30+ Best Super Bowl Halftime Shows of All Time, Ranked

For the past few decades, the Super Bowl halftime show has featured the biggest names in music. However, before the 1990s the show was generally made up of marching bands and drill teams. Over the years, the show has brought together rather unusual musical combinations. In some cases, there’s one headliner with special guests. In others, the show involves a motley crew of artists from different genres. Join us as we take a look at the best Super Bowl halftime shows of all time, ranked from best to worst.

It’s no surprise that iconic singer-songwriter Prince put on an incredible Super Bowl show. The award-winning star headlined the 2007 halftime show, and his performance is still super famous today. During his set, the flamboyant multi-instrumentalist played a mixture of his own hits and other songs. He mashed up Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and Foo Fighters’ “Best of You”. Prince closed his epic Super Bowl performance with a perfect rendition of “Purple Rain”. He even had rain pour down during his guitar solo.

Queen Bey made sure to absolutely nail her solo Super Bowl performance. Plus, she used the opportunity to reunite with her former Destiny’s Child bandmates. In 2013, fans watched as Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams joined Beyoncé as special guests during her headline act. The trio performed some of their biggest hits, including “Bootylicious” and “Independent Women”. This Super Bowl performance was so monumental that half of the Superdome lights went out afterwards. The blackout lasted over 30 minutes. Worth it!

In 2002, the US was shaken by the events of the previous year. The Super Bowl halftime show was headlined by Irish rock band U2. The group’s rendition of “Beautiful Day” was just what the country needed to feel some optimism and unity. Lead singer Bono even revealed an American flag in the lining of his jacket. At the Louisiana Superdome, U2 closed their set with a rousing rendition of“Where the Streets Have No Name”. Understandably, it sent the crowd into a frenzy.

The Prince of Pop’s Super Bowl appearance is largely what led to the megastar halftime shows we enjoy today. After MJ performed at the 1993 halftime show, ratings rocketed between halves of the football game. At the Rose Bowl performance in Pasadena California, Michael Jackson put on quite a show. He performed “We Are the World”, “Heal the World”, and moonwalked across the stage to “Billie Jean”. This Super Bowl spectacle saw Michael Jackson’s album “Dangerous” increase in sales by a whopping 83%.