Memorable Super Bowl halftime shows

The Super Bowl, where two American football teams compete for the NFL championship, is one of the best-viewed television programs of the year. Its halftime shows have become a phenomenon of their own, with the biggest pop stars giving performances that could cost up to $10 million for 13 minutes of entertainment (source: Forbes).

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The halftime show did not always feature popstars. Since the beginning of the Super Bowl in 1967, the entertainers during the break had been local marching bands and school choirs. It was not until 1991, when the New Kids on the Block sang 'Step by Step,' that halftime shows became a world-renowned spectacle.

1993 Was the year of Michael Jackson's performance during the break of the Super Bowl. He turned it into the best viewed television program until that date, according to the Washington Post. The King of Pop sang 'Billie Jean' and 'Black or White,' as well as 'We are the World' with a children's choir.

After the New Kids, the second celebrity to grace the halftime stage was Gloria Estefan. The singer from tropical Miami headlined a Winter Magic theme show in the city of Minneapolis in 1992, while January temperatures were appallingly low. Olympic figure skaters accompanied the freezing Latin star on the stage.

In 1999, the Super Bowl took place in Miami. Along with Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan mounted the stage to get compensated for her ice-cold halftime show in 1992. Together they sang 'My Cherie Amour.'

In 2000, Disney produced this ecclectic mix of artists while playing instrumental Disney soundtrack samples for most of the show and adding an 80-person choir. The four big stars - Collins, Aguilera, Braxton, and Enrique Iglesias - had small parts in the show.

2001 Was the first year that halftime show veteran Justin Timberlake took the stage. With Steven Tyler from Aerosmith, Britney Spears and Nelly he sang 'Walk this Way.'

Sting, No Doubt, and Shania Twain joined hands in 2003 to create a diverse and spectacular halftime show.

This is the halftime show most people remember... and not in a good way. Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson were dancing together when the former *NSYNC singer inadvertently tore a piece off of Jackson's top and exposed her breast to the public. The controversy that followed would be called 'Nipplegate.' Other artists like Kid Rock, P. Diddy, and Jessica Simpson also performed at this show, but few people will remember that anymore.

After the controversial 'wardrobe malfunction' with Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson, the halftime show organizers chose a somewhat 'safer' artist: the 62-year-old former Beatle Paul McCartney. They also established a new policy: The TV broadcast of the show would have a delay of 5 seconds, so that producers could pull an artist directly off the air and prevent any indecent exposures from reaching the TV audience.

Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones felt the consequences of  'Nipplegate.' Apart from the 5-second broadcast delay, he also had his microphone turned off for a few seconds every time he sang explicit lyrics.

Prince made it rain purple during his memorable 2007 halftime show. He also sang 'We will rock you' together with a bombastic marching band.

In Glendale, Arizona, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers gave their 2008 Super Bowl halftime performance. They played 'only' four songs that day, including 'American Girl' and 'Free Falling.'

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played at the 2009 Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida.

In 2010, the stadium sang along with 'Who are you' and 'Won't get fooled again' by the legendary rock group The Who.

"I Gotta Feeling," the Peas started off singing, "that tonight's gonna be a good night." They performed in 2011 with Usher and Slash. On the photo you see Fergie singing 'Sweet Child O'Mine' with the guitarist from Guns 'n' Roses.

Madonna's 2012 Super Bowl halftime show was the scene of a new controversy when one of the fellow artists, M.I.A., raised her middle finger directly to the camera. According to Spin, the NFL responded by suing the rap star for an astonishing $1.5 million in damages.

Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams and Beyoncé Knowles of Destiny's Child astonished the world with their halftime show in 2013. It would not be Beyoncé's last performance there.

Hawaiian popstar Bruno Mars rocked New Jersey's Metlife Stadium with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2014. Just like Beyoncé, he would get a call back from the NFL within a few years.

Katy Perry brought a giant robotic tiger to her halftime show in 2015. According to USA Today, her leather flame outfit was worth between $15,000 and $20,000. The show, guest-starring Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott, had more viewers than the football game itself. In September 2015 it won two Emmys.

2016 Was the year Beyoncé returned to the Super Bowl and paid homage to the militant Black Panther movement. It was one of the most political as well as impressive concerts in Super Bowl history.

Lady Gaga appeared at the 2017 Super Bowl in Houston wearing a Versace jumpsuit. From the top of the NRG Stadium she gave what many (from Fox Sports to Time and The Guardian) would call a technological masterpiece of a show. 300 Drones flew behind the singer to portray the American stars and stripes.

Yes, it's Justin Timberlake. In 2018, the singer was allowed to return to the Super Bowl stage for a third show despite being tainted by 'N i p p l e gate.' He did not bring Janet Jackson with him.

Maroon 5 headlined the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show. Their guests were Big Boi and Travis Scott. Frontman Adam Levine showed the world he still had the "Moves like Jagger."

In 2020 it was Shakira and Jennifer Lopez's turn. The two singers, one from Colombia and the other from the Bronx, New York, gave a performance that many critics consider one of the best in recent Super Bowl history.

He had a spectacular show with his greatest songs and an army of dancers, but still, The Weeknd seemed a bit underwhelming after the fireworks of Shakira and JLo the year before. The Canadian singer should be commended for mounting the stage on his own, though. He did not rely on another superstar to help him entertain the millions of viewers.

Eminem, Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, and 50 Cent mounted the stage for a 'classic' hip hop halftime show in 2022. It was not everybody's favorite music, but undeniably the special, one-off collective gave a strong performance and showed everyone that they have not retired by a long shot.

R&B queen Rihanna showed the Super Bowl audience that she can carry a high-stakes show like this one on her own. Or, in fact, she wasn't entirely solo, because she carried a baby! In one of the biggest surprises of the performance, Rihanna's red Alaïa puffer coat and Loewe jumpsuit revealed a baby belly. It didn't stop the singer from making moves that drew hundreds of FCC complaints, as Fox reported, and she also gave the second-most-watched halftime show to date.