5 best and worst Super Bowl halftime shows ever feat. Prince’s 2007 performance and more

Super Bowl halftime shows are sandwiched between the all-important big game each year. The event is headlined by some of the top musicians across the globe and the football field is transformed into a concert for about 15 minutes during the interval.

At the time of writing, we have had 57 Super Bowl halftime shows. While some provided a spectacle to behold for football fans, others have been considered quite disappointing, given the magnitude of the occasion.

Here, we take a look at some of the best and worst performances at the Super Bowl halftime shows.

5 best Super Bowl halftime shows

#5. Michael Jackson (1993)

Michael Jackson performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in 1993 in Pasadena, California. The King of Pop initially began his performance by standing completely still on stage for nearly two minutes before captivating everyone with his routine.

Jackson performed a mashup of his iconic hits, including “Billie Jean,” and ended the show with “Heal the World.”

#4. Jennifer Lopez and Shakira (2020)

Jennifer Lopez and Shakira made waves after their culture-filled and energetic performance during the halftime show at Super Bowl 2020 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Lopez performed some of her hits including “Jenny From the Block” and “Waiting for Tonight” while Shakira executed her chart-toppers including “She Wolf” and “Hips Don’t Lie".

Lopez and Shakira were also joined on stage by Bad Bunny, J Balvin, and Lopez’s daughter Emme Muñiz.

#3. Beyonce (2013)

Beyonce headlined the halftime show at Super Bowl 2013 when the Baltimore Ravens took on the San Francisco 49ers at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. She emerged from a cloud of smoke and performed some inspiring renditions of her hits including “Love on Top” and “Crazy in Love.”

Beyonce was joined by Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams during the performance while also being backed by several female dancers and band members.

#2. Madonna (2012)

Madonna set the stage alight during her halftime show performance at Super Bowl 2012 at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Queen of Pop entered the field on a golden throne and was joined by a cheerleading squad that included LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. and CeeLo Green.

However, it was Madonna who stole the show while collaborating with all the other younger artists on stage.

#1. Prince (2007)

Price was initially considered an odd choice for the Super Bowl halftime show in 2007 at Hard Rock Stadium. However, the late musician flaunted his genius with the performance of a lifetime.

Price dazzled with his stunning renditions of "Purple Rain," "1999," and “Let’s Go Crazy," among other songs in what is widely viewed as the greatest halftime performance of all time at the Super Bowl.

5 worst Super Bowl halftime shows

#5. Maroon 5 (2019)

Maroon 5 headlined the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The band was joined by rappers Big Boi and Travis Scott as guests but the event didn't have the appeal as the star-studded lineup.

The performance was deemed rather flavorless and didn't pack enough punch for the postseason finale.

#4. Phil Collins, Enrique Iglesias, Christina Aguilera, Toni Braxton and Tina Turner (2000)

The halftime show at Super Bowl 2000 included perhaps too many performers with different music styles. The likes of Christina Aguilera and Enrique Iglesias sang a few songs before Phil Collins, Toni Braxton, and Tina Turner also entered the fray.

The performance was deemed to be all over the place with no real rhythm to the event.

#3. New Kids On The Block (1991)

NKOTB was one of the first major recording acts to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show at Tampa Stadium in 1991. However, the boy band did not live up to the hype.

The New Kids On The Block did not perform any of their hits either and it was a rather dull affair.

#2. The Blues Brothers (1997)

The Blues Brothers headlined the 1997 Super Bowl halftime show and it appeared as if the group didn't have many rehearsals before getting on stage for their gig.

The show seemed quite ill-equipped for a Super Bowl event and the performers put out a relatively drab skit.

#1. The Black Eyed Peas (2011)

The Black Eyed Peas had a lot of hype before their Super Bowl 2011 halftime show. However, there were audio issues that ran throughout their performance.

Amid the poor sound quality, the performers simply didn't have any energy throughout the routine and it was quite a disappointing show overall.