The Super Bowl halftime show has transformed over the years from a modest production featuring marching bands and other performers into one of the biggest spectacles in entertainment.
Legendary NFL quarterback Dan Marino recalls the 2007 show in Miami when Prince performed “Purple Rain” in a downpour as a career highlight. Marino notes that halftime performances draw over 100 million viewers today, even rivaling the championship game itself.
“The halftime performance has come a long way,” Marino said to the Associated Press. “Not a lot of people really watched it. But now, as we head into Super Bowl 58, people love to watch the halftime show.”
Last year, Rihanna’s show became the most-watched ever with 121 million viewers. The production requires massive coordination to pull off the 12-15 minute performance featuring pyrotechnics, backup dancers and elaborate sets. Viewers tune in to see if anything might go wrong and for the thrill of the live, unpredictable spectacle.
“Shout out to Jay-Z for changing the climate. Roger Goodell for giving him an opportunity. This is music. The music that dictates the world is what’s performing at halftime now. They’re starting to understand that it’s about what those players want to hear, what those fans want to hear, and what’s universally effective. It has no color on it now. Pop used to have a color on it. Now pop is popular. So, the most popular music is the music that we make. It makes sense to put those people on there that make that music.”
Rapper snoop dogg
The 1967 inaugural Super Bowl featured university marching bands and other traditional performers. After Michael Jackson’s 1993 game-changing set, the NFL began recruiting major pop stars to headline the coveted slot. Recent standout performances include Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s hip-hop focused 2022 show.
Prince performs during the halftime show at the Super Bowl XLI NFL football game at Dolphin Stadium in Miami on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2007. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
The NFL covers production costs and provides the exposure to a huge global audience. Artists see the Super Bowl halftime show as a prime opportunity to showcase their talents. This year Usher will headline, bringing his skills as an entertainer and hitmaker to football’s biggest night.
Snoop gives much credit to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Jay-Z for advancing the halftime show. The league worked with Roc Nation to help its Inspire Change initiative, created by the NFL after an agreement with a coalition of players who demonstrated during the national anthem to protest social and racial injustice in this country.
“Shout out to Jay-Z for changing the climate. Roger Goodell for giving him an opportunity,” Snoop said to AP. “This is music. The music that dictates the world is what’s performing at halftime now. They’re starting to understand that it’s about what those players want to hear, what those fans want to hear, and what’s universally effective. It has no color on it now. Pop used to have a color on it. Now pop is popular. So, the most popular music is the music that we make. It makes sense to put those people on there that make that music.”
