The Super Bowl halftime show has always been an exciting and coveted venue for musicians.
before Bad Bunny takes center stage in the 2026 Super Bowl this weekend, we must remember our history.
From iconic reunions to infamous wardrobe malfunctions to ‘Left Shark’ and calls Drake a pedophile in front of millions of people a Kendrick LamarPerformance of “Not Like Us,” the halftime show is basically where anything and everything can happen.
Watch with us is looking back at the best Super Bowl halftime show performances of all time.
Bad Bunny is officially headlining the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show in 2026. In an Instagram announcement video shared on Sunday, Sept. 28, the 31-year-old “Moscow Mule” hitmaker was seen dressed in a tailored suit while staring into the camera lens. As the video came out, Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) (…)
10. Katy Perry — 2015
Considered one of the campiest Super Bowl performances in history, Katy PerryThe Super Bowl show became an instant meme with the virality of “Left Shark,” but that wasn’t the only thing worth about his memorable presentation. The gaudy, gaudy visuals filled with dancing palm trees, robot lions and beach balls with teeth made Perry’s show a real standout. Plus, we love a Missy Elliott cameo
9. Rihanna – 2023
RihannaThe 2022 Super Bowl show marked a truly groundbreaking moment: the singer performed the entire show while pregnant and revealed her pregnancy live during the show. It was the first pregnancy announcement of the Super Bowl, but in addition to making sure her performance went down in history, it was also a really great halftime show, in which Rihanna performed twelve hit songs with impressive production.
8. Paul McCartney — 2005
It’s hard to go wrong with a concert by a living legend performing some of his greatest hits, and this is what Paul McCartney delivered at the halftime show in 2005. The Beatles performed solo songs like “Drive My Car,” “Live and Let Die” and “Get Back,” armed with their guitars in a very stripped-down performance.
Of course, McCartney doesn’t really need any glitz and glamour, and the image of tens of thousands of people singing “Hey Jude” was as incredible as Lady Gaga jumping off the roof of the stadium.
7. Bruce Springsteen — 2009
Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band took the stage for the halftime show in 2009 and brought just the right amount of energy that night, for a Super Bowl that would end with a photo finish for the winning Pittsburgh Steelers. Springsteen hit a slide on camera that brought the house down, before belting out classics like “Glory Days” and “Born to Run.”
6. Lady Gaga – 2017
Lady GagaThe unforgettable performance of the 2017 halftime show began with a dive from the roof of NRG Stadium, and the stunts and high-wire acts did not let up from there.
Gaga had no special guests, just her and her incredible vocals, dance flicks, multiple costume changes, an electronic keyboard and piano, plus her positively immaculate vibes as one of our greatest pop stars. Fittingly, Gaga ended her set with a well-deserved mic drop.
5. Madonna — 2012
The Queen of Pop really set the stage for the halftime show when her grand entrance envisioned her as something akin to an Egyptian pharaoh, with an army of warriors tossing her across the stage as she sat atop a golden throne. From here, madonna‘s The performance was a bold, beautiful and boundary-pushing show that included guest star MIA turning off the camera. Other appearances included Nicki MinajLMFAO i Cee-Lo Greenthe latter of which helped Madge close with a riveting rendition of “Like a Prayer.”
4. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar — 2022
At Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, the best of 1990s hip-hop came together for the 2022 Super Bowl, on an ambitious stage that could host multiple sets. The show had a record number of headliners, and yes Dr. Dr, Snoop Dogg, EminemMary J. Blige i Kendrick Lamar that wasn’t enough, the show also appeared Anderson .Paak i 50 Cent.
It was a legendary performance that spawned hits like Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” to Lamar’s “Alright” and ultimately ended up taking home three Emmy Awards, including the first Super Bowl Halftime Show win for Outstanding Live Variety Special.
3. Michael Jackson — 1993
Michael JacksonThe 1993 halftime show set the stage for all future halftime performances, a spectacle production that had Jackson “appear” on two markers at the Rose Bowl before exiting from under the stage.
Jackson then did something really crazy: He stood silent and still for over a full minute before finally starting his set. The gasps that can be heard from the audience indicate that even at this point, everyone understood that they were witnessing history.
2. Beyoncé — 2013
Beyoncé made his Super Bowl halftime show iconic simply because it came together Child of Destiny on stage, but the performance was undeniable even without that nifty gimmick. Queen B’s intricate choreography and powerful voice proved what everyone already knew, but is always worth remembering: what an accomplished performer she is.
Making eye contact with the camera and therefore millions of people throughout, Beyoncé seemed to be channeling something otherworldly during her set — or maybe just an excess of electricity, as the Superdome lost power for 34 minutes shortly after closing her show with “Halo.”
1. Prince — 2007
There will likely never be a goosebump-inducing Super Bowl performance prince ending his set with “Purple Rain” during an actual rainstorm. It’s possibly the absolute pinnacle of Prince’s career, but the entire show was just as incredible as that defining moment.
Prince did several great covers including Foo Fighters’ “Proud Mary,” “All Along the Watchtower” and “Best of You,” highlighting the pop icon’s vocal and guitar skills. While other musicians might have seen a rainstorm as a major derailment, Prince used it to achieve a finish that lives on in history.