The Super Bowl halftime show can be as good or better than the football game itself. If nothing else, it’s packed with pageantry, props, and sing-along hits from some of the biggest names in music.
This year’s big game will look a bit different but the essentials are still in place. Two teams, Kansas City and Tampa Bay, will be facing off, vying to be crowned the best team in all the land. And, as the second quarter expires, musicians and performance entourages will take to the stage and deliver something memorable.
As engrained as the halftime show has become in American culture, it’s really a fairly modern development. Michael Jackson jumpstarted the headliner trend back in 1993 (a great show but in case you don’t follow the news, the King of Pop has been rightfully canceled) and it’s been the theme since. Prior, the halftime show tended to focus on marching bands or Disney-produced tributes to various films of regions of the world. There are some gems within this era, but most of the water cooler talk has focused on performances from the mid-90s on.
Like the best SNL performances of all time or the best beers to stock your fridge with, it’s a debatable list. But we’re confident these ten Super Bowl halftime shows of recent history are among the most memorable and most magnificent to take in, whether it’s a rewatch or a first-time witness.
Various Acts (1967)
The first Super Bowl halftime show of all time had all kinds of entertaining novelties. The midpoint between the Packers and Chiefs was filled with well-choreographed marching band sets from the University of Arizona and Grambling State. There were was a dude who flew among pigeons in a jetpack, a performance by trumpeter Al Hirt, and a lot of flag waving from drill teams. It’s grainy footage but it gives you and idea of just how much the nature of the performance has changed, from what was essentially a glorified high school band parade to a who’s who karaoke spectacular.
The Rockettes (1988)
What’s not to like about a show involving 88 grand pianos and a 400-something member swing band? The answer is nothing. Even Liberace would have loved this halftime performance. It was produced by Radio City Music Hall and even featured dance rock ‘n’ roller Chubby Checker, wearing what appears to be a deflated disco ball. The theme was “something grand” and the piano setup alone lived up to that and more. It was a classy affair, with tux-clad musicians But the frosting on the cake was The Rockettes, who danced and tapped atop giant piano keys in glorious metallic footwear.
New Kids on the Block (1991)
This one makes the list mainly because of its strangeness. The plan was to make it a wholesome, family-friendly affair so it’s essentially conducted by kids. It’s a bizarre mashup of Disney characters, football players, child stars, and New Kids on the Block. The boy band sings among kids dancing before some Disney castle props. Hats off to the network for even trying something so sweet, despite the fact that the masses usually just want sexy dancing, explosions, and pop stars. It’s delightfully awkward and a real head-scratcher, in a positive way.
Diana Ross (1996)
Fit with a stage that looks like a skate park, Diana Ross’s 1996 performance is a goodie. It’s pretty typical to rifle through snippets of your hits if you’re the headliner during the big game and while Ross does that, she does it rather effortlessly. Her costume changes are great, her positivity is infectious, and the church-choir rendition of Ain’t no Mountain High Enough is captivating. Ross departs with what many consider to be the best Super Bowl exit off all time — hanging part way out of a helicopter.
U2 (2002)
Plainly, this set is just a sound pop-rock performance. Bono mingles with a screaming crowd and struts about on a catwalk-like stage. In addition to a high-octane version of Beautiful Day, the band played the Joshua Tree hit Where the Streets Have No Name. The Edge is given some license to shred, there are glow sticks ‘a plenty, and Bono parades around like maniac. It’s the feel-good, anthemic, and patriotic stuff America was craving in a freshly post-9-11 world. It’s also so early-aughts, part of the reason it’s a keeper. Plus, credit to U2 for playing hard.
Paul McCartney (2005)
Paul McCartney is the show during this fantastic run through some old Beatles hits. He’s youthful and peppy and owns the giant, geometric glowing stage, engineered for the many aerial shots during the affair. It’s a frank reminder of just how damn talented McCartney is. Beyond the four-song set list (and some fireworks, let’s be honest), there’s little more than just he and his band tearing it up and occasionally soloing. McCartney assumes the piano for “Live and Let Die,” a twisting song with multiple parts that seems tailor-made for the short attention span of a Super Bowl halftime audience. He finishes with Hey Jude, a song you simply can’t help but shout along to during the chorus.
Prince (2007)
Widely considered to be the best Super Bowl performance of all time, Prince’s set still feels supernatural. He enters in style, with Queen’s We Will Rock You before settling into Let’s Go Crazy. Prince wastes not time showing off his guitar chops and his symbolic purple stage dazzles. Perhaps most impressively, the Purple One is constantly on the move without missing a single guitar note or vocal. His blending of All Along the Watchtower into Foo Fighters’ Best of You is surprisingly seamless. And he finishes the powerhouse set with Purple Rain while it was raining. That’s tough to top.
The Who (2010)
The Who were out to show that old guys can still explode some amps and rock extraordinarily hard. It’s always going to be a fun set when you hit the ground running with a fiery version of Pinball Wizard. Shout outs to the spaceship-esque stage, the crystal clear drum set, some deft harmonica work, and Pete Townshend’s windmill guitar work. You can just imagine all of the teens and twenty-something Googling the band after the performance, wondering why they never got into them earlier.
Beyoncé (2013)
Let’s face it, Beyoncé is built for this kind of stage. She’s shown as much time and time again, from commanding Coachella to this amazing set in New Orleans in 2013. Queen Bey is fully in charge, to the point where you completely forget what sport is happening, let alone the score. There’s a spark-spitting electric guitar, digital duplicates of Beyoncé playing on the stage, and even a Destiny’s Child reunion. The dancing is near-flawless, the wardrobe perfectly-revealing, When she multiplies on stage during Baby Boy it feels a fantasy come to life. Per the musician’s preference, she does it all before a sprawling and talented live band.
Justin Timberlake (2018)
Justin Timberlake runs through an impressive eleven tracks during Super Bowl 2018. As you’d expect, the show is full of clever dance moves and great background talent. Highlights include a big band version of My Love, a version of Suit and Tie done with the University of Minnesota marching band, and a Prince cover. Finishing with a bang, JT capped his set with the wildly infectious Can’t Stop the Feeling. The whole thing feels like the coolest guy at the coolest house party just doing his thing.
Article originally published January 29, 2018. Last updated in 2021.
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