The Worst Super Bowl Halftime Shows, Ranked
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Vote up the performances that are memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Each year, millions of people gather around the television in anticipation of the most watched broadcast of the year, the Super Bowl.
The spectacle began solely as a championship competition between the two best NFL teams of the season. However, as viewership numbers grew, the show quickly escalated to include numerous heart-warming and laughter-inducing commercials and spectacular halftime performances in a successful attempt to keep even those who don't enjoy the sport interested.
Now, the concerts showcased during the highly publicized game have become a crucial component of the Super Bowl experience. While the first shows weren't televised and usually displayed the talents of collegiate marching bands, the modern halftime experience often draws as much, if not more, attention than the game itself.
Still, art is in the eye of the beholder. What some consider to be the best performances in history, others consider to be the worst. Over the decades, various shows have been accused of deliberately courting controversy, packing in too many technical embellishments, forcing unrelated artists to fight for equal time on the stage, and littering the spectacle with outlandish costumes.
Which was your least favorite? It's time to vote up the worst Super Bowl halftime performances ever.
- 1
In 1989, The Show Featured An Elvis Impersonator Doing Magic And A Failed Attempt At Using 3D Technology
In 1989, Super Bowl halftime entertainment reached a turning point, as executives chose to forego the traditional Disney-themed floats and marching bands to put on a revolutionary show. Though expectations were high, the end result wasn't the overwhelming crowd-pleaser that the NFL had hoped it would be.
The memorable show featured 2,000 dancers in 1950s-era clothing performing to Broadway tunes, along with an extraordinary guest: an Elvis impersonating magician nicknamed Elvis Presto, who performed gigantic tricks on the field. The elaborate display was also the first attempt at broadcasting in 3D through the use of 3D glasses, an endeavor that proved the technology wasn't quite ready for prime time.
It was later revealed that the actor who played Elvis Presto, Alex Cole, was chosen three days before the Super Bowl after the original impersonator left the production to star in a Lee Jeans commercial. The ordeal obviously had a less-than-desirable impact on Cole because he never performed on stage again.
Least favorite? 
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2In 2000, The Show Featured A-List Artists Who Didn't Perform Any Of Their Own Songs
With a stellar line-up consisting of Christina Aguilera, Tina Turner, Enrique Iglesias, Tony Braxton, and Phil Collins, the 2000 halftime show should've been the concert of the millennium. Instead, it proved to be one massive disappointment.
As the last Super Bowl performance ever sponsored by Disney, the group took the stage not to perform their obvious, crowd-pleasing hits but songs that no one knew or recognized.
In an attempt to harness the spirit of global unity, the stage was filled with massive props and dancers who supposedly represented different cultures with their inauthentic wardrobes. Songs were written specifically for the performance - including "Celebrate the Future Hand in Hand."
Instead of an epic performance that got the live and television audiences singing and dancing, viewers were presented with a dull and somewhat confusing show. To bring the production to a close, actor Edward James Olmos delivered a serious speech urging global peace and ending with:
Go now and celebrate your dreams as the magic of the millennium continues to bring us together.
Least favorite?
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Hoping to draw in viewers and keep them engaged no matter their interest in football or the score between the two teams on the field, NFL executives knew they needed a big production for the 1995 Super Bowl halftime show.
Only a few companies were capable of funding such a grand performance - one of them being Disney. Since Disneyland was building a new Indiana Jones-themed roller coaster at the time, the two corporations joined forces to create a spectacle worthy of the big screen… or so they thought.
The spectacle included crooners Patti LaBelle and Tony Bennett, skydivers, live pythons, lasers, an assortment of instruments, and a man being lit on fire. The performance followed an intriguing narrative, consisting of an evil witch stealing the Lombardi trophy. At the same time, Indiana Jones, who is at a Moroccan nightclub, attempts to retrieve the coveted Super Bowl prize.
The inevitable Indiana Jones-themed fighting scenes were seen live in front of up-close cameras, giving television viewers a clear picture of the punches and strikes that were not even close to hitting the karate school volunteers who played the villains on stage. Though LaBelle understood the possible negative consequences of trying to perform live in such a setting, Bennett refused to lip sync his numbers and botched the opening of his song.
Also, the trophy was too heavy a prop to be tossed around from stuntman to stuntman, and the camera also caught the visible struggle participants had to pretend to hit people over the head with the stolen prize.
Finally, the show bizarrely ended with The Lion King's “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” and a pyrotechnic spectacle that took minutes for the smoke to clear.
Least favorite?The NFL was facing numerous pressures to appease crowds in 2019 after its mismanagement of many social justice issues, including Colin Kaepernick's protest against police brutality, multiple incidents of domestic violence involving players and reported racist remarks among the coaching staff. Though many artists, including Jay-Z and Rihanna, had reportedly boycotted the coveted time slot, Maroon 5 accepted the gig with guests Travis Scott and Outkast’s Big Boi.
Not known for showing overt emotion in his performances, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine rarely broke a smile or acted as if he was enjoying the moment throughout the 14-minute show. Some argued the NFL intentionally created a forgettable show so as not to draw any more negative attention to the league.
Least favorite?
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The Black Eyed Peas halftime show displayed a promising start as the group descended onto the stage from zip lines tethered above in flashy costumes and immediately launched into "I Gotta Feeling." Unfortunately for the group and fans watching the show, the performance quickly lost its appeal as audio malfunctions disrupted the song.
Will.i.am's voice greatly overshadowed the other three performers, creating a disconnected sound that made the mix of The Black Eyed Peas hit songs sound out of tune and off balance. The concert took an unexpected and somewhat confusing turn when the instrumentals moved from the group's regular hip-hop sound to "Sweet Child O'Mine" with Will.iam. continuing to rap.
As Slash rose to the stage playing his guitar, Fergie made her best attempt at an Axl Rose impression by forcing her voice to hit the pitch, depth, and tone of the Guns N' Roses lead singer. After an awkward performance, Slash descended from the stage, leaving the group to transition into a few more of their hit songs before another surprise guest, Usher, appeared.
Except Usher made no genuine attempt at singing, only repeating the chorus of "OMG" multiple times while an audiotrack took care of the vocals as he performed a dance routine. Though the Black Eyed Peas did attract a younger audience to the show, the performance left a lot of viewers and fans confused as to why the elaborate style of the show didn't transfer to the lackluster musicality of otherwise talented artists.
Least favorite?
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Hosted in Minneapolis, MN, the 1992 Super Bowl half-time show capitalized on the frigid winter temperatures to produce “Winter Magic,” a snowy spectacular featuring Gloria Estefan, Olympic figure skaters Brian Boitano and Dorothy Hamill, along with members of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team.
As drill team and ballroom dancers strutted across the stage in wintery costumes of snowflakes and feathers, an orchestra played a selection of tunes typically saved for the holiday season.
While later years centered the performance on musical artists, Gloria Estefan didn't take the stage until nearly 10 minutes into the spectacle. And while some viewers may have been entertained by Estefan's three minutes on stage, most opted to tune into Fox's broadcast of In Living Color, which aired opposite the performance and caused the broadcast to lose 10 rating points.
Least favorite?
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7The 1990 Show Was A Mix Of New Orleans Flare - And Snoopy
As an ode to the New Orleans venue, the 1990 Super Bowl halftime show featured a Mardi Gras-themed musical line-up - with a birthday tribute to Snoopy and Charlie Brown. Even the name of the performance suggested the odd pairing, as those responsible for the show simply called it: “Salute to New Orleans and 40th Anniversary of Peanuts.”
Instead of a stage, Irma Thomas, Doug Kershaw, and trumpeter Pete Fountain performed on a massive steamboat that measured 120 feet long and five stories high. The colossal prop was so large that crew members had to remove one of the goalposts in order to fit the boat on the field, then hastily replace it before the beginning of the third quarter. The show ended with Snoopy dancing on the boat while Fountain played “When the Saints Go Marching In,” followed by “Happy Birthday, Charlie Brown.”
To make matters worse, the lackluster performance happened amidst one of the largest landslide wins in Super Bowl history. As the San Francisco 49ers won the championship over the Denver Broncos, 55-10, the crowd had already grown disengaged before the halftime show even started. Instead of keeping viewers entertained, the show was an utter disappointment.
Least favorite?
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The Red Hot Chili Peppers usually pride themselves on putting on heartfelt, improvised shows for their fans. However, the band surprisingly agreed when the NFL requested that the band pre-record the bass, drums, and lead guitar for their performance alongside Bruno Mars in 2014.
Fans were outraged by the faked spectacle (it wasn't hard to tell, since the guitars were not plugged into any sound system). Guitarist Flea later reported that he and his bandmates decided not to pretend that they were playing live because they weren't interested in deceiving the audience - therefore, they chose not to plug in their instruments.
Still, the performance was a unique version of their hit song, "Give it Away," as the band pre-recorded it specifically for the halftime performance. Singer Anthony Kiedis also performed the lyrics live.
Least favorite?- 9
In 2021, almost a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the biggest crowd The Weeknd could expect was a half-filled stadium.
While producers made efforts to make the performance as electric and visually entertaining as possible under the circumstances by filling the empty seats with cardboard cutouts, the wardrobe choices - like dancers donning gruesome looking head bandages - made the show confusing and a little too gothic for some viewers. Technical difficulties also led to moments when the vocalist's voice couldn't be heard over the music tracks.
Least favorite? 
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Despite being one of the biggest pop groups of the era, the New Kids on the Block put on such a terrible performance at the 1991 Super Bowl that ABC chose to air news coverage of the Gulf War during the halftime broadcast. Fans and curious viewers couldn't witness the mediocre concert until after the Super Bowl game had ended.
Instead of keeping the crowd exhilarated and loud through the game's intermission, the boy band chose to play a number of slow songs followed by a rendition of “It's A Small World.” (To be fair, the performance was done in collaboration with Disney; this wasn't a spontaneous decision by the group.)
While those who attended the game witnessed the boring show, those watching from home were instead met with a statement by President George H.W. Bush concerning the ongoing war.
While the less-than-stellar performance didn't earn itself the traditional halftime air time, it did set the premise for modern Superbowl performances. Before the New Kids on the Block, halftime was reserved for more traditional marching bands and commentary of the game.
Least favorite?
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In 2018, the NFL made it clear that they had forgiven Justin Timberlake for his role in the 2004 “Nipplegate” scandal by inviting him to perform at another Super Bowl halftime show. In his usual style of providing the vocals and choreographic content for the concert, the show was noted as “decent” but didn't create the excitement many halftime lovers expect from such a huge gig.
Timberlake had planned on having a hologram of Prince to pay tribute to the late artist as part of his performance, but the idea was nixed when the pop icon's former drummer tweeted that it was the exact type of thing Prince would've hated. Instead, Timberlake opted to cover “I Would Die 4 U” with a video of “Purple Rain” playing on the backdrop.
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After the NFL announced that Coldplay would be the halftime guest with little more than a humdrum response, Beyoncé and Bruno Mars were added to the lineup. After Chris Martin belted out his peppy lyrics to an upbeat crowd, the mood dramatically shifted.
Beyoncé's performance of “Formation” became political, as she and her backup dancers wore outfits that resembled Black Panther uniforms. After Bruno Mars joined her, the two performed a dance-off to “Uptown Funk.” Some fans and critics argued that Coldplay's performance ended up feeling more like an oddly mismatched opening act to the show.
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In 2012, the NFL sued British rapper M.I.A. for briefly flipping the bird during "Give Me All Your Luvin" alongside Madonna at Super Bowl XLVI.
M.I.A., who had a top 100 US Billboard hit with "Paper Planes," was under Roc Nation and Jay-Z's management at the time. Though the organization initially sued for $1.5 million a few months after the show, the NFL later tacked another $15 million two years later.
According to the rapper, Jay-Z felt she should accept the offer, which would ultimately relinquish 100% of her earnings to the NFL if she ever made over $2 million. At the time, no artist had ever stood up to the NFL, and M.I.A. eventually settled the lawsuit in 2014 for an undisclosed amount. Notably, the artist also left Roc Nation and hired her own lawyers to represent her in the case.
M.I.A. reflected on the experience:
If you're talking about racism and sexism, that moment in my life showed the cracks in everyone I knew… The lawsuit was so ridiculous… They [Roc Nation] thought the best way to solve that was to sign on the dotted line to whatever terms the NFL wanted to put on me, which was basically to be a lifelong slave forever and to give 100% of my earnings until I die…
Somebody thought that was okay to write only in 2013. And it happened because you're a woman - a brown woman - and you did something very silly. And it was so threatening that the punishment for it was to basically lock you into this thing forever.
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Opening with a motivational speech from Vince Lombardi before stepping onto a blazing stage, Beyoncé had audiences captivated from the moment the show began. The vocalist belted out some of the most popular songs from her solo career before teaming up with two not-so-surprise guests, Destiny's Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.
Many were disappointed when rumors that Jay-Z would also join Queen Bey for “Crazy in Love” were quickly dashed, as it was evident the rapper had stayed home.
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In 1999, then-popular swing revivalist band Big Bad VooDoo Daddy helped set the stage for an eclectic performance featuring Stevie Wonder and returning musical star Gloria Estefan.
Proving he was capable of more than just playing the piano without his sight, Wonder drove a classic car onto the field to begin his performance and tap danced alongside dancer Savion Glover. Compared to her chilly 1990 “Winter Magic” performance, Estefan turned up the heat as she turned the beat around for the Miami crowd.
While it presented enjoyable family entertainment, it's hard to get past the oddly-coupled performers on the set list.
Least favorite?
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In 1997, the Super Bowl halftime show's main act didn't consist of singers at all. Instead, the New Orleans-based event featured The Blues Brothers in an attempt to draw attention to the sequel to the classic film that was set for release in 2000. Despite brief performances by ZZ Top and James Brown, most of the broadcast featured actors Dan Aykroyd, Jim Belushi, and John Goodman.
The noticeable absence of the late John Belushi, along with the performance being dedicated to a stunt woman who had passed while practicing for the big show and the late NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle (who had passed from brain cancer the previous month), left many viewers feeling more melancholy than uplifted.
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After taking several years off of performing and giving birth to her first child out of the public spotlight, Rihanna took the stage in 2023 to produce what became the most-watched halftime show to date. Despite having previously boycotted the Super Bowl and the NFL for its mistreatment of Colin Kaepernick, the performer shared that she felt that representation was important for her son to witness.
The show was relatively tame, with Rihanna nonchalantly belting out her hit tunes as her backup dancers performed alongside her on a stage suspended in midair. However, many fans became too confused to focus on the actual show when she exposed what seemed to be a baby bump - completely unannounced before the moment was captured on live TV. Soon after, the pop star confirmed that she was, indeed, pregnant with her second child.
Least favorite?Though some of the group's more devoted fans felt that The Who had performed well during their 12-minute time slot in 2010, most agreed that the band was a massive disappointment.
As the classic rock band belted out well-known hits made newly popular by the CSI television series, it became obvious that The Who was past its prime - and completely unprepared for the magnitude of the stage on which they performed.
Rolling Stone later reported that lead singer Roger Daltry completely butchered the band's biggest hits with his ill-preserved vocal cords. As they played in 90-second segments to ensure that they had enough time to cover everyone's favorite classic anthem, an obviously pre-recorded crowd audio cue sang along to the tunes.
Daltrey, who had never watched an American football game or any of the DVDs the NFL sent them of previous Super Bowl halftime performances, later admitted:
It didn’t even feel like a concert… It’s a television show. And what can you do in 12 minutes?… I thought it went OK. I understand. It’s a TV show. Cameras were everywhere. I was so blinded that I couldn’t see. And I really wished the crowd would have gotten into singing the songs with us more. That’s how it is in Europe for our soccer matches. I wanted more banter.
Least favorite?
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After Paul McCartney's performance in 2005, the NFL chose to continue the celebration of the British Invasion by booking The Rolling Stones for the Super Bowl entertainment in 2006.
The group played on a stage shaped like their logo, and it revealed a pit of fans creating a set of human taste buds in the tongue section soon after the show began. Making note of how awful the original years of halftime shows were, the band also commented that they could've been invited to Super Bowl I, as photos of themselves with numerous NFL stars flashed across the screen.
Because the Super Bowl was held in Detroit, many locals were angry that Motown artists weren't chosen for the coveted performance. Additionally, the Stones only played three songs - one of them being a new cut, “Rough Justice,” that nobody recognized.
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In 1994, country singers Clint Black, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, and the Judds performed during the “Rockin' Country Sunday” halftime show. With an entire field filled with line dancers donning matching Western outfits, the stars took turns singing their biggest hit songs for the Atlanta, GA, audience.
The choice to feature country musicians the year directly following the first concert-like performance, which featured Michael Jackson, demonstrated how relevant the genre was in the mid-'90s. However, while placing random celebrities in the middle of shows eventually became commonplace, the choice to bring Joe Namath, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Daniels, the Georgia Satellites, Ashley Judd (the Judd sister who chose to act instead of sing), Elijah Wood, and Clint Black's wife, Lisa Hartman Black, to the stage was an odd way to pull the show together.
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The 2003 halftime show featured Shania Twain, No Doubt, and Sting. While No Doubt's lead vocalist, Gwen Stefani, stole the show with her performance of “Just a Girl” and her duet with Sting, rumors spread that Shania Twain had possibly lip-synced her portion of the performance.
Additionally, Twain's lack of participation in the final set of the show had fans further questioning her role in the production. Rolling Stone labeled it a “sadgasm.”
Least favorite?
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The 1998 show brought together multiple generations of R&B performers, as Motown notables The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, and Martha Reeves took the stage before Queen Latifah and Boyz II Men.
The actual performance was a hit among viewers, but the introduction, which featured somewhat tone-deaf celebrities and NFL players singing “The Way You Do The Thing You Do," left many wishing the broadcast had just skipped to the main event.
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Usher came to Super Bowl LVIII ready to play, and his 13-minute set was largely well received. With guests like Alicia Keys, H.E.R., will.i.am, Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri, and Ludacri, it would be hard to disappoint - and there's no doubt this performance was head and shoulders above Usher's halftime debut alongside the Black Eyed Peas in 2011.
But at least one outlet, Deadline, pronounced Usher's set DOA:
“Are you ready to get crazy?” Usher pleaded with a crowd he should have been holding in his hands. They were not ready to get crazy, or maybe they were too busy craning their necks to see what [Taylor] Swift was up to.
Deadline gave props to Usher for his consummate professionalism, but "as tight as the tone and pacing of the performance was, Usher felt very 20 years ago and flat – almost as flat as the first half of grinding play between reigning champs the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers."
Compared to Rihanna in the previous year, and Dr. Dre and his stellar lineup in 2022, Usher simply did not measure up. "Amidst all the technique and spotlights, there was no heart-stopping moment or big shocker," journalist Dominic Patten wrote. It was a fine performance, just not a standout one.
Least favorite?After the infamous “Nipplegate” scandal caused by Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson in 2004, the NFL fired MTV for managing halftime performances and chose to play it safe by featuring a classic rock icon, Paul McCartney of The Beatles.
The performance played out exactly the way the broadcasting executives expected it to, with classic, clean entertainment provided by a beloved musical star of the past. For this very reason, the show also went down in history as being a bit boring, with the only highlight occurring as McCartney paused mid-show to let the crowd sing the chorus of “na, na, na, na's” during “Hey Jude.”
Least favorite?In 2009, fans were thrilled to see that Bruce Springsteen and his legendary E Street Band pulled out all the stops to make the most of their 13 minutes on stage. Accustomed to playing much larger concerts, the rock star worked in as many songs as possible to keep the audience entertained.
Still, some critics argued that The Boss was a master manipulator disguised as a humble blue-collar worker, as he used the time to promote two newly released albums, Working on a Dream and a collection of his greatest hits available exclusively at Walmart.
Least favorite?
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The first to present wardrobe changes mid-performance, Diana Ross entered the 1996 Super Bowl stage via crane and was placed on a sparkling pillar. During Ross's 12 minutes on stage, she sang her most famous songs from her time with the Supremes and her solo career.
Completely owning the stage in a way that only someone with the star qualities of Diana Ross could, no other musicians or entertainers were involved in the performance. If viewers found her entrance and a previously unprecedented number of wardrobe changes over the top, they were most likely stunned when the star made her grand exit via helicopter.
Least favorite?
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In 2020, Latina legends Shakira and J.Lo shared the stage to provide an enthusiastic and energetic halftime show. The duo danced along as they sang their biggest hits, to the delight of many and the disgust of some.
According to Sports Illustrated, the FCC received 1,312 complaints regarding the show as soft p*rn for the women's skimpy outfits and continual booty shaking while on stage.
Interestingly, disgruntled football fans weren't the only ones who didn't enjoy the show. J.Lo later admitted that she hated sharing the stage with another vocalist under such a limited time constraint. Berry Medina, J.Lo's manager, noted:
Typically you have one headliner at a Super Bowl… That headliner constructs a show, and, should they choose to have other guests, that’s their choice. It was an insult to say you needed two Latinas to do the job that one artist historically has done.
Least favorite?Katy Perry's Super Bowl appearance was just as over the top as her concerts, complete with a giant golden feline (audiences argued whether it was a lion or a tiger) and an impressive amount of fireworks.
However, what became the most memorable moment of the show was when one of her backup dancers, later dubbed “Left Shark,” seemingly completely forgot the entire choreography and went rogue with their dance moves. In one of the first “break the Internet”-type moments, the shark-suit-wearing dancer became a viral sensation.
Least favorite?
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The Super Bowl halftime show in 2004 marked both a bitter ending and a new beginning. Just as Janet Jackson gave the performance that stifled her career and MTV lost its rights to produce any future NFL events, a trio in Silicon Valley found the inspiration to found YouTube.
Near the concert's end, Jackson partnered with pop star Justin Timberlake to perform "Rock Your Body." As the song ended with the lines: "Gonna have you naked by the end of this song," Timberlake reached across Jackson's chest and ripped the front of her top, exposing a pierced nipple in the process. Though Timberlake publicly apologized for the incident and went on to perform at a later halftime show, Jackson's refusal to comment on what became known as a "wardrobe malfunction" put a halt to her career.
Though the exposure was deemed an accident, Jackson's tailor confirmed that he had been contacted before the show to alter her outfit for the show, and a Houston piercer confirmed that he had sold the nipple piercing displayed on national television to one of Jackson's representatives in the days leading up to the notorious performance.
Still, it was the early 2000s, long before videos were widely available for public access on the Internet. Anyone who missed the original airing of the performance only got a censored version shared through news outlets or missed "Nipplegate" entirely.
The fact that there was no easy way to find footage of the incident, which was such a huge part of pop culture at the time, led techies Chad Hurley, Steve Cehn, and Jawed Karim to build an online platform for video sharing - the website that would become YouTube.
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Hosted in LA, the 2022 halftime performance included Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, and Eminem. An ode to the genre was well overdue, and the assembly of Hip Hop royals seemingly effortlessly entertained the audience with their slew of classic and newer hits.
The show came with its share of controversy, however, as Eminem took a knee at the end of the performance - a nod to former NFL star Colin Kaepernick. Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar removed lines from his Black Lives Matter anthem, “Alright,” while Dr. Dre chose to keep his lines concerning law enforcement in “Still D.R.E.” The camera also noticeably panned away from Snoop Dogg every time it looked as though he was going to break out into a Crip Walk.
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The 2001 spectacle featured some of music's biggest legends, including Aerosmith, Britney Spears, NSYNC, Nelly, and Mary J. Blige.
While the show made good on its promise to present a spectacular and surprising performance, some were left questioning if Aerosmith really needed Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Mary J. Blige, and Nelly to carry their classic hit, “Walk This Way.”
The seemingly random newly-introduced artists made their way to the stage to create a sing-along with some of the biggest pop stars of the time.
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In typical fashion, Lady Gaga put on a glittery, extravagant spectacle of a performance for the halftime show in 2017. Only a few months after a highly controversial presidential election, many believed the pop star would take a political stance at the show. Gaga dropped from the sky into the Houston arena singing “God Bless America” and “This Land Is Your Land,” but that's about as political as the show got.
Gaga performed some of her biggest hits, including “Poker Face” and “Born This Way," with no mention of the election or her political stances. Still, some found her extensive use of technical embellishments and over-the-top theatrics distracting from her musical talents.
Least favorite?Only months after the US suffered the devastating terrorist attacks on 9/11, Irish rock group U2 stepped in to pay a moving tribute to the lives lost at the World Trade Center. As the names of the fallen scrolled across a giant screen behind them, lead singer Bono ripped open his jacket to reveal an American flag sewn inside.
Many critics and fans have claimed the 2002 halftime show as the best of all time, as the band so eloquently captured the emotions of the nation in a time of deep loss. However, it was also one of the shortest performances in Super Bowl history, leading some to wish the set list had been extended.
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Though some artists pull out all the stops, complete with an abundance of pyrotechnics, flashing lights, and technological flourishes to ensure their time on stage during the Super Bowl is a memorable one, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were no frills and all performance in 2008.
Even as an older rock musician, Petty's voice and energy still sounded and looked just as it did in the band's heyday, and even those who never really considered themselves fans had to admit that they knew the lyrics to most of the songs in the set, including hits like “American Girl,” “Runnin' Down a Dream,” and “Free Fallin'." Still, those expecting him to pull a few rabbits out of a hat in the name of such a big celebration were left underwhelmed by the straightforward performance.
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Beginning what the Washington Post dubbed the “retrain-your-bladder era,” Michael Jackson's 1993 halftime performance reshaped how viewers tuned in for game day. Featuring the first full concert-like performance in Super Bowl history, more fans watched the halftime show than the actual game, which featured the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills.
Singing his most popular songs with only a few backup dancers sharing the stage for brief moments, the King of Pop dominated the stage for the full-slotted show time. Though probably heartwarming at the time, the accusations brought against Jackson later in life make his choice to dedicate a portion of the show to the safety of the world's children uncomfortable to watch.
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- Anthony Correia
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Arguably, Prince's halftime appearance in 2007 is one of the greatest shows in Super Bowl history. Bringing the energy to the Miami stadium under less-than-ideal weather conditions didn't seem to be a problem, as he and his band belted out his most beloved songs as rain poured from the Southern Florida skies. While this made for a particularly epic scene during “Purple Rain,” the fans were, in fact, still getting rained on (which can put a damper on any otherwise amazing experience).
Later, the network also received complaints that Prince's guitar appeared to resemble a giant phallus when his silhouette was shown on camera.
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