Super Bowl 56 is finally upon which means one team will be crowned as champions of the NFL, this coming weekend. The Los Angeles Rams are taking on the underdog Cincinnati Bengals, and when it comes to the game itself, fans should be in for a real treat. The Bengals are a team that had no business going this far, while the Rams are a team full of veteran superstars who are trying to win their very first Super Bowl. It is a game that is inspiring a ton of intrigue, and regardless of who you cheer for, fans are in for a real treat.
As for the halftime show, we will be getting an ode to Dr. Dre and Los Angeles. The legendary producer will be hosting a halftime show that contains performances from the likes of Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, and more. This is going to make for a truly incredible display of talent, and fans are curious to see how it all comes together. After all, halftime shows can be completely hit or miss, especially when so many artists are taking to the stage at once.
For those who may not know, the Super Bowl halftime show has evolved since the first Super Bowl all the way back in 1967. For decades, the halftime show would simply be a marching band to entertain the crowd between the second and third quarters. Eventually, the NFL realized that they needed to do something bigger in order to boost ratings and create game recognition, which led to Gloria Estafan’s halftime performance in 1992. Since that time, the NFL has consistently had famous artists take the stage, which has led to massive ratings boosts in the middle of the game. Now, people who don’t even care about football are tuning into the Super Bowl, which is exactly what the NFL wants. The league owns one particular day every single year, and that’s not going to stop anytime soon.
With that being said, we decided to count down the five best Super Bowl halftime shows of all time. From solo performances to grand productions that span across multiple different artists, there are some pretty magnificent displays here.
Paul McCartney (2005)
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When you think of Paul McCartney, you’re going to immediately think of The Beatles. Of course, at that time, the only remaining members of the group were himself and Ringo Starr. As a result, when McCartney took to the stage at the Super Bowl in 2005, he opted to go solo, with the help of some bandmates so that he could play his greatest hits. Perhaps the biggest highlight of the evening was when he played “Live and Let Die” which is his hit James Bond theme song that has been covered by the likes of Guns N Roses. For good measure, McCartney had the entire crowd singing “Hey Jude,” which helped bolster his performance into legendary status.
Lady Gaga (2017)
Lady Gaga is one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, and her Super Bowl performance in 2017 was a demonstration of her talent. From the lights to the choreography to the song choices, Lady Gaga completely dominated the stage and had fans in awe. In fact, Gaga’s performance was a showcase of just how much the halftime show has evolved over the last three decades. From minimal production value to what Gaga gave us in 2017, it has become clear that the NFL is adamant about making the Super Bowl halftime show an event that is seemingly bigger than the game itself. With that being said, Gaga certainly helped make that vision come true.
Coldplay, Beyonce, Bruno Mars (2016)
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Back in 2016, Coldplay, Beyonce, and Bruno Mars got together for a halftime show that blew everyone away. When you think of these three artists, you probably don’t picture them together. After all, Coldplay is a modern rock band, Bruno Mars is doing his thing in the pop-funk world, and Beyonce is an r’n’b-pop-darling turned megastar. Regardless, the synergy these three displayed was simply incredible, and it led to some wild individual performances that were capped off with Beyonce and Bruno Mars on stage together. In the end, Beyonce stole the show with her marching band entrance that had all of social media buzzing. Her performance remains an iconic moment in Super Bowl history, and that’s why this performance cracks our top 3.
Michael Jackson (1993)
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Michael Jackson’s performance in 1993 was unique due to the fact that it was one of the first halftime shows in the modern era. The NFL was trying new things, and Jackson’s performance was pretty well the confirmation the league needed in terms of knowing whether or not these showcases were a good idea. Throughout his performance, Jackson sang “Billie Jean,” “We Are The World,” and a whole host of other hits while moonwalking and dazzling fans with some trickery that had him all over the field. Despite the limited technology of the 90s, Jackson was able to bring the Super Bowl into the future, and it is one of those performances that have stood out over the years. In fact, some might say this was a top 5 Jackson performance, ever.
Prince (2007)
Prince’s halftime show performance in 2007 is widely regarded as the greatest of all time and for very obvious reasons. During the proceedings, there was a torrential downpour that had fans concerned about the quality of the show. In the end, Prince did not miss a single beat as he powered through it, all while putting on a virtuosic performance with the help of his guitar– that received backlash for looking like a phallic object. As for his song choices, Prince was on top of his game, and once he performed “Purple Rain,” it was clear that we were all witnessing a performance for the ages. This is one of those moments that immediately comes to mind when we think about the Super Bowl, and with that being said, it was a no-brainer that this would be number one on the list.
Let us know your favorite Super Bowl halftime show, in the comments down below.