<p id=”par-1_53″>Millions of people around the globe tune in to watch the <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/super-bowl/”>Super Bowl</a> every year even if they’re not <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/nfl/”>NFL</a> fans. One reason is to see the commercials and another is to see the halftime shows. On a few occasions, the latter has even drawn more viewers than the <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/sports/”>football</a> game itself. </p>
<p id=”par-2_65″>There have been performances by many giants in the business from <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/beyonce/?swcfpc=1″>Beyoncé</a> reuniting with Destiny’s Child to the Queen of Pop Madonna striking a pose to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/much-older-usher-girlfriend-jenn-goicoechea.html/”>Usher</a> dancing (and roller skating) around the stage to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/rihanna/”>Rihanna</a>‘s global pregnancy announcement. But there are five that have even topped those moments to be in the running for the Best Super Bowl Halftime Show of all time. </p>
<p id=”par-3_8″>Check out our top five list below. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-5-katy-perry-s-super-bowl-xlix-halftime-show”>5. Katy Perry’s Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show</h2>
<p id=”par-4_27″>In 2015, <a href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD1QrIe–_Y” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Katy Perry performed</a> during the Super Bowl halftime show with special guests Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliot, and another star was born that night. </p>
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<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-width=”550″ data-dnt=”true”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>In 2015, Katy Perry proved her pop superstardom at the Pepsi Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show. <img src=”https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72×72/1f3c8.png” alt=”🏈” class=”wp-smiley” style=”height: 1em; max-height: 1em;” /><br><br>Revisit the moment with Billboard Pop Culture Rewind. <img src=”https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72×72/2b07.png” alt=”⬇” class=”wp-smiley” style=”height: 1em; max-height: 1em;” /> <a href=”https://t.co/ucK5cMd0HL”>pic.twitter.com/ucK5cMd0HL</a></p>— billboard (@billboard) <a href=”https://twitter.com/billboard/status/1721572927353618919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>November 6, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
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<p id=”par-5_31″>Perry made a grand entrance on a giant mechanical lion while belting out her hit “Roar.” She then hit the stage with Kravitz for a duet of “I Kissed a Girl.” </p>
<p id=”par-6_39″>Next, Perry was joined by two dancing sharks when she sang “Teenage Dream.” But the shark on the left (dancer Bryan Gaw) appeared to forget some of the dance moves and thus went viral becoming an internet sensation. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-4-lady-gaga-s-super-bowl-li-halftime-show”>4. Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl LI Halftime Show</h2>
<p id=”par-7_24″>Lady Gaga’s performance during the Super Bowl LI Halftime Show in 2017 had some of her fans a bit nervous from the start. </p>
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<p id=”par-8_30″>Gaga began by singing “God Bless America” and “This Land Is Your Land” on the roof of NRG Stadium in Houston with red, white, and blue drones flying behind her. </p>
<p id=”par-9_36″>She then jumped and was next seen propelling down before going into her song set which included some mid-air choreography and her tracks “Poker Face,” “Born This Way,” “Telephone,” “Just Dance,” “Million Reasons,” and “Bad Romance.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-3-michael-jackson-s-superbowl-xxvii-halftime-show”>3. Michael Jackson’s Superbowl XXVII Halftime Show</h2>
<p id=”par-10_16″><a href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfn3c5gxTgE” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Michael Jackson gave fans a first</a> in Super Bowl Halftime performances with his show in 1993.</p>
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<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-width=”550″ data-dnt=”true”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”><a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTD?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#OTD</a> in 1993, Super Bowl XXVII featured a groundbreaking halftime show by <a href=”https://twitter.com/rockhall?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@rockhall</a> Hall of Famer Michael Jackson. The King of Pop’s performance, which included hits like “Billie Jean” and “Black or White,” set a new standard for halftime entertainment and became one of the most… <a href=”https://t.co/dqHHQ3jFB5″>pic.twitter.com/dqHHQ3jFB5</a></p>— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ProFootballHOF/status/1885449252324741522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 31, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
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<p id=”par-11_35″>The King of Pop is who we can thank for having the halftime shows we enjoy today because before MJ headlined the Super Bowl, the performances at the big game were done by marching bands.</p>
<p id=”par-12_55″>Jackson made a larger-than-life entrance before appearing on the stage at midfield and showing off his iconic dance moves which included moonwalking across the stage to “Billie Jean.” He then closed the show with a powerful “We Are the World” moment and rendition of “Heal the World” in front of a giant globe. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-2-dr-dre-snoop-dogg-eminem-50-cent-kendrick-lamar-and-mary-j-blige-s-super-bowl-lvi-halftime-show”>2. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige’s Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show</h2>
<p id=”par-13_46″>But who could be better than one of the greatest entertainers of all time taking the stage for the Super Bowl Halftime show? How about five of the greatest rappers in the world and the Queen of R&B <a href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdsUKphmB3Y”>taking the stage</a> for the Super Bowl Halftime?</p>
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<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-width=”550″ data-dnt=”true”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>THAT. WAS. INCREDIBLE. <br><br>Dre. Snoop. Mary. Eminem. Kendrick. 50 Cent. What a show. <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/PepsiHalftime?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#PepsiHalftime</a> <a href=”https://t.co/FKz8YKhhAt”>pic.twitter.com/FKz8YKhhAt</a></p>— NFL (@NFL) <a href=”https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1493033369877180416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>February 14, 2022</a></blockquote><script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
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<p id=”par-14_71″>In 2022, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg kicked things off with a throwback to their 1999 track “Next Episode” before the crowd at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, went wild as they broke into “California Love.” 50 Cent also joined them with an upside-down performance (literally) of “In the Club.” The camera then panned to Mary J. Blige who got everyone up and dancing to her hit “Family Affair.” </p>
<p id=”par-15_58″>Next, Kendrick Lamar was up. He sported an all-black Michael Jackson-inspired outfit while performing “M.A.A.D City” and “Alright.” Following his performance, Eminem took the stage and had the crowd jamming to “Lose Yourself.” Dre then took the opportunity to pay tribute to the late legendary rapper Tupac Shakur playing the tune “I Ain’t Mad at Cha” on the piano.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-1-prince-s-super-bowl-xli-halftime-show”>1. Prince’s Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show</h2>
<p id=”par-16_23″>As great as those performances were, one stands out above the rest when ranking the best Super Bowl Halftime Shows of all time.</p>
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<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-width=”550″ data-dnt=”true”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>On this day in 2007, Prince performed a medley of hits at the Super Bowl XLI Halftime show in Miami, including “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Baby I’m A Star,” “1999” and covers of “Proud Mary,” “All Along The Watchtower,” and “Best of You.” The 12-minute show concluded with a legendary… <a href=”https://t.co/aqXCgXIwsa”>pic.twitter.com/aqXCgXIwsa</a></p>— Prince (@prince) <a href=”https://twitter.com/prince/status/1754175444297908290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>February 4, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
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<p id=”par-17_24″>The one that reigns supreme as the best of the best is the <a href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WYYlRArn3g”>performance courtesy of Prince</a> during Super Bowl XLI in 2007. </p>
<p id=”par-18_35″>His song set included a cover of Queen’s “We Will Rock” and the Foo Fighters “Best of You” as well as hits “Let’s Go Crazy” and “1999.” Prince also performed an amazing guitar solo. </p>
<p id=”par-19_31″>And the Purple One closed out the show perfectly with a little help from Mother Nature to deliver an electrifying and unforgettable performance of “Purple Rain” in the pouring rain. </p>