The Super Bowl halftime show is the biggest music gig that anyone could ask for. It’s also the only reason why I watch the Super Bowl (sorry, NFL fans!). This show is super important since these musicians only have about 15 minutes to gain their status as legends. Millions of people are watching, most of whom are consuming large amounts of food or alcoholic beverages while placing bets on who they think the winner will be. This is the biggest worldwide audience of an artist’s life, so getting this right is a huge factor in their success.
So here is my personal list of the worst to best halftime shows that I have seen happen either in real-time or that I have come across while going down Youtube rabbit holes:
10. The Black-Eyed Peas (2011)
This one is by far the worst performance for me. The Black-Eyed Peas had light-up robot suits that were kind of cool, but when they did their version of “I’ve Had the Time of My Life,”…it instantly turned out not so cool. Usher looked embarrassed, and then Slash was brought on stage. Poor Slash had to duet with Fergie to “Sweet Child o’ Mine.” This was the strangest combination of artists, in my opinion as well. This was also the same Super Bowl where Christina Aguilera did her unique interpretation of the National Anthem. This was one of the more unfortunate days in music history.
Black Eyed Peas-Super Bowl 2011
9. New Kids on the Block (1991)
This was the time period when people started actually putting on a show at halftime. New Kid was a great band, but what made this show not that great was the fact that they really didn’t get to sing any of their best tunes. They got roped into singing “This One’s For The Children,” which turned into a Disney children’s choir concert as well. This was also when the Gulf War had just begun, so no one really wanted to hear “It’s A Small World (After All).” This show was moved to after the game since ABC News did a special report on the War during halftime. The New Kids were able to speak their minds a couple of weeks later at the AMAs, where Donnie Wahlberg performed in a “War Sucks” T-shirt.
NKOTB Super Bowl Halftime 1991
8. Gloria Estefan and Olympic Figure Skaters (1992)
This was one of the strangest halftime shows since it included a “Winter Magic” pageant since the game was in Minnesota. It included huge snowmen, famous figure skaters, and a horrible dancing routine to Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” while waving hockey sticks. Gloria Estefan was also there, but the winter theme took over most of the show. This particular halftime show lost many viewers since apparently, no one wanted to listen to a chorus of people sing and dance to “Winter Wonderland” in January. This performance was more like The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade rather than an exciting concert meant to keep the energy going.
Super Bowl Halftime 1992 Minneapolis, MN – PART 1
7. Michael Jackson (1993)
Throughout his career, MJ had a streak of great TV performances. Unfortunately, this was the last one of his lifetime. He began his performance by standing as still as he possibly could for 90 seconds of silence, then flowed through two of his biggest hits (“Billie Jean” and “Black and White”) before singing “Heal the World.” PS: This was also the Super Bowl that some guy named OJ Simpson was a part of.
Michael Jackson Super Bowl Complete Version HQ
6. Lady Gaga (2017)
When it comes to Lady Gaga, you never really know what you’re going to get. Will she be too political? Too crazy? Too mischievous? With this performance, she was very well-rounded and uncontroversial. She pleased the crowd with some of her best hits and even opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. There were no shock tactics, no surprise guests, just her and her music.
Lady Gaga’s FULL Pepsi Zero Sugar Super Bowl LI Halftime Show | NFL
5. Madonna (2012)
Like Michael Jackson, Madonna has made several successful and noteworthy TV appearances in her lifetime. Her performance included ancient-Roman gladiator studs and all of her best pop hits. It was also a mess considering the fact that she was all over the stage during LMFAO’s guest performance. But what isn’t tastefully messy when it comes to Madonna?
Madonna – Super Bowl Medley 2012 (HD)
4. Aerosmith, Britney Spears, ‘NSYNC, Nelly & Mary J. Blige (2001)
This is one of the most debated performances of Super Bowl history. Chaotic or Brilliant? Good or Bad? The combination of all of these artists singing one of Aerosmith’s greatest hits (“Walk This Way”) was one of the most chaotic yet positively notable performances that have ever aired on TV. Britney Spears looked ready to play with her silver football pants, and Nelly rapped over Joe Perry’s guitar solo.
SUPERBOWL 35 HALFTIME SHOW – NSYNC, AEROSMITH, B SPEARS
3. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, and Kendrick Lamar (2022)
So apparently, California really DOES know how to party. This was the first time that hip-hop took over the halftime show, and Dr. Dre was present to sing old-school West Coast rap. Snoop joined him for “California Love,” and Mary J. Blige sang her classic hit “Family Affair.” The highlight, in my opinion, was Eminem, the rap god himself, joining the entourage and singing “Lose Yourself,” one of the biggest pump-up songs of all time.
Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar & 50 Cent FULL Pepsi SB LVI Halftime Show
2. Beyonce (2013)
It’s hard to beat a Beyonce performance. Bey ran the show with performances of “Crazy in Love,” “Baby Boy” and “Independent Women.” This performance also included an unexpected Destiny’s Child reunion with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams joining her on stage. Beyonce also turned all of the lights out with her slower song “Halo.”
Beyoncé – Super Bowl 2013 Halftime Show HD 1080p
1. Prince (2007)
This performance is THE most iconic halftime performance to date. The combination of Prince, his purple symbol-shaped guitar, and a Miami thunderstorm exceeded all expectations. His performance included a Foo Fighters cover, “We Will Rock You” that got turned into “Let’s Go Crazy,” “All Along the Watchtower,” and an epic guitar-crazed rendition of “Purple Rain” IN THE RAIN. The surprises were endless. Apparently, this performance gained much more fame after his tragic death in 2016. When he was still alive, he fought to prevent the video from going up on YouTube, but now it can be found on the internet in order to further showcase his rock n’ roll mastery. This is one of the coolest, most legendary Prince moments of all time.
Prince Performs “Purple Rain” During Downpour | Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show | NFL
