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The Super Bowl halftime show has developed into its own phenomenon over the past few decades, taking on a full life of its own, separate from the actual sporting spectacle that caps the NFL season each year.
The pop culture extravaganza is now a major event in itself and a booking for the intermission act at the Super Bowl is considered a career pinnacle for many musicians. If you’re in the half time show, it means you are a blockbusting superstar with global appeal.
Viewing figures spike when millions tune in to witness the performance, though some musicians have lit up the stage more brightly than others.
I accept that ranking the subjectivity reigns supreme here based on every individual’s musical taste, however, I’ve still tried my hand at ranking the 10 best Super Bowl halftime shows based on several factors.
10. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – Super Bowl XLIII (2009)
Kicking off our rundown in fine style is The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen. The veteran brought his New Jersey blue-coloured rock to Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium in 2009, captivating attendees with his famous E Street Band in tow.
In typical Springsteen style, he ordered viewers to put the guacamole and chicken fingers down, and to turn their TVs up, with the first chords of “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” playing in the background.
Cue the fireworks, cue the screams. Springsteen rattled through 12 minutes of hits including “Born to Run,” “Working on a Dream,” and “Glory Days,” and his energy levels never dropped an inch throughout. He even had time to bump into a camera in playful style. What a show.
9. Madonna – Super Bowl XLVI (2012)
Next, we’re fast-forwarding three years to 2012 and to Super Bowl XLVI at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Madonna, the Queen of Pop, turned the arena into a gladiatorial-style parade, entering on a golden throne pulled by a mini-army of Roman centurions.
Every inch her usual commanding presence, she rattled eardrums with Vogue to get things going, then hit the crowd with tracks like “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” which featured guest spots from LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. and CeeLo Green.
There was so much to take in, from the cameos above, to the Egyptian motifs for one track and gigantic choir assembly for “Like a Prayer”. This was a show made for spectacular, high-concept visuals and figures after the dust settled showed that more than 114 million viewers had caught the show.
8. Bruno Mars with Red Hot Chili Peppers – Super Bowl XLVIII (2014)
At just 28, Bruno Mars became the youngest-ever solo headliner for a Super Bowl when he centred the half-time show at the XLVIII edition of the event at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in 2014.
Ever the boundary pushed, Mars opened with a stunning drum solo before embarking on a funk-infused showcase of hits, including “Locked Out of Heaven” and “Treasure,” backed by his Hooligans band.
Anyone dipping into the novelty markets for the half-time show on American football betting sites might have backed the above as a likely set opener for Mars, though they would never have forecast what came next.
Things took an incredible and unexpected turn when the Red Hot Chilli Peppers emerged vertically from beneath the stage to join Mars in a rendition of “Give It Away.” The entire performance was a masterclass in how to treat a crowd to something unforgettable.
7. Shakira and Jennifer Lopez – Super Bowl LIV (2020)
Next, we arrive in 2020 and Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, when Latin flair and flamboyance took over the half-time festivities at Super Bowl LIV.
Shakira took the lead, opening with worldwide hits like She Wolf” and “Whenever, Wherever,” before incorporating belly dancing and rope-twirling routines in a tribute to her Colombian roots.
Shakira passed the baton to Jennifer Lopez at the show’s midway point however, when “Jenny from the Block” and “On the Floor” kept the crowd’s energy firmly topped up.
With Miami and its Latin associations providing the perfect setting, Shakria and Lopez put on a show for the ages, with the pair uniting for the final few minutes with renditions of “Waka Waka” and a final choreographed flourish.
6. Lady Gaga – Super Bowl LI (2017)
Lady Gaga can always guarantee an epic show, though her display at Houston’s NRG Stadium at Super Bowl LI in 2017 was a step up from her “norm” and a theatrical tour de force.
Starting her performance atop the roof with an American flag made of drones in the background, she opened with a medley of “God Bless America” and “This Land Is Your Land,” before beginning her descent into the belly of the stadium.
Next, it was a flurry of outfit changes, big dance numbers, audience participation, hits like “Poker Face” and “Born This Way”, as well as a phenomenal keytar solo highlighted her musical versatility.
“Bad Romance” was the closer, complete with a mic drop and football catch leap. The showcase, viewed by 117.5 million, ranks among the best Super Bowl halftime shows for the incredible spectacle that it was.
5. Beyoncé with Destiny’s Child – Super Bowl XLVII (2013)
Blending fierce vocals, punchy choreography and incessant energy, Beyoncé took complete ownership of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans for Super Bowl LVII.
Silhouetted in smoke, she opened with “Love on Top” and “Crazy in Love,” as the commander of an all-female band and dancing ensemble. Her reunion with Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams for “Bootylicious,” “Independent Women,” and “Single Ladies” sparked nostalgia and tipped excitement levels over the edge.
Visual effects like multiplying holograms added even more of a wow factor and even caused a partial blackout afterward. This set is still hailed as one of the best Super Bowl halftime shows ever and rightly so.
4. U2 – Super Bowl XXXVI (2002)
The 2002 half-time show was always going to be a difficult one in the wake of 9/11 just months before, though U2 handled the occasion with class and grace at Super Bowl XXXVI at the Louisiana Superdome.
In a propounding moving show, Bono and his bandmates opened with “Beautiful Day”, shifted to “MLK” before introducing the stadium banger “Where the Streets Have No Name”, while the victims’ names from the tragedy scrolled down large screens.
On an evening of high emotion, U2’s performance transcended entertainment with a message of love written into an extended version of their last song from above.
3. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and 50 Cent – Super Bowl LVI (2022)
In 2022, one of the most memorable half-time events of all time took place during the half-time break at Super Bowl LVI at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
For hip-hop fans, this would be a procession of all—time greats, headlined by Dr. Dre, but involving a West Coast rap reunion with Snoop Dog, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar all on the mic at different stages.
Appearances from New Yorker 50 Cent and Detroit’s best Eminem only added to the delirium in LA. Hits like “The Next Episode,” “Family Affair”, “No More Drama”, “In da Club”, and “Lose Yourself” combined to thrill
The lowrider hydraulics and Compton-inspired set design celebrated Black excellence, earning an Emmy. As one of the best Super Bowl halftime shows, it bridged generations and underscored hip-hop’s mainstream dominance.
2. Michael Jackson – Super Bowl XXVII (1993)
The King of Pop was recrowned in the early 90s when legendary figure Michael Jackson revolutionised the entire format of the half-time show at Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Body doubles were used to create a dramatic entrance before Jackson himself stood motionless in centre stage for what seemed like an eternity, building a huge amount of anticipation.
Jackson broke the tension when he exploded into “Jam”, before “Billie Jean” and “Black or White” followed. The set ended with a stirring version of “Heal the World”, which featured 3,500 children and a huge, inflatable globe. This was the trailblazing show that would set the trend for half time spectacles to come.
1. Prince – Super Bowl XLI (2007)
Topping our list of the top 10 greatest Super Bowl halftime shows of all time is the incomparable Prince, who wowed the world with his rain-soaked masterpiece at the Dolphin Stadium Miami, for Super Bowl XLI in 2007.
Defying the elements, Prince opened with “We Will Rock You” and “Let’s Go Crazy,” weaving in covers like “All Along the Watchtower” and “Best of You”, before setting up the most fitting of climaxes.
Beneath the downpour, Prince let loose with “Purple Rain” to create one of the most magical musical moments of all time. His unmatched vocal range and guitar work stunned and it almost seemed as though the heavens opened as an accompanying act. Unforgettable.
