The Super Bowl has come a long way since its early days. When it first started in the 1960s after the NFL merged with the American Football League, it was more like the traditional college football bowl games. The halftime shows featured marching bands and jazz performers, with only occasional appearances by celebrities. But as the viewership increased in the late 1970s, the halftime shows began to evolve.
Variety show-style musical reviews became the norm, with themes like “A Salute to the 60s and Motown” and “Beat of the Future.” Up With People, an organization promoting harmony through music, became a prominent feature during this era. Producers started adding gimmicks to spice up the shows, like giving colorful cards to the audience or featuring quirky performances.
However, this period is often seen as the low point for Super Bowl halftimes, with some shows being called atrocious. The competition also intensified, with networks like Fox challenging the traditional halftime format. In 1992, Fox aired a live episode of “In Living Color” during halftime, drawing a significant audience away from the main broadcast.
This marked a turning point for the Super Bowl halftime shows, with the big networks realizing the need for change to keep viewers engaged. The transformation over the years has led to the spectacular halftime shows we see today.
The Super Bowl halftime show was forever changed when Michael Jackson made his iconic performance at the Rose Bowl in 1993. The NFL had struggled to keep viewers engaged during halftime until they decided to feature the world’s most captivating pop star. Jackson’s thrilling performance attracted over 10 million additional viewers, making it one of the 20 most-watched U.S. television broadcasts ever. This signaled the importance of having big stars for halftime shows.
In the following years, halftime shows featured artists like Diana Ross, Christina Aguilera, and Stevie Wonder, but also included themed adventures and performances by actors like Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman. By the early 2000s, the halftime formula was well-established, focusing on big stars performing their hits on the grand stage. However, the approach shifted after Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction in 2004, leading to safer and less controversial acts being booked for halftime shows.
Between 2005 and 2010, halftime shows featured rock bands past their peak in popularity but still massive acts in their own right, including Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen. Prince, known for controversy, delivered one of the greatest halftime performances in 2007.
In the world of Super Bowl halftime shows, there once existed a golden era known as the nostalgia rock period, a time when legendary bands from yesteryears captivated audiences with their timeless tunes. But as the years passed, the pool of venerable bands suitable for such grand stages dwindled, and the interest among younger spectators began to wane.
Then in 2011, a pivotal moment arrived when the dynamic pop group, the Black Eyed Peas, took the stage in a bid to herald a new era—a “generational shift” for Super Bowl halftime performances. Following a string of classic rock acts that resonated more with older generations, the NFL made a bold move by featuring chart-topping artists in the spotlight once more. While the Black Eyed Peas’ performance received mixed reviews, it marked the beginning of a decade dominated by pop music.
During this transformative period, our cultural interaction with halftime shows underwent a remarkable evolution. With the advent of social media, the halftime show became not just a musical spectacle but a breeding ground for viral moments and entertaining memes that spread across the digital landscape. This era witnessed iconic performances like Beyonce’s electrifying “Formation,” Katy Perry’s infamous left shark, Lady Gaga’s daring rooftop plunge, Usher’s memorable shirtless appearance, and The Weeknd’s mesmerizing light-filled maze.
The narrative of Super Bowl halftime shows continued to shift in 2022, with a fresh twist on nostalgia taking center stage. This time, it was the legendary hip-hop icons Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem who graced the grand stage, bringing a new flavor to the halftime tradition. The subsequent years saw the likes of Rihanna and Usher headlining the show, blending hip-hop and pop hits seamlessly.
Now, as the baton is passed to Kendrick Lamar, the reigning star of rap music, the anticipation is palpable. Fresh off his triumphant Grammy wins, Kendrick Lamar is set to deliver a performance that promises to transport audiences to a realm far removed from the conventional halftime shows of yesteryears.
