The Super Bowl is one of the biggest events on the global sporting calendar and the halftime show has developed into an institution in its own right.
Just about every rock star in the world has played the Super Bowl Halftime show and this year we’ll get a taste of something different with world-renowned rapper, Bad Bunny, taking centre stage.
The link between a fire half time show and an absolute flop is mighty fine, as you’ll see below in our complete list of hits and misses!
Misses
Super Bowl XLV 2011 – Black Eyed Peas
Long before the Black Eyed Peas underwhelmed at the AFL Grand Final Pregame, they were featured at America’s biggest sporting event.
The Black Eyed Peas are a notoriously poor band live and the Super Bowl organisers deserve as much blame for anybody for this stinker.
They tried to save things with Slash, but Fergie even managed to butcher Sweet Child o’ Mine – an unforgivable offense.
Super Bowl XXXIV 2000 – A Bunch Of Random Stars That Didn’t Play Their Hits
A combination of Tina Turner, Phill Collins, Chirstina Aguilera and Enrigque Igleasias sounds like a deadset ripper, but for some reason none of them played any of their hits.
Most of the songs came from some random Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration soundtrack and we didn’t get to hear the likes of Simply The Best, In The Air or Genie In A Bottle (just me?)!
Super Bowl XXIX 1995 – Live Indiana Jones Remake
Words cannot possibly do this train wreck possible.
For some reason, somebody thought it was a good idea to recreate a live version of Indiana Jones – without Harrison Ford BTW – and it was about as good as it sounds.
Some of the visuals – like a bloke setting himself on fire – were fairly impressive, but this one belongs squarely in the WTF file.
Super Bowl XLIV 2010 – The Who
Apparently The Who had never watched a game of American Football, checked out the Super Bowl odds or seen a Super Bowl halftime show before they made their own appearance in 2011 and this fact quickly became adamant.
The Who treated the show like any other gig and they produced about as much enthusiasm as they did when they played a gig on the border of Old Springfield and New Springfield on The Simpsons.
Making things worse for the Aussie audience, the pictures were out of sync with the audio on the feed during the broadcast so even the big guitar solos just looked… off
Super Bowl XXXVIII 2004 – Nipplegate
Good old nipplegate doesn’t need any introduction.
This probably would have been on the hits list as Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson, Kid Rock, Nelly and P Diddy put on a hell of a show, but Jackson had to go and ‘ruin’ the show with her unfortunate ‘wardrobe malfunction’!
Super Bowl LII 2018 – Justin Timberlake
JT was all set up for a triumphant return, 14 years after the aforementioned Nipplegate.
Unfortunately what we got was a hodgepodge of JT running around and singing about a minute of a dozen different songs, every time you got into one he would change it up and run to a different part of the field.
It was a wonderful little dance recital and you have to give credit for doing a Prince tribute in Minnesota but where was the N*SYNC reunion we all wanted?!
You have to be pretty special to be involved in three separate halftime shows but boy, if we could just forget this one that would be great!
Hits
Super Bowl XXXV 2001 – Aerosmith and ‘N Sync Form A Super Band
The combination of Aerosmith, ‘N Sync, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige and Nelly sounded like it could be an absolute disaster, but they put together an outstanding medley of hits.
The whole act even featured a pre-recorded skit with Ben Stiller and Adam Sandler – both of whom were still considered funny at the time.
Super Bowl XXXVI 2002 – U2
U2 have copped a lot of heat in recent years, but their performance at halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVI was a very special moment for anybody that witnessed it.
This was the first Super Bowl held since the events of September 11, 2001 and the entire show was a tribute to those victims of those killed in the terrorist attacks.
Watching this video without getting goose bumps is impossible, a true rock star performance in every sense of the word.
Super Bowl XLI 2007 – Prince
In the years since Prince’s memorable performance in the driving rain in Miami, some within the NFL have admitted there were concerns about whether or not the diminutive pop star would even take to the stage.
We can all be glad he did, running through some of his biggest hits and throwing in a Foo Fighters cover, this is one I’m not ashamed to admit I still throw on from time to time.
Super Bowl XLIII 2009 – Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
You can never go wrong with The Boss!
Springsteen got out there played his hits and took care of business without requiring the fluff that often accompanies the Super Bowl halftime show.
The NFL could do far worse than bringing The Boss back every single year and Bruce would surely love a do over after sliding into a camera mid-act!
Super Bowl LI 2017 – Lady Gaga
You knew you were in for a full on production when Gaga took to the stage in Houston a couple of years ago.
Starting off on the roof of the stadium Gaga dove into her performance and put on one of the best shows in recent memory.
One small gripe though, starting the performance with God Bless America was not what I took for “First Song” prop, should have been Edge of Glory.
Admit it, you found yourself singing along to Just Dance… and where did she go at the end?