Take a Look Back at Some of the Best Super Bowl Halftime Shows Since the '90s
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What do you look forward to the most: The actual Super Bowl game or the Super Bowl halftime show? We're not going to judge! Everyone has their preferences. And for the millions of people who tune in every year, many of them are diehard football fans (like the Drummonds), but we can bet that there are a handful of others who haven't watched a single game all football season. But that halftime show... you know they're not going to miss it!
There have been so many amazing Super Bowl halftime performances over the years—each with a new singer (or group of singers) that brings their own personal flair to the field. Everyone knows that last year Rihanna graced the main stage for the first time, but there have also been performances by Prince, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and so many more. We're basically saying that it's hard to pick the best shows of all time. Nevertheless, we've come up with this list of our picks for the 16 best Super Bowl halftime shows ever.
As we prepare for Usher to dominate the halftime show this year, take a scroll through these performances and let us know which one was your favorite. Also, let this list be a gentle reminder that it's time to start planning your Super Bowl party and figuring out which snacks and appetizers you'll be serving up on game day!
Diana Ross (1996)
Does anyone remember the way Diana Ross wrapped up her Super Bowl performance? She climbed into a helicopter right after yelling out the words: "Oh my, here comes my ride!" The word iconic would be a complete understatement!
Boyz II Men (1998)
You couldn't go anywhere in the latter half of the '90s without hearing Boyz II Men playing in a public space—they were just that famous! The R&B group took on the Super Bowl halftime stage in 1998, singing many of their smooth hits while looking as coordinated as ever.
Stevie Wonder and Gloria Estefan (1999)
You may not initially think of Stevie Wonder and Gloria Estefan as a power duo, but they had everyone pleasantly surprised when they performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in 1999. Stevie's soulful hits and piano ballads meshed so well with Gloria's salsa beats, and you can tell the crowd thoroughly enjoyed it, too!
Shania Twain, Sting, and No Doubt (2003)
Listen, this one did get somewhat mixed reviews, but it was super fun nonetheless. Fun fact: Gwen Stefani was still in the band No Doubt during this performance.
Paul McCartney (2005)
It doesn't get more classic than this. Paul McCartney gave everyone a healthy dose of nostalgia with his amazing classic rock performance in 2005.
The Rolling Stones (2006)
So much hip-shaking in this one! The sass was real, and it was much-needed in the moment.
Prince (2007)
No one doubted Prince's ability to make the halftime stage his own. But no one could have predicted that he'd put on one of the best performances in Super Bowl halftime history during a downpour! Purple Rain, indeed.
Tom Petty (2008)
It almost seems like Tom Petty waited his whole career for this moment. His performance was just what we needed to see on the halftime stage. His hits went over very well with the crowd, too.
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (2009)
The best way to describe this show is that it seemed like these two had a whole lot of fun—and so did America watching them.
Madonna (2012)
Honestly, we're not sure why it took so long to get the Queen of Pop to the sports world's biggest stage. But it was totally worth the wait. Madonna proved to the world that she's still got it!
Beyoncé (2013)
Everything about Beyoncé's performance was iconic. She even brought out her former Destiny's Child members, much to the delight of the crowd!
Bruno Mars (2014)
2014 was truly Bruno Mars' year. He scored his first Super Bowl performance despite having only two albums out at the time. Not many thought he could pull it off, as he was relatively new to the scene, but boy, did he deliver!
Katy Perry and Missy Elliott (2015)
For a while, it seemed like the only person on the radio was Katy Perry. So it just made sense that she was the pick for 2015's halftime performer. Sharing the stage with Missy Elliot, Katy put on one of the most fun Super Bowl performances we've seen.
Lady Gaga (2017)
Lady Gaga is known for her outside-the-box performances and creative antics at award shows. So, no one really knew what she would be bringing to the Super Bowl stage in 2017. But from the moment she flew in from the top of the stadium on a wire to perform her most iconic songs, we all knew it was going to be a special show—and it was.
The Weeknd (2021)
Honestly, we give props to The Weeknd for putting on a creative show during challenging times! It was the first pandemic-era Super Bowl, after all, and he gave a haunting performance we'll never forget.
Rihanna (2023)
Having to top every single other Super Bowl performance is a hard task—but announcing your pregnancy right when you get on stage is a great way to do so! Still, Rihanna's long-awaited return to any sort of musical stage was highly anticipated, and fans everywhere were ecstatic to witness it in real time.
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