Going by social media, Bad Bunny seems to be one of those artists many people claim not to know about, yet who is hugely popular. His selection to lead this season’s Super Bowl Half-Time Show tended to divide opinion, later leading to political point-scoring, but the selection committee was arguably vindicated when it was announced that Bad Bunny was the most-streamed artist on Spotify in 2025, even beating out Taylor Swift.
While we are sure that Bad Bunny will put on a memorable show, he will be standing on the shoulders of some giants. The NFL betting odds point to a wide-open market for which teams will make it to Levi’s Stadium in February, but the only thing that is guaranteed is a spectacular performance at the interval. Still, Bad Bunny must do something extraordinary to stand out from some of the legendary performances of the past. Below, we pick our top five:
- Prince – Super Bowl XLI (2007)
Not just one of the best Super Bowl performances, this was one of the best live performances on American soil. You don’t get a lot of time to squeeze in all the songs, but Prince managed to put together a spectacular anthology while giving enough time for the now-legendary Purple Rain (in the pouring rain) as the finale. There was a lot going on on stage, with spectacular light shows, dancers and flames, but somehow all eyes were on the great man. Nobody has hit the heights quite like this at a Super Bowl before.
- Beyoncé – Super Bowl XLVII (2013)
Beyoncé was a global superstar before this performance, but it felt like this was her moment to say she was the biggest draw in the world. Madonna had done the honors the previous year, and this felt like a changing of the guard. The long-awaited on-stage reunion with Destiny’s Child also added to the sense that we were crowning Queen Bee. She belted out hit after hit, including Crazy in Love and Halo (a fine choice to close out the show).
- U2 – Super Bowl XXXVI (2002)
Most performers create a bit of a mega-mix of their hit songs for the show: Prince squeezed in seven, Beyoncé nine. Yet, U2 chose to play just three – Beautiful Day, MLK, and Where the Streets Have No Name.
The show is noted for its post-9/11 symbolism, and Bono and co. do get some criticism for playing such an emotional card. Yet, it was also U2 at its height, when the Irish band was considered the world’s biggest. Few bands do stadium rock quite like U2, and you could see they were in their element here.
- Michael Jackson – Super Bowl XXVII (1993)
The show that basically modernized the half-time slot. Before MJ’s 1993 performance at the Rose Bowl, the Half-Time Show was a mix of marching bands, kids-entertainers, with the odd star thrown in. This changed everything. It was as spectacular as you might expect, although Jackson didn’t lean into his back catalog (Billie Jean aside) in the same way as performers to today. Still, it was great stuff from the King of Pop.
- Kendrick Lamar – Super Bowl LIX (2025)
Is it a case of recency bias? Perhaps, but Kendrick Lamar absolutely nailed the most recent Half-Time Show, squeezing in 11 hits, appearances by Samuel L. Jackson and Serena Williams, in a critically acclaimed performance on the biggest stage. There was so much to it, including the rapper’s feud with Drake and a lot of nods to the Civil Rights Movement. While some argued that too much thought went into making statements rather than pleasing the crowds, it’s still one of the best.