The Super Bowl halftime show is part concert, part spectacle, and all cultural thermometer. Last night, the NFL announced Bad Bunny would headline the 2026 Super Bowl.
The bar has been set high by his predecessors.
Here are the 10 greatest Super Bowl halftime show performances (so far).
10) Madonna (2012, Super Bowl XLVI)
Why it was great: A maximalist, Roman-runway fever dream that fused pop eras (and Cirque du Soleil scale) into 12 relentless minutes.
Signature moment: Nicki Minaj, M.I.A., LMFAO, and CeeLo Green cameos, with “Vogue” and “Like a Prayer” staged like pop opera.
9) Katy Perry (2015, Super Bowl XLIX)
Why it was great: Pure meme-era pageantry—giant animatronic lion, beach-ball fantasia, Missy Elliott surprise sequence.
Signature moment: “Left Shark” becomes an instant internet folk hero and the show’s chaotic charm in one frame.
8) Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (2009, Super Bowl XLIII)
Why it was great: A 12-minute masterclass in arena rock energy—tight, joyful, and built for broadcast.
Signature moment: Springsteen’s knees-first camera collision during a power slide—unplanned, unforgettable.
7) Rihanna (2023, Super Bowl LVII)
Why it was great: One-artist mic-drop with floating stages, precision choreography, and a reminder of how deep her hits run.
Signature moment: The mid-show pregnancy reveal.
6) Coldplay (feat. Beyoncé & Bruno Mars) (2016, Super Bowl 50)
Why it was great: A colorful victory lap for pop’s 2010s—with Beyoncé’s “Formation” interruption and Mars’ “Uptown Funk” duel stealing headlines.
Signature moment: Beyoncé’s militant strut into a stadium-wide “Believe in Love” coda.
5) Lady Gaga (2017, Super Bowl LI)
Why it was great: Solo pop spectacle executed with Olympic precision—no guests needed.
Signature moment: The roof-top intro, star-spangled medley, and wire-assisted leap into “Poker Face.”
4) Shakira & Jennifer Lopez (2020, Super Bowl LIV)
Why it was great: A kinetic, bilingual celebration of Latin pop and dance culture with Bad Bunny, J Balvin, and a kids’ choir.
Signature moment: Dual-headliner finale that never eased off the gas.
3) Michael Jackson (1993, Super Bowl XXVII)
Why it was great: The blueprint. Jackson turned halftime from marching-band afterthought into must-see television and rewired the NFL’s expectations forever.
Signature moment: A long, silent stand before detonating into “Jam,” “Billie Jean,” and “Black or White.”
2) U2 (2002, Super Bowl XXXVI)
Why it was great: Stadium-sized catharsis five months after 9/11—earnest, tasteful, and perfectly judged for the moment.
Signature moment: Names of the victims scrolling sky-high behind the band during “Where the Streets Have No Name.”
1) Prince (2007, Super Bowl XLI)
Why it was great: The greatest live TV pivot ever—Prince weaponized a tropical downpour, shredding through a blistering medley and turning “Purple Rain” into weather-assisted myth.
Signature moment: “Can you make it rain harder?”—and then he did, silhouetted behind the Love Symbol, guitar screaming through sheets of water.
Honorable Mentions
Diana Ross (1996) for the helicopter exit; Beyoncé (2013) for the Destiny’s Child reunion; The Weeknd (2021) for the funhouse maze cam; and extra nods to Madonna and Katy Perry for pure blockbuster craft.
