(L-R) Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg perform during the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium
One of the most significant achievements in an artist’s lifetime is thought to be playing in a Super Bowl half-time show. The Super Bowl is the most-watched event annually, and the half-time show draws in more spectators than the game itself.
Music legends like Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and Prince have set the bar for how extravagant and impressive a Super Bowl performance might be. Current musicians continue to raise the bar for half-time performances.
The background of the half-time performance is extensive, and it has undoubtedly offered viewers some memorable moments. We are examining the Super Bowl half-time performances with the highest viewership.
5. Madonna – 114 million viewers (2012)
At the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on February 5, 2012, the Super Bowl XLVI half-time performance occurred. Madonna served as the event’s headlining act, becoming the first female headlining act since Diana Ross in 1996. Nicki Minaj, LMFAO, CeeLo Green, and M.I.A. made cameos on stage.
With 114 million viewers, Madonna’s half-time performance set a record for the most viewers ever at the time. Three million more viewers tuned in for the half-time performance than there were for the actual game.
4. Bruno Mars – 115.3 million viewers (2014)
Bruno Mars and his band performed at the Super Bowl XLVIII half-time concert on February 2, 2014, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Bruno Mars took the podium at the Super Bowl halftime show, where 115 million people watched and ultimately killed the show despite the bad climate conditions. He sang several of his best singles, notably “Just the Way You Are,” “Locked out of Heaven,” and “Billionaire,” while inviting the Red Hot Chili Peppers to perform with him.
3. Coldplay – 115.5 million viewers (2016)
The Super Bowl’s main attraction is always the halftime show. Still, after a drab first half between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos, the half-time performance provided a much-needed break and injected some life into the night. With a mix of his top songs featuring “Paradise” and “Viva La Vida,” Coldplay stepped onto the stage.
2. Lady Gaga – 117.5 million viewers (2017)
The Super Bowl Ll half-time performance by Lady Gaga was one of the finest in the genre’s history, blazing audaciously over the entire discography.
She opened the act by leaping over the top of the NRG Stadium before performing a mix of her early career classics, including “Poker Face,” “Bad Romance,” and “Just Dance.” After her 2017 Super Bowl halftime show, Lady Gaga’s album sales increased by 1,000%, according to Billboard.
1. Katy Perry – 118.5 million viewers (2015)
Katy Perry, who gave a performance during Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, reigns supreme. Other special guests were Missy Elliott, Lenny Kravitz, and the Arizona State University Sun Devil Marching Band.
Kate Perry delivered the songs “Firework,” “Teenage Dream,” “Dark Horse,” “Roar,” and “California Gurls.” Later, Missy Elliot did a mix of “Work It,” “Lose Control,” and “Get Ur Freak On,” and altogether, the show was delivered with utmost elegance.
