy stage frame awash with glimmering strobe lights? That, too, is handled by the league’s accountants.
Often, the Hollywood-level cinematography needed to put down a Grade-A performance can run the NFL millions of dollars.
Now, not paying laborers for their work is objectively not cool, but there is a real knock-on benefit to performing in the Super Bowl, one that can make the “free” production worthwhile.
You see, Super Bowl halftime performers generally experience a sudden bump in their streaming numbers after their show.
It’s more flood than puddle, at least strictly speaking. Fans flock to a Super Bowl performer’s catalog like moths to a flame. The figures are eye-popping: Maroon 5’s sales sky-rocketed 434 percent on the day of their halftime show back in 2019, per Billboard. Justin Timberlake experienced a similar uptick, upping his album sales 534 percent after his ’18 showcase. Lady Gaga was reported to have seen her numbers surge by 1,000 percent after rocking the house at Super Bowl 51 in ’17.
All of this is to say, showing out at the Super Bowl can help introduce (or reintroduce) artists to a more widespread audience. The fact that over 100 million people are slated to tune into the festivities certainly doesn’t hurt, either.
Who was paid the most for the Super Bowl halftime show?
Performers typically collect the slightest of checks as a result of their halftime exploits. They are paid union scale for their efforts, which equates to the minimum guaranteed in a union contract. In 2024, Usher received $671 for his performance and another $1,800 for rehearsals, according to Sports Illustrated.
Who had a wardrobe malfunction during the Super Bowl halftime show?
Janet Jackson. As previously mentioned, the beloved pop star’s nipple was exposed after Justin Timberlake accidentally ripped her top off during the Super Bowl 38 halftime show.
Who is the youngest performer to headline the Super Bowl halftime show?
Bruno Mars is the youngest artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, taking the stage all alone at the tender age of 28 before being flanked by the Red Hot Chili Peppers during Super Bowl 48 at MetLife Stadium.
Who is the oldest performer to headline the Super Bowl halftime show?
The oldest performer to headline a Super Bowl is Paul McCartney, who led proceedings at Super Bowl 39 at the tender age of 62. McCartney, who started his career with the Beatles in 1960, just beats out The Rolling Stones, whose front man, Mick Jagger, was a similar age to McCartney when he stepped on the stage at Ford Field in 2006. But the Stones were founded two years after the Beatles, giving McCartney a slim advantage.
Has anyone ever lip-synced at the Super Bowl halftime show?
Lip-syncing is a regrettable, but common occurrence during the Super Bowl halftime show. Madonna, Janet Jackson and Shania Twain all mimed their words at different points throughout their respective halftime showings. Singing can be a challenge, particularly in an environment not intended for acoustics. Lip-syncing can keep the performance rolling along without sacrificing the quality of the vocals.
While perhaps lip-syncing can be seen as heresy during the Super Bowl halftime show, the deception can prove useful for league and singer alike — particularly if that singer is attempting to dance or play an instrument, as well.
Who has appeared in the most Super Bowl halftime shows?
Ten artists have participated in two Super Bowl halftime show, with seven doubling as featured guests in one iteration of the contest and headliners in the other and two — Mary J. Blige and Nelly — offering guest vocals in two events.
PerformerYearsSuper BowlsBad Bunny*2020, 2026Super Bowl 54, Super Bowl 60Kendrick Lamar*2022, 2025Super Bowl 56, Super Bowl 59Mary J. Blige2001, 2022Super Bowl 35, Super Bowl 56Usher*2011, 2024Super Bowl 45, Super Bowl 58Justin Timberlake*2004, 2018Super Bowl 38, Super Bowl 52Beyonce*2013, 2016Super Bowl 47, Super Bowl 50Bruno Mars*2014, 2016Super Bowl 48, Super Bowl 50Nelly2001, 2004Super Bowl 35, Super Bowl 38Gloria Estefan*1992, 1999Super Bowl 27, Super Bowl 33Al Hirt*1967, 1972Super Bowl 1, Super Bowl 6
*headlined a Super Bowl halftime show