The Super Bowl is the most-watched television event in the US, which means whoever performs during the halftime show is playing the biggest stage in the country.
Which makes the stakes of that short burst of entertainment relatively colossal.
The modern Super Bowl halftime show as we know it started in 1991 with New Kids on the Block (previous shows featured a theme with marching bands and various performance groups), and it’s stayed relatively consistent since: A pop star (or stars) takes over the field with props, backup dancers, probably pyrotechnics, and possibly even a live band, and goes through a rundown of their hits in a handful of minutes.
But the quality and tone of the shows have been all over the map, from the save-the-world vibe of early years with NKOTB and Michael Jackson, to Janet Jackson’s Nipplegate and Katy Perry’s campy Left Shark.
Not all of them proved to be timeless. We revisited all the halftime shows since 1991 and ranked the best:
5. Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (1999)
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Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy? Eclectic, sure, but that was the point. They’ve all had long, consistent careers because they’re consummate professionals, which is what defines this show. Wonder and Estefan give some of the best live singing the game has seen. And you could do worse for backup than Voodoo Daddy and jitterbug and salsa dancers sprinkled throughout the field. This is one joyous party.
4. Bruno Mars and Red Hot Chili Peppers (2014)
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Bruno Mars started out by impressively whaling on the drums, then broke into his hit “Locked Out of Heaven,” and the rest was history. Mars threw the crowd a curveball when he rocked out with the Red Hot Chili Peppers for a collaboration featuring their song “Give It Away.” Even non-fans had to love it. The combination of his Temptations-inspired attire and polarizing voice created a performance for the books.
3. Michael Jackson (1993)
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As he did with his music videos, Michael Jackson brought cinematic showmanship to his Super Bowl halftime show, and just the right amount of corniness, including MJ decoys popping out of Jumbotrons. He also knew how to hold a pose for just long enough (which is a pretty long time, turns out). Michael Jackson was one of our greatest entertainers, and he delivered.
Now please enjoy this GIF of “Michael Jackson” “popping out” of a Jumbotron:
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