8 Great Super Bowl Halftime Show Performances That Have Aged Well

Every year, two of the NFL’s top teams get the privilege of opening and closing for the biggest music event of the year: the Super Bowl halftime show. While the championship game gets most of the airtime on Super Bowl Sunday, even football fans know the main event of the night is the long-awaited annual concert featuring the biggest names in music.

But the Super Bowl halftime show wasn’t always such a spectacle. The first one, in 1967, spotlighted a college marching band rather than the pop superstars we see today. More than two decades—and one Elvis Presley impersonator—later, Michael Jackson’s 1993 performance transformed the halftime show into the star-studded extravaganza we now expect, sending viewership and budgets soaring.

Since then, artists from Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar have continued to captivate audiences, though not every performance has aged equally well. Keep reading to see which Super Bowl halftime shows have stood the test of time, earning a permanent place in both football and pop-culture history.

1. 1. Kendrick Lamar (2025)
2. 2. Rihanna (2023)
3. 3. Jennifer Lopez & Shakira (2020)
4. 4. Lady Gaga (2017)
5. 5. Beyoncé (2013)
6. 6. Prince (2007)
7. 7. U2 (2002)
8. 8. Michael Jackson (1993)

1. Kendrick Lamar (2025)

As the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history, surpassing even Michael Jackson and Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar earned his spot on this list. Though it’s only been a year since his iconic performance, featuring hits like "Squabble Up," "Humble," and "DNA," it’s already clear this show will go down as one of the best ever. And it wasn’t just his savage performance of the infamous Drake diss track "Not Like Us" that made it memorable—bringing SZA onstage for "All the Stars" was a power move in its own right.

2. Rihanna (2023)

Any Rihanna performance is a historic moment—and her Super Bowl halftime show only proved it. Singing her heart out on a floating platform while five months pregnant, she delivered a set that was both daring and unforgettable. Absence certainly made the hearts of Rihanna fans grow fonder: her halftime highlight reel marked her first live performance in five years, and it was clear her powerhouse vocals and commanding presence had been missed. The Grammy-winning singer belted out her top hits, from "Where Have You Been" to "Diamonds," as if no time had passed since her last show.

3. Jennifer Lopez & Shakira (2020)

Jennifer Lopez and Shakira doubled the star power during the 2020 halftime show, packing an incredible amount of energy into just 12 minutes. The duo tore through hits like "Waiting for Tonight," "On the Floor," "She Wolf," and "Hips Don’t Lie," never letting the momentum dip. One standout moment saw Lopez deliver a jaw-dropping pole dance sequence that highlighted her athleticism as much as her showmanship. Surprise appearances from J Balvin and Bad Bunny only amped things up, turning the performance into a full-blown celebration of Latin music and culture. The show also made history as the first time two Latina artists headlined the Super Bowl halftime show together.

4. Lady Gaga (2017)

Lady Gaga wasted no time making a statement at her halftime show—literally. After opening with a roof-jumping entrance and a brief nod to "God Bless America," she launched into a hit-packed set that included "Poker Face," "Born This Way," "Telephone," and "Bad Romance." Notably, Gaga skipped the usual parade of guest stars, relying instead on live vocals, tight choreography, and, of course, multiple outlandish outfit changes. Letting her sheer talent shine, Gaga made it into the top five most-watched Super Bowl halftime shows in history.

5. Beyoncé (2013)

Beyoncé proved that girls really do run the world at her first Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans. She hit all the right notes—and dance moves—as she powered through her discography, closing with a flawless rendition of "Halo." As if the set couldn’t get any better, she surprised the crowd with a Destiny’s Child reunion, bringing Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams onstage for old time’s sake. Some say the stadium blackout was a technical difficulty, but true members of the Beyhive know it was simply the power of her performance.

6. Prince (2007)

A rainy day in Miami usually isn't good—unless it's "Purple Rain," and Prince is playing it live. The 2007 Super Bowl halftime show turned a downpour into a legendary performance, with Prince’s vocals and guitar reverberating through the rain-soaked stadium, cementing his place as one of the greatest halftime acts of all time. From his love symbol-shaped stage, Prince performed smash hits like "Let's Go Crazy," "Best of You," and even a cover of Queen's "We Will Rock You." Fans and critics alike still cite this halftime show as one of the most unforgettable, proving that Prince could turn any stage—rain or shine—into pure spectacle.

7. U2 (2002)

U2’s Super Bowl halftime show in 2002 wasn’t just a performance: it was a moment of collective remembrance. The band launched into high-energy hits, then paused to honor the victims of 9/11, projecting their names across the stadium in a moving tribute. Bono's vocals on "Where the Streets Have No Name" soared across the stadium, filling the space with both energy and emotion. The band’s mix of rock show excitement and reflection turned the halftime performance into a moment fans still talk about today.

8. Michael Jackson (1993)

Before livestreams and TikTok, there was Michael Jackson’s mid‑90s Super Bowl halftime show—one you truly had to be there for. The King of Pop didn’t skimp on production: lookalikes popped out of each corner of the stadium before Jackson himself took the stage, followed by a choir of 3,500 local L.A. kids who performed "Heal the World" next to a giant inflatable globe. From there, his vocals dominated, transitioning seamlessly from hits like “Billie Jean” to “Jam” to “Black or White.” This performance transformed the Super Bowl from a football halftime into a pop culture event, with viewership spiking even higher during Jackson’s set than during the game itself.