Halftime shows are common during many American football games. Entertainment during the Super Bowl, the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), is one of the more lavish of these performances and is usually very widely watched on television in the United States.
Background
During most of the Super Bowl's first decade (starting on January 15, 1967), the halftime show featured a college marching band. The show's second decade featured a more varied show, often featuring drill teams and other performance ensembles; the group Up with People produced and starred in four of the performances. Starting in the 1990s, to counter other networks' efforts to counterprogram the game, the show was headlined by popular music acts each year, including New Kids on the Block, Michael Jackson, Gloria Estefan, Clint Black, Patti LaBelle, and Tony Bennett.
Starting with Super Bowl XXXII in 1998, commercial sponsors presented the halftime show; within five years, the tradition of having a theme—that began with Super Bowl III—ended, replaced by major music productions by arena rock bands and other high-profile acts. However, following the 1992 Super Bowl halftime broadcast, which was successfully challenged in viewership by a Fox broadcast of an episode of In Living Color, the NFL opted to include the use of popular culture spectacles annually. In the six years immediately following an incident at Super Bowl XXXVIII where Justin Timberlake exposed one of Janet Jackson's breasts in an alleged "wardrobe malfunction", all of the halftime shows consisted of a performance by one artist or group, with the musicians in that era primarily being rock artists from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. These shows were considered "family friendly" and the time in which they took place has been described as "the age of reactionary halftime shows".
Since Super Bowl XLV, the halftime show has returned to featuring popular contemporary musicians, with the typical format featuring a single headline artist collaborating with a small number of guest acts.
The NFL does not pay the halftime show performers an appearance fee, though it covers all expenses for the performers and their entourage of band members, management, technical crew, security personnel, family, and friends. The Super Bowl XXVII halftime show with Michael Jackson provided an exception, as the NFL and Frito-Lay agreed to make a donation and provide commercial time for Jackson's Heal the World Foundation. According to Nielsen SoundScan data, the halftime performers regularly experience significant spikes in weekly album sales and paid digital downloads due to the exposure. For Super Bowl XLIX, it was reported by the Wall Street Journal that league officials asked representatives of potential acts if they would be willing to provide financial compensation to the NFL in exchange for their appearance, in the form of either an up-front fee, or a cut of revenue from concert performances made after the Super Bowl. While these reports were denied by an NFL spokeswoman, the request had, according to the Journal, received a "chilly" response from those involved.
The process of deciding a headline performer for the Super Bowl halftime show is disputed. According to The Charlotte Observer, it begins with a panel that includes the National Football League's (NFL) director of entertainment, members of its production company, and the halftime show's director and producer. A short list of potential performers is created and given to the Super Bowl's host city, who makes the final decision. However, members of its host committee claimed that a headline performer is solely picked by the league, and they are notified on who was chosen in the same manner as the general public.
On August 13, 2019, the NFL announced a partnership with Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter and his entertainment company Roc Nation to be named the league's live music entertainment strategist. In that role, Jay-Z and his firm became co-producers and consultants of the Super Bowl halftime show, allowing them to be involved in selecting music for NFL usage and choosing entertainers to perform in televised promotional spots throughout the season. "We really wanted to start to focus on leading to culture," Seth Dudowsky, the league's head of music, explained. "Whether that's the culture of the city, what's happening in culture at large and then focusing on it so that what we're doing feels culturally relevant and using that platform for artists to be able to be themselves and show their art on stage. We want them to feel empowered."
Viewership According to Billboard Magazine, these are the highest-viewed Super Bowl halftime shows:
1. Kendrick Lamar in 2025 (133.5 million viewers)
2. Michael Jackson in 1993 (133.4 million viewers)
3. Usher in 2024 (129.3 million viewers)
4. Bad Bunny in 2026 (128.2 million viewers)
"Nielsen did not measure any of the YouTube live stream viewership for 2026's halftime show. Of the linear networks that carried the Super Bowl, the only one Nielsen measures is broadcast network "
Via NBC and NBC Sports, the total social-media consumption of the 2026 halftime show featuring Bad Bunny set a record with 4.157 global billion views in the first 24 hours, a 137-percent increase over the 2025 halftime show.
The social media figures for 2026 include fans, owned platforms, broadcast partners and influencers. The NFL said more than 55% of all social views came from international markets.
Spanish Broadcast
Super Bowl XLVIII included the first Spanish-language broadcast for a Super Bowl and halftime show.
"Bad Bunny’s presence may also have increased the Spanish-language audience in the US. Telemundo averaged 3.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched Super Bowl Spanish-language broadcast in the United States. The Super Bowl has been televised in Spanish in the US since 2014. The audience peaked during the half-time show, averaging 4.8 million viewers – also making it the most-watched Super Bowl half-time in Spanish-language history in the US."
History The following is a list of the performers, producers, themes, and sponsors for each Super Bowl game's show. This list does not include national anthem performers, which are listed in the article List of national anthem performers at the Super Bowl.
1960s Super Bowl Date Location Theme Performers Producer Setlist Ref.IJanuary 15, 1967Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum(Los Angeles, California) Tommy Walker II January 14, 1968 Miami Orange Bowl(Miami, Florida) Grambling State University Marching Band IIIJanuary 12, 1969Miami Orange Bowl(Miami, Florida)America Thanks
1970s Super Bowl Date Location Theme Performer(s) Producer Sponsor Setlist Ref.IVJanuary 11, 1970Tulane Stadium(New Orleans, Louisiana)Tribute to Mardi GrasVJanuary 17, 1971Miami Orange Bowl(Miami, Florida)Southeast Missouri State Marching BandAnita BryantUp With People VI January 16, 1972 Tulane Stadium(New Orleans, Louisiana) Salute to Louis Armstrong Jim Skinner VII January 14, 1973 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum(Los Angeles, California) Happiness Is Tommy Walker VIIIJanuary 13, 1974Rice Stadium(Houston, Texas)A Musical AmericaJim SkinnerIXJanuary 12, 1975Tulane Stadium(New Orleans, Louisiana)Tribute to Duke EllingtonMercer Ellington & Grambling State University Marching BandsXJanuary 18, 1976Miami Orange Bowl(Miami, Florida)200 Years and Just a Baby: A Tribute to America's BicentennialUp with PeopleXIJanuary 9, 1977Rose Bowl(Pasadena, California)It's a Small WorldLos Angeles Unified All-City Band with the New Mouseketeers & Audience card stuntThe Walt Disney CompanyXIIJanuary 15, 1978Louisiana Superdome(New Orleans, Louisiana)From Paris to Paris of AmericaXIIIJanuary 21, 1979Miami Orange Bowl(Miami, Florida)Salute to CaribbeanBob JaniCarnival
1980s Super Bowl Date Location Theme Performer(s) Producer Sponsor Setlist Ref.XIVJanuary 20, 1980Rose Bowl(Pasadena, California)A Salute to the Big Band EraXVJanuary 25, 1981Louisiana Superdome(New Orleans, Louisiana)Mardi Gras FestivalJim SkinnerXVIJanuary 24, 1982Pontiac Silverdome(Pontiac, Michigan)Salute to the 1960s and MotownUp with PeopleXVIIJanuary 30, 1983Rose Bowl(Pasadena, California)KaleidoSUPERscopeLos Angeles Super Drill TeamBob JaniXVIIIJanuary 22, 1984Tampa Stadium(Tampa, Florida)Salute to Superstars of Silver ScreenUniversity of Florida and Florida State University Marching BandsThe Walt Disney CompanyXIXJanuary 20, 1985Stanford Stadium(Stanford, California)World of Children's DreamsTops in BlueAir Force EntertainmentXXJanuary 26, 1986Louisiana Superdome(New Orleans, Louisiana)Beat of the FutureUp with PeopleXXIJanuary 25, 1987Rose Bowl(Pasadena, California)Salute to Hollywood's 100th Anniversary – The World of Make BelieveThe Walt Disney CompanyXXIIJanuary 31, 1988Jack Murphy Stadium(San Diego, California)Something GrandRadio City Music HallXXIIIJanuary 22, 1989Joe Robbie Stadium(Miami Gardens, Florida)1950s Rock and Roll (Be Bop Bamboozled in 3-D)Diet Coke
1990s Super Bowl Date Location Theme Headliner(s) Special guests(s) Producer Sponsor Setlist Ref.XXIVJanuary 28, 1990Louisiana Superdome(New Orleans, Louisiana)40th Years of Happiness (Salute to Peanuts) Despie & Miziker ProductionsXXVJanuary 27, 1991Tampa Stadium(Tampa, Florida)Small World Tribute to 25 Years of the Super Bowl The Walt Disney CompanyXXVIJanuary 26, 1992Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome(Minneapolis, Minnesota)Winter Magic, salute to 1992 Winter Olympics Timberline ProductionsXXVIIJanuary 31, 1993Rose Bowl(Pasadena, California)An Unprecedented Super Bowl Spectacular starring Michael JacksonMichael Jackson Radio City Music HallLay'sXXVIIIJanuary 30, 1994Georgia Dome(Atlanta, Georgia)Rockin' Country SundaySelect ProductionsWavy Lay'sXXIXJanuary 29, 1995Joe Robbie Stadium(Miami Gardens, Florida)Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye The Walt Disney CompanyDoritos XXX January 28, 1996 Sun Devil Stadium(Tempe, Arizona) Take Me Higher: A Celebration of 30 Years of the Super Bowl Diana Ross Radio City Music Hall Oscar Mayer XXXIJanuary 26, 1997Louisiana Superdome(New Orleans, Louisiana)Blues Brothers Bash The Blues Brothers (Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman and Jim Belushi)XXXIIJanuary 25, 1998Qualcomm Stadium(San Diego, California)Salute to Motown's 40th Anniversary Grambling State University Marching Band Radio City Music HallXXXIII January 31, 1999Pro Player Stadium(Miami Gardens, Florida)Celebration of Soul, Salsa and SwingProgressive Auto Insurance
2000s Super Bowl Date Location Theme Headliner(s) Special guest(s) Producer Sponsor Setlist Ref.XXXIVJanuary 30, 2000Georgia Dome(Atlanta, Georgia)Tapestry of NationsDisney E-TradeXXXVJanuary 28, 2001Raymond James Stadium(Tampa, Florida)The Kings of Rock and PopMTVXXXVIFebruary 3, 2002Louisiana Superdome(New Orleans, Louisiana)Tribute to those killed in the September 11 attacksU2Clear Channel EntertainmentXXXVIIJanuary 26, 2003Qualcomm Stadium(San Diego, California)StingAT&T WirelessXXXVIIIFebruary 1, 2004Reliant Stadium(Houston, Texas)Choose or LoseSpirit of Houston and Ocean of Soul marching bandsMTVAOL TopSpeedXXXIXFebruary 6, 2005Alltel Stadium(Jacksonville, Florida)Paul McCartney Don Mischer ProductionsAmeriquest MortgageXLFebruary 5, 2006Ford Field(Detroit, Michigan)The Rolling StonesSprint NextelXLIFebruary 4, 2007Dolphin Stadium(Miami Gardens, Florida)PrinceFlorida A&M University Marching 100 Band PepsiXLIIFebruary 3, 2008University of Phoenix Stadium(Glendale, Arizona)Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers BridgestoneXLIIIFebruary 1, 2009Raymond James Stadium(Tampa, Florida)Bruce Springsteen and the E Street BandThe Miami Horns
2010s