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SAVANNAH, Ga. () – For nearly 60 years, the Big Game has been an American institution, but not just for football fans.
The annual halftime show is a spectacle in and of itself, and through the years there have been a wide range of performances that have entertained, shocked and wowed viewers.
Michael Jackson – Super Bowl XXVI (1993)
The King of Pop played a medley of his all time greats for a captivated Pasadena audience, including “Billie Jean”, “Black and White” and “We are the World”.
This game marked the first where a performer of Jackson’s caliber entertained during halftime, and over 30 years later it has cemented its place as part of MJ’s legacy.
Prince – Super Bowl XLI (2007)
The artist forever known as Prince couldn’t have had a more perfect backdrop, courtesy of mother nature.
The “Purple Rain” artist had an actual downpour during his performance of the iconic song. He was joined by the Florida A&M University Marching 100 Band.
U2 – Super Bowl XXXVI (2002)
The first game following the September 11 attacks, the Irish rock band U2 crossed the pond to dedicate their performance to the resilience of the American Spirit and paid tribute to the thousands of lives lost after the largest terror attack on American Soil.
It was a bittersweet, poignant display of sympathy with the United States, all the way down to lead singer Bono’s reveal of his American Flag jacket.
A Tribute to Motown – Super Bowl XXXII (1998)
Even in late January, a heat wave blew over the Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California when several Motown greats took to the stage to deliver a medley of classic songs.
Martha Reeves, The Temptations and Smokey Robinson were joined by Boyz II Men and Queen Latifah for a show-stopping tribute to the Motor City’s greatest artistic export.
Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, P. Diddy, Kid Rock and Jessica Simpson – Super Bowl XXXVIII (2004)
Let’s face it, there are only two names here that people truly remember from this controversial, to say the least, performance. Nonetheless, it is unbelievable 21 years later that any of these musical figures would be in the same room together, let alone on one of the most watched stages in the country.
The famous “wardrobe malfunction” following the closing performance of Timberlake and Jackson’s “Rock Your Body”, in which Timberlake removed a part of Jackson’s clothing on the air, made for a tabloid frenzy for the remainder of the year.
The act was so shocking that the National Football League (NFL) hired Paul McCartney to perform the halftime show the following year. No need for any censor bars.
