Did you know, the elaborate halftime shows during the NFL Super Bowl, we have grown to love only took form 25 years ago? Before the early 90’s, Super Bowl halftime shows typically consisted of marching band performances. At the time, these shows of marching bands and drill teams were considered "family friendly" and aligned with the NFL's self promoted image.
Beginning in 1991, in an effort to boost viewer interest, the NFL began integrating musical performances. The first mega performance took place in 1993, headlined by none other than the king of pop, Michael Jackson.
The NFL Superbowl viewer ratings are extremely high year after year. A surprising fact is millions of people tune into the game just for the TV commercials and halftime show alone. Today, the cost of a 30 second TV ad spot during the Superbowl, costs roughly $5,000,000. So you can expect that companies willing to dish out that kind of money, will produce memorable commercials! The halftime show of Super Bowl XLIX featuring Katy Perry was viewed by 118.5 million, as part of an overall telecast that peaked at 120.3 million at its conclusion—the most-watched television broadcast in U.S. history.
Over the last 25 years, there have been a number of great halftime acts. From Michael Jackson’s ground breaking show in 1993, to the Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson “incident” show at Super Bowl XXXVIII, where her exposed chest was "accidentally" flashed to the crowd of millions.
Let’s take a look at the 5 of the highest ranked halftime shows!
Prince - 2007
Known for erotically-charged performances, Prince was a curious halftime choice only three years after Janet's nipple slip. While he did wield that purple, symbol-shaped guitar in an unabashedly phallic way behind a screen, the ecstatic genius of Prince's performance was the way he actually played the instrument.
Janet Jackson & Justin Timberlake, 2004
It was the day that the phrase "wardrobe malfunction" entered the American language. Debate about whether Justin Timberlake "accidentally" exposed Janet's nipple while ripping off a portion of her costume has raged since that Houston halftime.Intentional boob slip or not, the show was pretty incredible from both Janet and Justin.
Michael Jackson, 1993
Eager to keep viewers glued to their televisions, the NFL created the biggest halftime show ever. After a number of his hits, MJ then cued up a snippet of "We Are The World" as the crowd turned over cards revealing drawings by the children of Los Angeles. MJ finished with "Heal the World," surrounded by 3,500 kids, as a blow-up globe deployed on the 50 yard line.
Aerosmith, Britney Spears, Nsync , Mary J. Blige & Nelly, 2001
2001 was a huge collaboration halftime show. Featuring Aerosmith, Britney, NSync, MJB and Nelly, the performance was a huge success. Given the names involved, viewership was massive, and for many years to come, shows consisted of genre mashups with top level acts performing with one another.
Lady Gaga, 2017
Kicking off the show with Lady Gaga singing a medley of "God Bless America" and "This Land Is Your Land" from the roof of the Super Bowl stadium, the New York City pop star then launched herself down onto the stage, singing dance-pop favorites "Poker Face," "Born This Way," "Bad Romance" and more. Her stage exit is probably the best: She mic dropped, caught a football pass and hopped off a staircase into darkness, no bow required.
There have been so many memorable performances over the years, and every year it seems like the NFL aims to outdo the last.
Have a favorite halftime show? Leave it below!
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