The Super Bowl halftime shows have seen everything from groovy BOPs to infamous controversies, which probably explains why fans most look forward to the performance at the annual National Football League (NFL) championship match.
There have been many notable halftime performances over the years, including Michael Jackson’s pioneering show in 1993, Prince’s unforgettable act in 2007, and of course, the infamous Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake duet in 2004. Despite its misogyny, the last one led to the creation of YouTube and introduced the term “wardrobe malfunction” in the modern lexicon.
For the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar headlined the show along with SZA on 9 February at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. As Super Bowl LIX saw the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles take on each other with the Eagles taking home the winning title with a sweeping victory of 40-22, Lamar’s halftime show, where he got an eager crowd to groove on his latest track “Not Like Us”, was no less iconic.
Naturally, it is the perfect time to reminisce about some of the best Super Bowl halftime performances of all time. Get ready to become nostalgic.
Ranking the best Super Bowl halftime performances of all time
1. Prince — 2007 (Super Bowl XLI, Indianapolis Colts vs Chicago Bears)
On this day in 2007, Prince performed a medley of hits at the Super Bowl XLI Halftime show in Miami, including “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Baby I’m A Star,” “1999” and covers of “Proud Mary,” “All Along The Watchtower,” and “Best of You.” The 12-minute show concluded with a legendary… pic.twitter.com/aqXCgXIwsa
— Prince (@prince) February 4, 2024
Setlist:
- We Will Rock You
- Let’s Go Crazy
- Baby I’m a Star
- Proud Mary
- 1999
- All Along the Watchtower
- Best of You
- Purple Rain
It would be blasphemy to put this halftime show anywhere but at No. 1. Prince’s performance was perfect. From his impeccable vocals to the matching weather, it was as if nature had conspired to make it one of the most memorable moments in history when it began showering during “Purple Rain”.
2. U2 — 2002 (Super Bowl XXXVI, New England Patriots vs St. Louis Rams)
Images from @U2‘s incredibly emotional @SuperBowl halftime show, which took place on this day in 2002. pic.twitter.com/uI6VDm62Hp
— U2 Three Chords (@U2ThreeChords) February 3, 2023
Setlist:
- MLK
- Beautiful Day
- Where the Streets Have No Name
When America was still reeling from the 9/11 attacks, U2’s Super Bowl halftime performance was exactly what the nation needed. A tribute to the resilience of humankind after the shocking tragedy, U2’s performance was incredibly emotional with the names of all the victims of the 11 September 2001 World Trade Centre attack appearing on the giant screen.
3. Michael Jackson — 1993 (Super Bowl XXVII, Buffalo Bills vs Dallas Cowboys)
Setlist:
- Jam
- Billie Jean
- Black or White
- We Are The World
- Heal The World
The King of Pop’s Super Bowl halftime performance is one of the pioneering performances that made the musical showcase what it is today. Before Michael Jackson, it was only marching bands and orchestras that headlined the halftime show.
Introduced by James Earl Jones, Jackson’s halftime performance was a testament to his charisma and talent with immaculately executed choreography and his signature moonwalk.
4. Rihanna — 2023 (Super Bowl LVII, Kansas City Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles)
Setlist:
- B*tch Better Have My Money
- Where Have You Been
- Only Girl (In the World)
- We Found Love
- Rude Boy
- Work
- Wild Thoughts
- Pour it Up
- All of the Lights
- Run This Town
- Umbrella
- Diamonds
In her first live performance in over five years, RiRi performed some of her most iconic songs that got the crowd grooving. But in an even more iconic moment, she introduced her “special guest” by revealing her baby bump on a floating platform! With 121 million viewers, Rihanna’s performance was also one of the the most-watched halftime shows.
5. Kendrick Lamar — 2025 (Super Bowl LIX, Kansas City Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles)
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Setlist:
- Bodies (GNX Snippet)
- Squabble Up
- Humble
- DNA
- Euphoria
- Man at the Garden
- Peekaboo
- Luther
- All the Stars
- Not Like Us
- TV Off
From dressing the iconic Samuel L Jackson as Uncle Sam to bringing out Serena Williams during “Not Like Us”, Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance was the talk of the town. Joking about the ongoing lawsuit with the rapper Drake and dissing him with the aforementioned track, Lamar became the first solo rap artist to headline the show.
With themes of the American Revolution, the performance was not only incredibly memorable but also set a new record for the most-watched halftime show of all time with 133.5 million views.
6. Beyoncé —2013 (Super Bowl XLVII, Baltimore Raven vs San Francisco 49ers)
Setlist:
- Run the World (Girls)
- Love on Top
- Crazy in Love
- End of Time
- Baby Boy
- Bootylicious
- Independent Woman Part I
- Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
- Halo
Beyoncé’s 2013 Super Bowl halftime performance is one worth remembering, especially because of her reunion with her former Destiny’s Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. With an army of background dancers and an emotional rendition of “Halo”, Beyoncé proved why she is called Queen Bey.
7. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar — 2022 (Super Bowl LVI, Cincinnati Bengals vs Los Angeles Rams)
Setlist:
- The Next Episode
- California Love
- Family Affair
- No More Drama
- M.A.A.D City
- Alright
- Forgot About Dre
- Lose Yourself
- I Ain’t Mad at Cha
- Still D.R.E
With guest stars 50 Cent who performed “In da Club” and Anderson .Paak who handled the drums, this Super Bowl halftime performance was a once-in-a-lifetime pop culture moment. The show, which included some of the most iconic ’90s rappers along with Kendrick Lamar, went on to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live), Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special and Outstanding Music Direction.
8. The Rolling Stones — 2006 (Super Bowl XL, Pittsburg Steelers vs Seattle Seahawks)
Setlist:
- Start Me Up
- Rough Justice
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
For a band as big as The Rolling Stones, you would expect them to have performed at a Super Bowl halftime show much earlier in their career. It took a long time for the English rock group to get there, prompting Mick Jagger to jokingly remark they could have played “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” at Super Bowl I before going on to perform the iconic track.
However, when the Stones finally did get there, their performance became one of the best Super Bowl halftime performances of all time. Jagger set the stage on fire with his moves despite the NFL censoring parts of the lyrics.
9. Lady Gaga — 2017 (Super Bowl LI, New England Patriots vs Atlanta Falcons)
Setlist:
- God Bless America
- This Land Is Your Land
- Poker Face
- Born This Way
- Telephone
- Just Dance
- Million Reasons
- Bad Romance
Lady Gaga became the first solo female artiste to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in over two decades after Diana Ross headlined the show in 1996. With no guest stars, Gaga single-handedly captivated the audience while performing some of her greatest hits. In typical Lady Gaga fashion, the singer jumped off the stage at the end of her performance and caught a football covered in diamonds.
10. Madonna — 2012 (Super Bowl XLVI, New England Patriots vs New York Giants)
Setlist:
- Vogue
- Music
- Party Rock Anthem
- Give Me All Your Luvin
- Open Your Heart
- Express Yourself
- Like A Prayer
After the King of Pop performed at the Super Bowl once, it was only right to have the Queen of Pop perform at a halftime show as well. Madonna’s Super Bowl halftime performance is another one of our favourites. With various guest stars, including Nicki Minaj and M.I.A., the performance was a big ball of electrifying energy.
And, despite the M.I.A. controversy where the artist showed her middle finger to the camera during “Give Me All Your Luvin”, the musical showcase was commercially successful as well as critically acclaimed.
11. Shakira and Jennifer Lopez — 2020 (Super Bowl LIV, Kansas City Chiefs vs San Francisco 49ers)
Setlist:
- She Wolf
- Empire
- Ojos Así
- Whenever, Wherever
- I Like It
- Chantaje
- Hips Don’t Lie
- Frankie Cutlass
- Jenny from the Block
- Ain’t It Funny
- Get Right
- Waiting for Tonight
- Que Calor
- Mi Gente
- On the Floor
- Let’s Get Out
- Waka Waka
Sporting costume changes and guest stars like Bad Bunny and J Balvin, Shakira and JLo’s Super Bowl halftime performance is one of the most memorable ones of recent times. The two pop stars highlighted their Latino identity with Lopez draping a furry cape with the American flag on the outside and the flag of Puerto Rico on its inside.
Which is your favourite Super Bowl halftime performance?
(Hero and feature image: Courtesy: IMDb and Michael Jackson/michaeljackson via Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions
Kendrick Lamar performed at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show.
Michael Jackson’s 1993 performance and Prince’s 2007 performance are considered to be some of the biggest Super Bowl halftime shows. Meanwhile, Rihanna's 2023 halftime show is the most-viewed one.
Bruno Mars is the youngest halftime performer. He performed at the Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show when he was just 28 years old.
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Guniya enjoys writing about pop-culture and fashion. A literature graduate, she spends her free time reading novels and listening to rock music. A true introvert, she can spend hours at home, curled up with some coffee and a studio Ghibli movie.
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