11 of the Best Super Bowl Halftime Performances
Michael Jackson, 1993
The late King of Pop showed everyone how it's done with this incredible performance, bringing the crowd to a frenzy by simply standing still before launching into his signature dance moves. Jackson's show also marked the beginning of the halftime performance as we know it, as marching bands and other entertainment had performed prior to his show.
prevnextDiana Ross, 1996
Talk about a dramatic exit — Ross finished her set in spectacular fashion before a helicopter landed onstage to whisk the diva away.
prevnextAerosmith, 2001
The '00s peaked with this performance, which featured Aerosmith, *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige and Nelly delivering an all-star medley. From *NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye" to Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," the unlikely group covered it all with aplomb, cementing this performance as one of the Super Bowl's most iconic.
prevnextU2, 2002
The Irish rock band performed a tribute to the 9/11 attacks, which had taken place the year before. During “Where the Streets Have No Name,” a screen behind the group displayed the names of the victims as an emotional end to the three-song set.
prevnextPrince, 2007
The late Purple One graced the stage in 2007, defying nature during his headlining performance, which saw the star play "Purple Rain" and other hits in the pouring rain and never missing a beat as he proved yet again why he was one of the greatest entertainers of all time.
prevnextMadonna, 2012
The Material Girl's star-studded Roman-inspired performance included appearances by Nicki Minaj, M.I.A., Cee Lo Green, LMFAO and Cirque du Soleil. The show also saw a bit of controversy when M.I.A. flipped off the audience, earning a $16.6 million lawsuit from the NFL that was later settled for an undisclosed amount.
prevnextBruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, 2009
The Boss packed decades of hits into just 12 minutes, giving viewers an energetic show complete with a knee slide that sent him straight into a camera.
“I want you to step back from the guacamole dip, I want you to put the chicken fingers down and turn your television all the way up,” Springsteen told viewers.
prevnextBeyoncé, 2013
The star made dreams everywhere come true when she used her headlining set to reunite with her Destiny's Child bandmates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. She also sang several hits of her own while blessing the audience with her signature dance moves.
prevnextKaty Perry, 2015
The pop star brought the punch with this playful and powerful performance featuring four costume changes, Lenny Kravitz, Missy Elliot and the now-infamous Left Shark.
prevnextLady Gaga, 2017
A rare move in recent years, Lady Gaga performed her entire 13-minute set solo, starting with pre-recorded footage of her jumping off the roof of Houston's NRG Stadium and moving into an energetic medley jam-packed with hits including "Poker Face," "Born This Way" and "Bad Romance."
Photo Credit: Getty / Ronald Martinez
prevnextJustin Timberlake, 2018
0commentsWhile there were no wardrobe malfunctions during Justin Timberlake's Super Bowl LII >performance, there were plenty of audio issues. While singing a medley of several hits, from new single "Filthy" to Trolls' theme song "Can't Stop The Feeling,"> Timberlake's microphone had some trouble projecting his live vocals. Oddly enough, his backup singers could be heard clearly.
Nevertheless, Timberlake's Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show was laden with hits and a tribute to late Minneapolis native, Prince. The singer took a break from performing his own chart-toppers to break into a version of "I Would Die 4 U" on the piano, with a projection of Prince towering above him.
prev