9 iconic Super Bowl halftime performances from classic musicians
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As the National Football League (NFL) season comes to a close, every February during the annual Super Bowl, there are three things most people look forward to: the big game, the many commercials and the iconic halftime show.
As Super Bowl LVII gets closer, we want to look back at some of the most memorable halftime performances from past years. The halftime show has evolved in both production and quality over the decades.
The first halftime show was in 1967 and featured only two marching bands from The University of Arizona and Grambling State University. Today's halftime shows feature everything from lights, full dance routines and... sometimes a left shark that just won't stay in place!
We want to look back at nine of the most memorable and iconic halftime performances featuring classic rock, old-school pop and Motown artists from the 1970s and 1980s.
Which halftime show has been your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
The Rockettes & Chubby Checker - Super Bowl XXII, 1988
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The 1988 Super Bowl halftime show featured a theme called "Something Grand," and boy, was it. This grand performance, featuring 88 grand pianos, redefined the Super Bowl halftime show.
Along with its theme, this show also featured a sea of dancers and cheerleaders, Chubby Checker, The Rockettes and two college marching bands... all playing at the same time.
This halftime show was the first one to feature a popular musician, and ever since then, the halftime show has been packed with top musicians of our time.
Michael Jackson - Super Bowl XXVII, 1993
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Michael Jackson performed at the 1993 Super Bowl halftime show in Pasadena. Jackson's performance is still considered one of the most popular halftime shows to date.
The theme was "Heal the World." Jackson played hits which included "Billie Jean," "Black or White," and "Heal the World."
His performance was so successful that it caused viewership to increase between halves for the first time in NFL history.
Jackson's halftime performance has been credited with establishing norms for future Super Bowl shows, including a focus on major names and higher production value.
Diana Ross - Super Bowl XXX, 1996
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A piece of history was made the night Diana Ross performed at the 1996 Super Bowl halftime show. Ross became the first black woman to perform solo at the Super Bowl.
The theme was "Take Me Higher: A Celebration of 30 Years of the Super Bowl." Her performance featured many costume changes, special effects and a few surprises.
Hits such as "Baby Love," "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," and "You Can't Hurry Love," were included in her set.
So what could have taken Ross any higher? The show ended with the song "Take Me Higher," in which Ross was lifted out of the stadium in a helicopter.
The Blues Brothers with James Brown and ZZ Top - Super Bowl XXXI, 1997
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The Blues Brothers, James Brown and ZZ Top all took the stage at the 1997 Super Bowl halftime show.
The show highlighted blues music, and was intended to create hype around the release of Blues Brothers 2000. Sadly, their halftime show is rated among the Super Bowl's least favorite performances.
But James Brown in a pink satin suit and ZZ Top entering the stage on a motorcycle singing "Tush," sounds pretty iconic to us.
A Tribute to Motown's 40th Anniversary - Super Bowl XXXII, 1998
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Motown was front and center during the 1998 Super Bowl halftime show. It featured some of the biggest names in R&B and Motown at the time.
The stacked lineup included: Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Queen Latifah and Martha Reeves.
Motown's finest and the Grambling State University marching band joined together to sing "Dancing in the Street," as their last song of the show.
Paul McCartney - Super Bowl XXXIX, 2005
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Paul McCartney was the headline performer at the Super Bowl's 2005 halftime show. McCartney played fan-favorite songs which included: "Get Back," "Live and Let Die," "Hey Jude," and more.
McCartney was considered a safe choice after the 2004 Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake halftime performance, which became highly controversial.
Safe or not, McCartney's halftime performance went down in the history books and it's considered many people's favorite performance.
The Rolling Stones - Super Bowl XL, 2006
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The Rolling Stones performed at the 2006 Super Bowl which was held in Detroit, Michigan. Super Bowl coordinators and event staff had one goal in mind: no controversy.
However, the choice to have The Rolling Stones perform did spark controversy. Many people in the Detroit community felt that The Rolling Stones did not represent the music of Detroit.
Despite some negativity surrounding their performance, the halftime show was viewed by 89.9 million people.
The 28-piece stage was shaped as the group's iconic tongue logo, and was assembled by a 600-member volunteer group.
Prince - Super Bowl XLI, 2007
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Who doesn't love Prince? During his performance at the Super Bowl in 2007, he and others found out just how many people love Prince.
He played in front of 74,512 fans at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and an estimated 140 million TV viewers, making it the biggest audience of his life.
His halftime show is considered one of the most iconic halftime shows yet.
He had a 12-minute performance that featured many songs, including a few covers. His top hits of the night included: "Let's Go Crazy," "Baby I'm a Star," "Purple Rain," and more.
Prince ended with "Purple Rain," in a downpour over the stadium.
Madonna - Super Bowl XLVI, 2012
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One of the most iconic queens of pop music joined forces with emerging pop artists in the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show.
Madonna was joined by M.I.A., Nicki Minaj, Cee Lo Green and more.
Madonna's halftime performance broke the record for the most viewed Super Bowl halftime show ever, defeating Michael Jackson's previous record, with 114 million viewers worldwide.