The Super Bowl halftime shows have been an integral part of American society for decades. In honor of 2024’s performer being announced (You can do it, Usher!), here is a ranking of our top 10 favorite halftime shows in this century.
1. Lady Gaga (2017)
A powerful combination of all of the good parts of the shows that came before her, Gaga stuns! For 13 minutes and 34 seconds she keeps me entranced, not a single dull moment, which frankly cannot be said for all Super Bowl halftime shows. She starts off with “This Land Is Your Land,” then journeys through hits including “Born This Way,” “Poker Face,” “Telephone,” “Bad Romance” and “Million Reasons.” Lady Gaga is fierce, her vocals are on point and, most of all, she is unmistakably herself — and we love her for it all the more!
2. Shakira and JLO (2020)
The beats, the costumes, the choreography, the femininity: what more could you ask for? Shakira’s hips, for sure, did not lie, and we definitely got loud for JLo. Bad Bunny and J Balvin did alright too, but no one could match the energy and confidence of the queens themselves. The ladies shimmered on stage, as Shakira sang hits like “She Wolf” and “Whenever, Wherever” and JLo with “Jenny From The Block” and “On The Floor.”
3. Beyoncé (2013)
They don’t call her Sasha Fierce for nothing. Beyoncé put her everything into this performance, giving us energetic dance moves, strong vocals and the occasional life-changing hair flip. She sings some of her best, including “Single Ladies,” “Crazy In Love” and the well-known ballad “Halo.” The Destiny’s Child reunion with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams made this all the more iconic!
4. Katy Perry (2015)
Call her a true popstar! Perry pulled out all of the stops for this one. Entering on a massive lion, dancing alongside beach balls and sharks (shoutout Left Shark) and becoming a literal firework to sing her song “Firework,” she dazzled. And, of course, we can’t forget about the exciting feature, Missy Elliot. The colors, the stunts and the costumes added up to create the halftime show of a lifetime. Some would say, perhaps, one of the most memorable of all.
5. Rihanna (2023)
A pregnancy announcement and killer halftime show?!??! After 5 years, Rihanna finally gave us a performance — and she did not disappoint. The dancers were absolutely insane; Parris Goebel never ceases to amaze with her creative and awe-inspiring moves. Rihanna’s subtle energy and sass stole the show. She takes us through her whole catalog: From “Umbrella” to “Rude Boy” to “Run This Town” to “Wild Thoughts.” Despite the concept being pretty consistent throughout, unlike some other shows we’ve seen, the song choices and constant movement of the sets kept the audience engaged and on their toes.
6. Prince (2007)
Of course, I had to include this one. Besides the fact that Prince and I share a birthday, he is iconic in so many ways — and this halftime show only proved this further. Kicking off with a cover of “We Will Rock You” by Queen and finishing with his original “Purple Rain,” this performance was inevitably great. His stage presence captured the attention across generations and continues to be one of the most thrilling and legendary Super Bowl halftime shows of all time.
7. The Weeknd (2021)
From the angelic “Call Out My Name” introduction to the “Blinding Lights” closing and all of the fireworks in between, this one was a special one. In the midst of the pandemic, this halftime show had to get particularly creative: masks were still on and social distancing was in full effect. Regardless, Abel’s hits saved the show and brought the energy in a half-filled stadium.
8. Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre and Mary J. Blige (2022)
Talk about iconic! A magical ride celebrating generations of hip-hop. The set designs were gorgeous and the artistry superb; starting the show with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg was everything it needed to be. The performance shone light on old-school and modern rap, and I imagine being in the audience was a one-of-a-kind level of fun. Lamar came through with hits “M.A.A.D City” and “Alright,” and Eminem closed the show with a classic, “Lose Yourself.”
9. Coldplay, Beyoncé and Bruno Mars (2016)
A time to be alive! Coldplay started the show off, getting the audience moving and reminiscing with classics like “Viva La Vida” and “Yellow.” Mars built on that energy with “Uptown Funk.” But, truly, Beyoncé stole the show. Once again, she stunned and her stage presence, impossibly, tripled in power. This show was especially legendary since it included a special premiere of the empowering tune, “Formation.”
10. Michael Jackson (1993)
Yes, I said in this century, but it would be wrong of me to not include this absolute legend of a performance. After standing in silence for two minutes, and a deafening applause from the crowd, the King of Pop kicks his show off with “Jam” from his 1991 album “Dangerous” riding through songs like “Billie Jean,” “Black and White” and “Heal the World.” MJ left the crowd in awe with immaculate dance moves and his usual stage presence.
Top 10 Super Bowl halftime shows
Marissa P
