The NFL’s Super Bowl half-time performance is one of the most anticipated performances every year. The prestigious stage has seen legends such as Michael Jackson, Prince and Whitney Houston.
In the last couple of years, fans have been blessed with experiencing phenomenal shows.
Remixd Mag takes a look into past half-time shows and ranks each act.
10. Maroon 5
In 2019, Maroon 5 headlined the stage in Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium alongside special guests Travis Scott and Big Boi. The band ran through their hits such as “Girls Like You“, “Sugar” and “Moves Like Jagger.” Travis Scott joined in on the performance with a fiery entrance that paid homage to Stephen Hillenburg, creator of the Nickelodeon cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants, who passed in 2018. Scott delivered an energetic performance of “SICKO MODE” and exited the stage with a crowd surf. Atlanta rapper Big Boi also showed up on Cadillac and performed two singles including Outkast‘s “The Way You Move.”
9. Justin Timberlake
In 2018, Justin Timberlake returned to the half-time show for his third appearance on the stage. The singer used the entirety of the stadium as a stage for his performance, he started below field level and ended in the stands. He cycled through an array of hits including “Rock Your Body“, “Cry Me A River” and “Mirrors.” He also paid homage to Prince with a performance of “I Would Die 4 U” alongside a projection of the late superstar.
8. Bruno Mars
In 2014, Bruno Mars made history by becoming the youngest headliner of the half-time show. Mars and his eight-piece band The Hooligans performed popular hits such as “Billionaire“, “Runaway Baby” and “Just Way You Are.” The pop singer also invited the Red Hot Chili Peppers to join him on stage and perform “Give It Away.”
7. Coldplay
For the 50th anniversary of the Super Bowl, Coldplay was selected to headline the show. The rock band set off the show with a high-energy performance with hits such as “Viva La Vida” and “Fix You.” They were later joined by past headliners Beyoncé and Bruno Mars who performed “Formation” and “Just Way You Are”. The performance was an ode to past half-time shows where clips of previous headliners were shown.
6. Katy Perry
Katy Perry graced the Super Bowl half-time stage in 2015. Perry arrived at the show on a gigantic lion as she performed her smash-hit “Roar.” With a series of special effects and outfit changes, she ran through a selection of her hits including “Dark Horse“, “Teenage Dream” and “California Gurls.” Lenny Kravitz joined her on stage for a rendition of “I Kissed a Girl” followed by Missy Elliot who also briefly took over the show with a melody of her biggest singles “Get Ur Freak On“, “Work It” and “Lose Control.”
5. The Weeknd
The Weeknd made history in 2021, becoming the first Canadian act to headline the stage. Due to COVID-19 ongoing, the popstar was able to utilize parts of the stadium that previous acts were unable to. His main stage was built within the stadium and used the field only towards the end. The performance was a cinematic experience as he embodied his Vegas theme that was prominent throughout the rollout of his album After Hours. He ran through his loaded discography with hits including “The Hills“, “Starboy” and “Blinding Lights.“
4. Shakira and Jennifer Lopez
In 2020, the Super Bowl half-time show was taken over by Latin music with Shakira and Jennifer Lopez co-headlining. Shakira started off the night by showing off her many skills such as playing the electric guitar, rope and belly dancing. She later brought out Bad Bunny to perform “I Like It.” Shakira handed it over to JLo who rose from a skyscraper and performed a slew of hits including “Jenny From The Block” and “Ain’t It Funny” before bringing out J Balvin to perform his club hit “Mi Gente.” The two headliners ended the set performing alongside each other and making a statement for Latin music in Miami.
3. Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga took over 2017’s half-time show with a range of stunts, special effects and hits. Gaga started her set on top of NRG Stadium where she proceeded to dive into the stadium where she landed atop a pillar. Her set took fans through her journey within music up to the present date with hits such as “Poker Face“, “Just Dance” and “Bad Romance.” The singer used multiple drones and the performance earned an Emmy award for Outstanding Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Special.
2. Beyoncé
Beyoncé’s performance at the Super Bowl half-time show had many thrilling moments and was critically acclaimed. The megastar is known for her top-tier performances, and the Super Bowl was no exception. Beyonce had elite production, staging, multiple dancers, an all-female band and a 32-girl cheerleader troupe of the host-city New Orleans team the Saints. The performance made headlines when she reunited with Destiny Child’s Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams who performed “Bootylicious“, “Independent Women Part I” and assisted on “Single Ladies.” The set list also included multiple hits from throughout her career such as “Love On Top“, “Baby Boy” and “Halo.”
1. Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre take over at the 2022’s Super Bowl half-time show was the perfect ode to his legendary career and successes. The set took fans throughout Dr. Dre career from Snoop Dogg all the way to Anderson Paak. It was met with critical acclaim and became the first half-time show to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live). The show also won the Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special and Outstanding Music Direction. Dr. Dre performed alongside Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Mary J Blige, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. The star-studded performance had fans worldwide on their feet as each artist delivered their hits such as “California Love“, “In Da Club” and “Lose Yourself.” Dre also paid homage to 2Pac with a rendition of “I Aint Mad At Cha” on the keys.
This year’s Super Bowl is highly anticipated as Rihanna is set to grace the stage this Sunday In Arizona.
