Best Super Bowl halftime shows of all time
Ahead of Bady Bunny's show this weekend, here are the best Super Bowl halftime shows of all time, including Beyoncé, Prince, Kendrick, Bruno Mars, Gaga, and more.
Last updated: 3rd Feb 2026
Originally published: 8th Feb 2023
America’s biggest sporting event is approaching.
With over 100 million U.S. viewers tuning in each year, the Super Bowl is absolutely massive.
And while we can’t deny that American football is a bit more confusing than our regular football (real football), the NFL provides a 10/10 halftime show to break up the tension of sweaty men obsessing over a ball for 60 minutes. TOUCHDOWN!
So whether you’re the kind to sit down to enjoy the full game or just the music performances at halftime, there’s something in it for you.
Ahead of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday 8th February, join us in enjoying what past years have offered us.
From icons such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Usher, to legends such as Michael Jackson, Prince, and U2, let's dive into the best Super Bowl halftime shows of all time.
Kendrick Lamar (2025)
Last year, it was Kendrick's turn to light up the Bowl. Firstly, the context cannot be ignored. Fresh off his beef with Drake, Kendrick had claimed - and very much earned - his place at the top of the modern rap game.
Kendrick performed a solid mixture of tracks from DAMN. and GNX, but also some tracks from the beef: the second part of ‘euphoria’ and the blistering ‘Not Like Us’ - we’re sure Drake wasn’t too happy with around 70,000 people singing “A minorrr” back at him (see the 'Not Like Us' lawsuit).
SZA joined him for ‘luther’ and ‘All The Stars’, producer Mustard came out for the incredible closer ‘tv off’, and Samuel L. Jackson played the personification of the United States, Uncle Sam, providing social commentary on America as he speaks to Kendrick, at one point calling him (or the song he just performed) “too ghetto.”
Artsy as you’d expect, people rushed to dissect the performance, inspecting everything from the role of Uncle Sam to the colours the dancers were wearing, and everything in between. That alone is a sign of how incredible this Super Bowl halftime show was.
To date, it is the most-viewed Super Bowl halftime show, with over 135 million viewers seated for it. Check out the full thing on YouTube.
Usher (2024)
Before Kendrick took to the Bowl, R&B legend Usher had his time in the spotlight, bringing in over 123 million viewers.
The genius behind some of our favourite songs, including ‘Yeah!’, ‘OMG’, and ‘My Boo’, played a medley of tunes, including those bangers as well as 'U Got It Bad' and 'Confessions Part II'. He breezed through it like it was nothing - dancing, singing, and going through costume changes. A true performer.
Since it wouldn't be a Super Bowl halftime show without special guests, he had an array of artists join him that had us double-taking throughout the whole show. A very intimate performance with Alicia Keys, an even more intimate one which saw Usher gliding through will.i.am's legs, and also Lil John, who joined for a cover of 'Turn Down For What'. We went through all the motions - heartfelt R&B to club bangers, all aided by the incredible musicians and dancers on stage with him.
During the show, it was Usher's world, and we were more than happy to be living in it.
Beyoncé (2013)
Widely lauded as the best to ever do it on the Super Bowl stage, Beyoncé's first solo performance, after joining Coldplay and Bruno Mars on the Super Bowl stage in the past, was absolutely outstanding. No stranger to putting on a huge live performance, Beyoncé ran the world during her halftime appearance at the 2013 event.
A born performer, Beyoncé can always be trusted to go incredibly hard at huge events such as this. Owning the stage as she flawlessly executed the choreography while singing her lungs out, she looked - and simply is - untouchable on the live stage.
Smashing through bangers like 'Crazy in Love,' 'Baby Boy', and 'Love On Top' and getting the whole crowd dancing, Beyoncé then went and did the unthinkable. Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams popped up for a Destiny's Child reunion, where the trio tugged at our nostalgia with 'Bootylicious', 'Independent Women Pt. 1' and also one of Beyonce's countless hits, 'Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)', before closing with 'Halo' as the stadium lit up blue.
If we're honest, we're all lucky to be sharing a planet with Beyoncé, never mind a stadium.
Rihanna (2023)
This obviously comes as no surprise. When Rihanna returned to the stage for her first live performance since the birth of her son, everybody and their nan was trying to recreate the dance - and the outfit - on social media.
Donning the slick red jumpsuit as she kicked off her performance on a platform that was god-knows-how-high up in the air, she kept viewers locked in as she swung her hips and caressed her baby bump on the stage.
Though she had nothing to prove, she kept up with the choreography as she performed iconic tracks including 'B*tch Better Have My Money', 'We Found Love', 'Rude Boy', 'Work', 'Umbrella', and 'Diamonds'. We were more than honoured to have seen THE badgirlriri on our screens, performing some of the hits that contributed to our childhoods. All while hopping on and off a floating platform.
P.S., Rihanna: we’re still ready for that album whenever you are, love x
Michael Jackson (1993)
It would probably be illegal to cover the best Super Bowl halftime shows and not mention Michael Jackson.
For those lucky enough to have seen it in person, we’re sure some forgot it was actually a sporting event, not the gig of a century.
Hits like 'Billie Jean' and 'Black or White' saw the king of pop put his all into that stage. Though it featured less production than some of the more recent halftime shows, it was still wild with pyrotechnics, a swooning crowd, an incredible band, tension, demanding dance routines packed with hip thrusts and moonwalking, and pure energy. It was a real spectacle.
Effortlessly gliding around that stage, MJ really paved the way for Super Bowl halftime shows, and it hasn’t been the same since.
Dr. Dre & Friends (2022)
A sprawling celebration of American rap culture, Dre brought an army of the very best in the game with him, many of whom we wouldn’t even know of if not for Dre.
Eminem, Snoop, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick all joined the legendary producer, giving everyone in the stadium and beyond a West Coast rap history lesson.
From 'California Love' with Snoop, to 'Alright' with Kendrick, to 'Lose Yourself' with Eminem (which sent the stadium rocking), each got their time in the spotlight alongside Dre. And for an added bonus, Anderson .Paak was behind the drum kit the whole time.
Legendary doesn't quite seem to cut it with this one. We're sure it'll go down in Super Bowl folklore and be cherished for years to come.
Prince (2007)
Wow, where do we start with this one? When Prince was announced as the halftime show, there was little doubt in people's minds that it would be anything other than iconic. But yet, as always, the purple maestro managed to blow everyone's expectations out of the water.
Donning his signature purple guitar, he treated the crowd to 15 minutes of the purest blend of rock ‘n’ roll cool and arrogance.
Whilst you may have expected him to fill the time out with his own tunes, Prince being Prince kicked it off with a bit of Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ before launching into 'Let's Go Crazy', ‘Baby I'm a Star’, and a cover of Foo Fighters’ ‘Best of You’.
Then, it was time for the big finale. Busting out the legendary, timeless 'Purple Rain' as rain poured from the sky - the first time it ever rained during the halftime show - the master had shown us how it’s done, with just 15 minutes.
More than just one of the best Super Bowl halftime shows of all time, it’s one of the best live performances of all time, period.
U2 (2002)
With this performance, U2 quite simply created one of the most iconic moments in rock and roll ever.
Set against the backdrop of a post 9-11 world, the tragic event happening just months prior, the Irish band used their stage as an emotional tribute to the victims in a way that left many an attendee in need of a tissue.
They treated the crowd to 'Beautiful Day’ to kick things off before the sorrowful ‘MLK’, which they performed while the screens scrolled through the names of the dead. The wall crumbles, reflecting the pain of the nation at the time.
Finally, another track with a huge chorus, they ended on ‘Where The Streets Have No Name’. Bono ripped open his jacket to reveal the American flag stitched into it in a show of solidarity. Stunning and cathartic.
If you give this one a watch, you might want to remember some tissues.
Katy Perry (2015)
Beyond ridiculous, but certainly entertaining, Katy Perry's halftime show in 2015 was a sight to behold. With drugged-up looking palm trees dancing in the wind, bright pastels and cartoon imagery everywhere, and of course - the best thing to ever come out of a Superbowl halftime show - Left Shark.
Yet, whilst the iconic meme shark stole the show in the weeks and months following the performance, it was the surprise special guest that stole the hearts and minds of those inside. After a number of Katy's biggest hits, someone appeared from the mist. And it was none other than Missy Elliot for her first high-profile live appearance in years. They both smashed through 'Get Ur Freak On' and left everyone grinning ear to ear.
Lady Gaga (2017)
Lady Gaga was always going to be an incredible pick for the Super Bowl halftime show. Unafraid to experiment, with lots of artistic vision, and just very "out there" in general, she was born for it.
Easing viewers into it, she started with the national anthem since, y'know, Americans love it. But then, out of nowhere, she launches herself off the platform she's stood on and swings down into the stadium. That's the Gaga we were expecting.
Over the top in the best way, packed with hits - 'Poker Face', 'Biorn This Way', 'Telephone', 'Just Dance' - pure fun, and with a crazy stage setup, we can't get over it.
Madonna (2012)
There are few more widely known and loved in music than Madonna, and once she stepped out onto the Super Bowl stage with that army of gladiators, everyone knew they were about to see pop history.
The whole set was a barrage of glitz and glam, and as she blazed through her set, everyone was quickly reminded just how many of the greatest pop songs ever made are hers.
However, Madonna, in true Super Bowl fashion, was not solo. Onstage with her came the likes of Cee Lo Green for harmonies on 'Like a Prayer', as well as guest spots from Nicki Minaj, LMFAO, and M.I.A. Talk about pop royalty. She even had some of the Cirque Du Soleil behind her, dressed as gladiators and cheerleaders. There's only one word for this show: epic.
Bruno Mars ft. Red Hot Chili Peppers (2014)
A pop and rock combo that no one knew they wanted, but once on stage, they never wanted it to stop.
Starting the performance behind the kit was a fairly bold way to begin, but one we stand by. Showcasing his musicianship, his stupidly strong charisma, his crazy pipes, and then the earworm choruses of 'Locked Out Of Heaven', 'Treasure', and 'Just The Way You Are', to say he deserved the slot is an understatement.
But just before the 'Just The Way You Are' finale, California band Red Hot Chili Peppers took over to inject some rock into it, playing the chaotic anthem 'Give It Away'. Chests out, the band going as mad as they usually do, and Bruno on hypeman duties, it was probably pretty hectic for those in the crowd at the front, especially with all that jumping.
An epic mish-mash of pop, RnB, funk, rock, and Motown, this was one of the biggest surprises ever at the Super Bowl and will live long in the event's folklore. And Bruno is still the youngest-ever sole headline performer at the Super Bowl.
Feel every emotion of this year’s event, including the performance from Bad Bunny - find tickets for Super Bowl screenings now on Skiddle.
Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.
Header image credit: Lady Gaga / Facebook.com