Adam Levine performing at the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show.Photo: Icon Sportswire/Getty Images Football fans may not realize it, but plenty of Americans just participate in Super Bowl parties for seven-layer dip, liberal drinking, and the nationally televised pop performance otherwise called the Super Bowl halftime show.For years, the show would merely include a college marching band or more, with a performance by Andy Williams or Up With People tossed in for good step, but that all altered in1993 That’s the year when Michael Jackson turned the Super Bowl halftime reveal into must-watch tv.
In the decades given that Jackson created the halftime show as we know it, the Super Bowl has actually gone through remarkably different ages of performance– the MTV years, Janet Jackson’s Nipplegate, and the classic-rock revival of the late aughts– however tradition and purpose join them all.
The mode has always been pastiche, integrating diverse aspects into a cohesive whole that celebrates American culture and zeitgeist.Ahead, Vulture ranks all of the Super Bowl halftime reveals given that 1993, from worst to best.
26 Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, and Toni Braxton (2000) The very first thing you require to comprehend about this halftime show: Disney owns ABC, so they decided to pirate 12 minutes of America’s time for a huge commercial for some Cirque du Soleil rip-off called the “Disney Millenium Efficiency.” There were a bunch of puppets and people in insane outfits, which was kind of cool, but they all appeared like robot overlords from a device future that was consumed with New Age recovery and wheatgrass shots.To make it even worse, each performer sang an original song, so the audience didn’t acknowledge any of it.
I would have provided anything to hear” Sussudio”– rather, we got Phil Collins in a backwards Kangol hat and the world’s saddest cargo trousers, singing something called “2 Worlds.” Oh, and Edward James Olmos kept coming out to provide strange narration like, “As it does every thousand years, the entrance of time has opened when again to provide us hope.” Thanks, however no thanks.
25 Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, and the Judds (1994) There is absolutely nothing sadder than a country amazing, specifically when the most creative efficiency available is a horde of individuals impersonated cowboys and cowgirls.Sure, it’s a popular genre, however a substantial piece of the audience had no hint what “Tuckered Out” or “It’s a Little Too Late” were, or why they needed to care about boring smiling ladies in 10- gallon hats.To make it worse, the people on the field seemed walking around bring fluorescent light bulbs.This was a halftime program to forget.
24 Maroon 5, Travis Scott, Big Boi (2019) Maroon 5’s halftime show was exactly like all of Maroon 5’s music: so safe and antibacterial that you hardly remember it exists until you’re seeing a Super Bowl halftime show and you recognize you understand every one of the songs and you want to split yourself over the head with the Rock Band guitar gathering dust in your closet.There was nearly no recognition in this set that it was occurring on the biggest yearly stage in America.We got a few lame pyrotechnics, a nearly completely female audience gathered around the stage leaping and demanding Adam Levine like they were paid to, a SpongeBob SquarePants intro, and performances by Travis Scott and Atlanta’s own Huge Boi shoehorned in between some of Levine’s crooning.
The whiplash in between these artists sufficed to give viewers a concussion disorder.In a year when no one wanted to perform at the halftime program, this was the best the NFL could do, a firework that extinguished itself mid-flight.
23
The Rolling Stones (2006) There are two notable things about this efficiency: 1) The Rolling Stones used a phase formed like the band’s lips-and-tongue logo, and 2) individuals of Detroit, where that year’s video game was played, were pissed due to the fact that no Motown artist was asked to perform.Also, the Stones just did 3 songs.Three.And among them was their latest single, “Rough Justice.” A note to the Rolling Stones: Nobody wishes to hear the new stuff, especially at the Super Bowl.
22 Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman, James Belushi, ZZ Top, and James Brown (1997) Because the video game was in New Orleans, I expect the style made sense.What didn’t was letting Jim Belushi sing “Soul Guy” and “Gim me Some Lovin’.” Yes, they let Jim Belushi sing.
It was like watching your uncle do karaoke, except there were lots of women in small clothing gyrating everywhere while a marching band spelled out words on the field and pyrotechnics exploded into the abyss.Then ZZ Top played “Legs” while the dancers laid on their backs and, um, showed off their legs.Even with James Brown, this halftime program required a lot more of something.Anything, really.
21 Gloria Estefan, Stevie Wonder, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (1999) Yes, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy played the Super Bowl and we will never ever be able to take that away from them.But while pastiche is the best way to produce a terrific halftime program, this one was simply too much.
They tossed a bunch of stuff at the wall, then everything stuck and remained there for a few weeks and got moldy.Gloria Estefan eliminated it, obviously, and Stevie Marvel was great, however the sound mix was off the entire time.Two all-time greats wasted on a spectacle that was absolutely hollow at its core.
Justin Timberlake (2018) Justin Timberlake is a former member of NSYNC, spouse to Jessica Biel, ex-boyfriend of Britney Spears, tour mate of Christina Aguilera, and co-Emmy winner (for “Dick in a Box”) with Andy Samberg.He couldn’t employ the aid of any of those individuals to enliven what was the most uninteresting Super Bowl halftime show of the contemporary period? Instead, we got a projection of Prince on a giant sheet while Timberlake sang “I Would Pass away 4 U.” It was definitely a suggestion of the Purple One’s iconic halftime performance– and in his home town, no less– however otherwise this was a boring, ill-conceived, and muddled performance.It started with Timberlake singing under the arena in what felt like a small club show, but even when he came onto the primary stage, it still had the exact same feeling.
The Super Bowl is not the time for intimate numbers.It is a time for spectacle and Justin left it (and all of his famous good friends) at home.Lady Gaga leapt off the roof!
20 The Who (2010) There were lasers and some singing.There was a devoted version of “Baba O’Riley” and other songs utilized by CBS procedurals.
I think the phase was kinda cool.Blah.
19 Shania Twain, No Doubt, and Sting (2003) Was this a halftime program or a playlist for a really short car trip? Shania did “Man! I Seem like a Woman” without even one backup dancer or costume modification.
Next, Gwen Stefani carried out “Just a Woman” with her backing band.There has actually been no bigger whiplash in between 2 bands in the history of the Super Bowl.Finally, Sting appeared and Stefani joined him for “Message in a Bottle.” That’s it.
Finito.The only flourishes were the punk-rock cheerleaders jumping on trampolines, and even that came about seven minutes into the program.
Yawn.
18 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (2008) Tom Petty is among our nation’s greatest underappreciated assets.Of all the acts to get up and play the first 4 tunes off their greatest-hits album, Petty’s– “American Girl,” “I Will not Back Down,” “Free Fallin,'” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream”– are maybe the most strong all the method through.But, man, couldn’t he have at least enlisted a few dancers to cheer things up?
This show was safer than having sex in a panic space with 3 condoms and all of your clothing on.
There’s no rejecting McCartney’s brilliance, but he just ran through “Drive My Automobile,” “Get Back,” “Live and Let Pass Away,” and “Hey Jude” with no disruption or decoration that might perhaps surprise or anger the very fragile American sensibility.But hey, at least there was an LED stage!
16 Bruno Mars and Red Hot Chili Peppers (2014) It began with children holding hands in front of American flags and ended with soldiers committing “Just the Method You Are” to their families.Nine out of 10 dentists say this suffices saccharine to offer every American spontaneous cavities.
Mars did a proficient job, however a year after Beyoncé made a political statement with her all-female performance, Mars reverted back to the typical by filling the stage with a lot of dudes, consisting of Red Hot Chili Peppers.It was uncreative, plus it didn’t look like Mars had actually attained Super Bowl headliner status.
15 U2 (2002) What we required was Bruce Springsteen and what we got was an Irishman shouting “America!” in front of a giant banner printed with the names of everybody who died in the 9/11 attacks.The U2 efficiency was an easy and pared-down affair, which seemed fitting for the zeitgeist, however still it was odd to hear what sounded like cheering as Bono sang “Where the Streets Have No Names” and the nation grieved.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (2009) During the unfortunate era of aging rockers playing their biggest hits without grow or interruption, Springsteen was the only one who appeared to have some enjoyable.” I desire you to step away from the guacamole dip!
Springsteen is one of the American masters– why he didn’t play the post-9/11 halftime program, I’ll never ever understand– and “10 th Opportunity Freeze Out,” “Born to Run,” “Working on a Dream,” and “Glory Days” are all certifiable jams.Still, there wasn’t anything you couldn’t get here from one of the Manager’s performances, so he falls a couple of areas.
13 Kids II Men, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, the Temptations, and Queen Latifah (1998) This might have been a staid look at an older genre of music, but then Latifah and Boyz II Guys came in and injected some younger energy into what otherwise appeared like a very expert high-school skill show.Boyz II Men dissatisfied by utilizing the majority of their time onstage for their brand-new single “A Tune for Mom,” which is peacefully awful.Luckily for Martha Reeves, whose singing seemed like a squirrel was humping her larynx throughout “Heat Wave,” Twitter didn’t exist back in 1998 or there would have been a whole lot of Left Sharking about the sound.Still this was wholesome household fun for any ages.
12
Patti Labelle, Tony Bennett, Arturo Sandoval, Teddy Pendergrass, and Miami Sound Maker (1995) This was less of a halftime show and more of a Stefon SNL skit.It had cobras playing drums, peasants making offerings to the gods, Indiana Jones flying on a parachute, a Satanic routine involving the Super Bowl prize, people on stilts, Patti LaBelle impersonated a demonic sequin goddess, crowds of shirtless dancers, a flaming ninja, a phase full of spikes, and Tony Bennett singing an old song.One of the few Disney-produced programs, this was pure camp insanity.It sure wasn’t the very best show, however it’s still among my favorites.
11 Black Eyed Peas, Usher, and Slash (2011) I never thought I ‘d say this, however the Black Eyed Peas were pretty good at the Super Bowl.Dressed up like the cast of a Not Tron XXX: A Pornography Parody, the foursome came down from thin air, introducing a pop-heavy era of halftime shows.This laid the groundwork for Madonna, Beyoncé, and all the rest, with a field loaded with dancers in glowing costumes and a futuristic theme that featured Usher and Slash popping up from under the phase to play “Sweet Kid of Mine” for Fergie.Sadly, the sound sucked and the stage, implied to spell “LOVE” in lights when viewed from above, was missing out on one prong of its V.
It’s really regrettable they needed to sing all of those Black Eyed Peas tunes.
10 Lady Gaga (2017) This technologically innovative efficiency consisted of a literal constellation of drones, a dive off the roof of the stadium, and dancers tossing radiant spears that looked like a weapon out of Star Trek.There was even a keytar and a circular piano like the one at the Mos Eisley cantina.Lady Gaga has always been like Ziggy Stardust’s bratty more youthful sibling, and that was the theme she stuck to throughout, from her diamond phone for “Telephone” to the crystal orb she brandished to the audience.But we never ever got more than that sleek public persona.Gaga did hits like “Poker Face,” “Born By Doing This,” and “Bad Love” without significant reinvention or retooling in the way that Madonna, Prince, and Beyoncé did with their old gems.Also, she didn’t have any guest efficiencies, while the only covers were those (perhaps) political numbers at the opening.A Girl Gaga performance is constantly a spectacular affair, and this definitely was, but she needed to cast her net wider for such an all-embracing cultural event.
Michael Jackson (1993) Just due to the fact that you’re the very first does not imply you do it best.For beginners, the networks had not rather figured out how to relay a halftime show.
It’s difficult to hear the music over all of the cheering (which lasted a full 3 minutes before a note was even played), there was an industrial break in the middle of the program, and the game was in California, so it wasn’t quite dark out.Also, the production is painfully sincere in that way Michael Jackson loved: Instead of reaching into his jam-packed back brochure, he carried out “We Are the World” with a children’s choir, then did “Heal the World” while an enormous globe inflated in the middle of the stage.
8. Coldplay, Beyoncé, and Bruno Mars (2016) Although it was supposed to be Coldplay’s year, they end up essentially ceding the stage to Beyoncé and Bruno Mars.Thank God for those guest performances due to the fact that Coldplay’s contribution was pure Technicolor vomit.
It was like a hippie van collided with a paint factory.Things got much better as soon as Beyoncé appeared dressed as Michael Jackson from his 1993 performance with a legion of backup girls for “Development.” Bruno Mars came out with a bunch of boys for “Classy Funk” and the two of them squared off in the chicest battle of the sexes ever.Sorry, everyone else: This was Bey’s minute, and it right away signs up with Michael’s as one of the most renowned.
Too bad whatever else needed to drag her down.
7. Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Simpson, Kid Rock, Nelly, and P.
Diddy (2004) Whatever this mysterious style was supposed to be, the genuine idea here was excess.Janet associating countless dancers on a phase that appeared like if the Fortress of Privacy were constructed by Cirque du Soleil, Diddy riding a moving platform through a sea of smoke, Nelly coming out in a giant red cars and truck to sing “Hot in Here,” and Kid Rock in some way managing to use four awkward attire (consisting of a poncho made from an American flag).
Yes, Justin swindled Janet’s boob covering and we saw a bit of nip.Whatever.It was still a truly great show.
6.
Diana Ross (1996) Diana Ross was thought about a safe option for Super Bowl XXX, however just a queen of her magnitude might manage such a stunning performance.It starts with her coming down from the sky on a sparking platform, slowing substantially through a medley of her greatest hits, like “Baby Love” and “Drop in the Name of Love” with tuxedo-clad dancers all around her.Then you recognize that Ross has actually changed her clothing for every single tune.
And then you recognize that the huge gold cape she’s wearing is slowly covering the entire stage as she rises three stories in the air, singing “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” And then you realize that helicopter is going to land in the middle of the field.Diana gets in, waves to the crowd, and then flies off, resting on the edge of the helicopter.Try to top that, Gaga.
5. Katy Perry, Lenny Kravitz, and Missy Elliott (2015) Thanks to the unforgettable and meme-able antics of the “Left Shark,” this performance will be remembered for years to come, but it was also a technical marvel to witness.
Perry shows up on the back of a huge lion puppet while singing “Roar,” then wound up being dragged around the sky, singing “Firework” and riding the More You Know shooting-star logo.There was lots to enjoy in the middle, particularly bringing Missy Elliott onstage to do her thing on 3– yes three– of her own songs.The psychedelic ’60 s pop-art color design was memorable, as was the message that Katy sent: At the Super Bowl, it’s a good thing to share the spotlight.
Aerosmith, NSYNC, Britney Spears, Mary J.Blige, and Nelly (2001) By today’s standards, Justin Timberlake, a still-closeted Lance Bass, and the rest of NSYNC doing “Bye Bye Bye” while Steven Tyler pulled heartstrings with “I Don’t Desire to Miss a Thing” may not appear revolutionary– particularly considering the dated metal outfits– however it absolutely felt that method at the time.This was the first year that fans were allowed on the field surrounding the phase, which made the show feel more like a conventional show– approved one where Timberlake actually shot fireworks out of his hands like he was one of the X-Men.
When surprise visitors Britney Spears, Mary J.
Blige, and Nelly came out for a thoroughly stiring finale of “Walk This Way,” both the older dudes who love Aerosmith and their teenage children lost their collective minds.
3. Beyoncé and Destiny’s Kid (2013) If the Super Bowl enabled ties, Queen Bey would share the leading spot with the next 2 performances.Her 2013 production was extravagant and jaw-dropping, while the all-black outfits and toned-down visual supplied a sophistication that other artists simply can’t emulate.The music was area on, deriving from “Crazy in Love” to “Baby Young boy” and all the way to “Halo” as a stroking finale.It simply barely loses a couple of points, though, since her performance didn’t provide enough pastiche.The phase was literally made to appear like 2 of her profiles dealing with each other, while a giant image of Beyoncé burned above it.
Yes, it was a completely awe-inducing performance, however it didn’t consist of even one costume change.The only visitors were her former Fate’s Child bandmates, who together sung “Single Ladies,” which wasn’t even among their songs.
Still, Beyoncé just had women entertainers on that stage, an exceptional modification and an effective message.
Madonna, LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, Cee Lo Green (2012) A year after the halftime program accepted its pop perceptiveness with the Black-Eyed Peas, Madonna showed up as a Greek goddess on a giant litter brought by a legion of Simple soldiers, revealing all the kids precisely how it’s done.
Madonna successfully moved through several modes in quick succession, teamed up with other huge artists, and made it all look effortless, as if being at the swirling center of 200 entertainers is what she does every Tuesday.Maybe because it is.
1. Prince (2007) The outright best Super Bowl halftime efficiency of them all.Prince’s program wasn’t the most extravagant, but even today, it delights and delights.
In the middle of a phase shaped in the “Artist Formerly Known As Prince” sign, the Purple One opened with the strains of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” prior to changing gears with “Let’s Go bananas.” Then the Florida A&M University marching band, strapped with glowing lights, participated in for a brand-new arrangement of “Infant I’m a Star” that recognizes the history of halftime shows past.This musical journey veered through covers of “Proud Mary” and “The whole time the Watchtower” prior to ending with a big scrim shot up into the night sky, with Prince’s huge backlit shape forecasted as he shredded the guitar solo from “Purple Rain.” Oh, and he did the whole thing in the putting rain.Who could ever top that?
A previous version of this story misidentified the Who’s “Baba O’Riley.”
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