Look Back on the Best Super Bowl Halftime Show Performances in Honour of Rihanna Securing the Gig

Can we have Beyoncé perform at every Super Bowl? She made a guest appearance alongside Coldplay and Bruno Mars in 2016, but her solo show in 2013 stands as one of Queen Bey’s greatest live performances. As if that wasn’t enough, surprise guests Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams gave us the Destiny’s Child reunion we’d been desperately wanting for nearly a decade.

At the Super Bowl in 2007, headlining performer Prince had absolutely nothing to prove: he was already a rock icon, respected by nearly everyone for his empowering attitude both on and off stage. After getting the crowd on their feet with a cover of “We Will Rock You”, Prince performed classics like “Let’s Go Crazy” and Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary.” His captivating rendition of “Purple Rain” – performed in a total downpour – stands as one of the most incredible moments of his career to this day.

Bruno Mars is a performer through and through; regardless of the stage he’s on, he’s sure to deliver a mind-blowing performance complete with powerful vocals and tight choreography. In 2014, his showmanship was on full display as he wowed audiences everywhere with hits like “Locked Out of Heaven” and “Treasure” and was even joined by the Red Hot Chili Peppers for a rendition of “Give It Away” with a unique Bruno Mars twist.

Before there was Baby Shark, there was Left Shark. After back-to-back showstopping performances from Beyoncé and Bruno Mars, Katy Perry had a tough act to follow in 2015. She knocked it out of the park (no pun intended) with commanding performances of her hits like “Roar” and “Firework” was even joined by Lenny Kravitz for “I Kissed a Girl.” Perhaps the biggest moment, though, came when Missy Elliott stormed the stage for a surprise duet of “Get Ur Freak On” and “Work It.”

Janet Jackson’s turn on the Super Bowl stage in 2004 received attention for everything except her performance. Her now-infamous “wardrobe malfunction” at the hands of Justin Timberlake led to a ban from the Super Bowl, while Timberlake returned to headline the halftime show in 2018. It’s a shame because Jackson’s performance of her hits “Rhythm Nation” and “All For You” proved why she’s a legend in her own right, able to sing and dance with the attitude that has inspired millions of girls over nearly four decades.

Considering how long Madonna has been around, it’s surprising that it took until 2012 for Madge to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. She was joined by all-star guests like Nicki Minaj, Cee Lo Green, M.I.A., and LMFAO as she ran through classics like “Vogue,” “Express Yourself,” and “Like a Prayer” and cemented her status as a pop icon.

The 2001 halftime show paid homage to “the kings of rock and pop,” bringing out an all-star cast of guests to the Super Bowl stage. *NSYNC, at the height of their fame, excited the audience with their performance of “Bye Bye Bye” and “It’s Gonna Be Me”; meanwhile, Aerosmith dominated the show with classics like “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” and brought out special guests like Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and Nelly for a rocking rendition of “Walk This Way.”

They don’t call her “The Boss” for nothing. When Diana Ross took the Super Bowl stage in 1996, it was magic from beginning to end as she performed some of the greatest hits from her time with The Supremes like “Baby Love” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, as well as Gloria Gaynor’s disco classic “I Will Survive.”

By the end of the 1990s, Gloria Estefan was a superstar who helped herald in the decade’s so-called “Latin invasion.” She headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 1992, so her coheadlining performance with Stevie Wonder in 1999 was monumental for bridging generations.

The Super Bowl halftime show in 1995 was an Indiana Jones-themed production that included as much theatrics as it did music, complete with A-list performers like Patti LaBelle and Tony Bennett. LaBelle brought the party while performing her hit “New Attitude” dressed like a temple queen, and she and Bennett closed out the show with a moving performance of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King.”

From the first few notes of “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” it was clear that this Super Bowl performance would be one to remember. Shania Twain eventually handed the stage off to Gwen Stefani and rest of No Doubt, who rocked the stadium with a “Just a Girl” before joining Sting for The Police classic “Message in a Bottle.”

At the turn of the millennium, Disney was in the midst of a millennium celebration that extended weeks longer into the Super Bowl. Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, and Toni Braxton each took turns singing selections from the Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration soundtrack like “Tapestry of Nations” and “We Go On.” Plus, Phil Collins delivered a breathtaking rendition of “Two Worlds” from “Tarzan.”

By the time the Rolling Stones made it to the Super Bowl stage in 2006, there was little the British group had to do to blow away everyone watching the show. Their rocking renditions of classics like “Start Me Up” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” proved that their staying power transcended generations. Mick Jagger even joked that they could’ve performed at Super Bowl I, but that “good things come to he who waits.”

The Super Bowl halftime show has always tended to recruit relevant artists that will appeal to both young and old fans who keep track of the music industry. In 2010, the hiring of British rock band The Who was a gift to football fans who were more familiar with them as they performed some of their classics like “Who Are You” and “Baba O’Riley.”

The Super Bowl halftime show in 2002 was dedicated to the lives of those lost on 9/11, and U2 helped pay tribute in a beautiful way.

The hip-hop icons’ epic performance at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA, took us through a medley of coastal hits, from Snoop and Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” and “California Love” to Lamar’s “m.A.A.d City” and “Alright.” 50 Cent appeared to perform “In Da Club,” while Blige took fans back with her songs “Family Affair” and “No More Drama.” Eminem helped close out the show with his hit “Lose Yourself” (assisted by Anderson .Paak on the drums), as Dr. Dre brought it home with his signature song “Still D.R.E.”