(WHTM) – The Super Bowl halftime started in 1967, but it wasn’t exactly what you imagined.
In 1967, the first Super Bowl halftime show was performed by the University of Arizona Symphony Marching Band. So, technically, was a halftime show, minus the fireworks and flashing lights.
The Super Bowl halftime show became what we know today in the 1990s. Until the 1990s, marching bands typically headlined the show. That was until Michael Jackson headlined The Halftime Show in 1993.
The King of Pop has popularized recent superstars headlining the show.
According to an article on sportscasting.com, the NFL will only select performers who meet certain criteria to perform at the Halftime Show. Artists must be popular, have a certain musical genre, and have high performance value.
The article also states that most performers don’t play the Super Bowl more than once. Artists like Bruno Mars, Stevie Wonder, and Justin Timberlake, to name a few, have broken that mold by playing The Halftime Show more than once.
Halftime Show performers don’t make a penny. However, the free publicity these artists get from the performance is worth it. Artists will typically see album and ticket sales skyrocket.
It’s safe to say that the NFL wants to attract as many views as possible during the Super Bowl. But which performers brought the highest views?
Here are the five most-watched Super Bowl halftime shows:
5. Madonna – 114 million viewers: Madonna performed in 2012 at Super Bowl XLVI. The singer did not perform alone, as she brought a plethora of guests with her. LMFAO, Cirque du Solei, Nicki Minaj, MIA, Cee Lo Green, Andy Lewis, Avon High School Drumline, Center Grove High School Drumline, Fishers High School Drumline, Franklin Central High School Drumline, Southern University Dancing Dolls and a group of 200 people a choir joins her on stage.
4. Bruno Mars – 115.3 million viewers: Bruno Mars performed in 2014 at Super Bowl XLVIII. With only two albums under his belt, Mars was asked to perform. Known for being very picky about his collaborations, Mars invited the Red Hot Chili Peppers to perform with him on the show. A children’s choir also performed a rendition of “Billionaire” to open the show. Mars performed on a small stage with his band, using minimal special effects, showcasing his ability to perform and entertain.
3. Coldplay – 115.5 million viewers: Coldplay performed in 2016 at Super Bowl 50. Coldplay did not perform alone, as they brought many guests with them, including Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Gustavo Dudamel, the University of California Marching Band and the LA Coldplay Youth Orchestra performed some of their signature hits. Later in the show, Bruno Mars and Beyoncé had a “dance” which turned into Coldplay, with Bruno and Beyoncé performing together at the end of the show.
2. Lady Gaga – 117.5 million viewers: Lady Gaga performed in 2017 at Super Bowl LI. Lady Gaga performed several of her hits and did the whole show solo, without any collaboration. However, she had many dancers and special effects throughout her show, which made her show entertaining and unique.
1. Katy Perry – 118.5 million viewers: Katy Perry performed in 2015 at Super Bowl XLIX. Katy Perry had special guests Lenny Kravitz, Missy Elliott and the Arizona State University Sun Devil Marching Band join her in her performance. Collaborations, special effects, and the iconic “left shark” led to the performance’s high view and extreme entertainment value.
