Top Five Super Bowl Halftime Shows
Super Bowl betting, particularly at Bodog Casino, is one major reason why fans find the Super Bowl the most exciting day of the year. Having said that, love of football and cashing out paydays is certainly not the only motive for fans to crowd in front of their televisions.
Whether you’re analyzing the form of the teams or simply analyzing your snack and beer lists for your Super Bowl party, there’s one thing all viewers of the Super Bowl have in common – the interest in experiencing the legendary Half Time show.
Ever since the first Half Time show in 1967, the stage has boasted some of the biggest names in music, surrounded by wildly entertaining theatrics that nearly rival the actual game itself.
In 2022, A-list artists like Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg will grace the stage, possibly even making this show one of the best in history. But this is certainly not the first time audiences have been blown away by a great show.
Before we dive into our Super Bowl betting slips, let’s take a few minutes to go back in time and reminisce over the five best Half Time shows we’ve had the pleasure of witnessing over the years.
Michael Jackson – 1993
Although the NFL had been organizing halftime shows at the Super Bowl for decades, they would traditionally use marching bands like you’d see at regular football games up and down the country.
Michael Jackson’s 1993 performance at Super Bowl XXVII changed all of that. The memorable show began with Mike-lookalikes jumping out of the giant screens around the stadium. Then to everyone’s shock, Michael himself appeared from under the stage in the centre of the field – as if the King of pop had magically teleported himself.
Building suspense, he then stood perfectly still for over a minute, and the crowd went utterly berzerk. Then Michael promptly busted out historical renditions of Billie Jean, Black or White, and Heal the World.
Not only was he the first, but Michael Jackson’s halftime show will forever be one of the best we’ve ever seen.
Prince – 2007
They don’t come a whole lot more talented than this.
The Artist (Formerly – and subsequently – Known as Prince) took halftime entertainment to the upper echelons during Super Bowl XLI. Unlike the acts of years gone by, Prince had the sort of audiovisual setup that would make future Super Bowl acts . Given the possibilities, Prince’s efforts were far more spectacular than Michael Jackson’s. Wearing a turquoise suit and orange shirt, Prince laid down several hits including Let’s Go Crazy, Baby I’m a Star, Proud Mary, and 1999.
In a touching tribute to Super Bowls of the more simple past, Prince’s performance included the Florida A&M University Marching 100 Band who danced around with their brass instruments at the side of the stage.
He brought the house down with his final song, Purple Rain, which was the perfect ending for a 12-minute show that took place during a torrential downpour.
Katy Perry – 2015
Image credit: David Kadlubowski/The Republic
In 2015, many would argue that Katy Perry overshadowed the New England Patriots’ victory over the Seattle Seahawks with her Super Bowl XLIX halftime show. 120.7 million people tuned in from across the globe to watch her perform some of her greatest hits, including I Kissed a Girl, Teenage Dream, and Firework.
Unlike Michael Jackson and Prince, Katy Perry also undertook several outfit changes during her routine, and was even joined by Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliot for part of the set. Alongside her extravagant outfits, the entire set was changed several times on the fly. One of the best sets was a beach scene during Teenage Dream with Perry suspended from an illuminated star travelling around the stage.
She even upped the actual game when it came to her entrance, riding on the back of a golden mechanical lion before singing Roar.
The show was so spectacular, USA Today described it as being “more like an Olympic Opening Ceremony”.
Janet Jackson – 2004
If you were in double-digits in the year of 2004, this halftime performance would not have escaped you.The infamous Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake spectacle at Super Bowl XXXVIII has gone down in entertainment history – not just sports history! – for the “wardrobe malfunction”. This explanatory term, offered with a wink, referred to the moment when Timberlake ripped open a flap from the chest of Jackson’s black leather outfit, revealing her own scandalous tribute to the Super Bowl.
But the halftime show was more than that. Following in the footsteps of her older brother, Janet performed All for You and Rhythm Nation, before being joined by Justin Timberlake for a rendition of Rock Your Body.
One could say artistry runs in the family, and there were many similarities between Janet and Michael’s performances, including their outfits, their style of dance, and the way they entered the stage.
In addition to Justin Timberlake, Janet was joined by P. Diddy, Nelly, and Kid Rock, for a star-studded spectacle that was crammed with many of the biggest tracks of the time.
Beyoncé & Destiny’s Child – 2013
Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams joined headliner Beyoncé for a highly-anticipated halftime reunion of Destiny’s Child at Super Bowl XLVII’s. The performance attracted over 110 million viewers, which at the time gave them the second-highest Super Bowl entertainment viewership on record.
Queen Bey opened the show with Run the World (Girls), following it up with other hits like Love on Top, Crazy in Love, and Baby Boy. As the halftime show was coming to a close, Williams and Rowland were launched onto the stage and the trio sprung into renditions of Bootylicious and Independent Women Part I.
As if by design, Beyoncé’s departure from the stage beset another kind of drama as the power went out in the stadium, leaving the spectators in darkness for over 30 minutes. If only the NFL officials had found a way to harness the electric atmosphere Beyonce created, then perhaps she could have lit up the venue for even longer.
Halftime isn’t just the perfect time for teams to regroup in the locker room; it’s also the perfect time for you to make Super Bowl prop bets for the remainder of the event. That’s right – you can even make prop bets on the halftime show in addition to any other prop bets for inside the game.
No matter what you do during the halftime break, if these amazing shows are anything to go by, we’re certainly in for a treat this year.