02 February 2022
Newsdesk
Each year, the Super Bowl is the final game of the NFL season, often called the big game by media outlets due to an existing trademark on the "Super Bowl" tag. The winners of the Super Bowl are awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named after the coach who won the first two Super Bowls.
The game is among the most-watched sporting events on the planet, only second to the European Champions League Final played out between European soccer clubs. The number of people watching the Super Bowl each year is typically around 100 million, although some stats suggest this figure has been decreasing each year. One aspect of the Super Bowl that gets people tuned in - including non-NFL fans – is the halftime entertainment. There have been some memorable performances over the decades – for good and bad reasons - and here are just some of them.
The Black-Eyed Peas (2011)
The 2011 halftime performance is known as one of the worst performances ever. The group appeared out of tune and out of time at the same time, despite fans trying to get into it. This Super Bowl was a travesty for music as it was also the Super Bowl when Christina Aguilera attempted an interpretation of the national anthem which fell flat. A rough day for the Super Bowl all round, especially if you were a Steelers fan on the day.
Prince (2007)
Before the Super Bowl in 2007, organisers phoned Prince to make sure he would be able to perform in the treacherous rain and storm. His response? "Can you make it rain harder?". The set was one of the maddest and quirkiest sets music fans will ever see him perform, and it went down a storm. Interestingly, Prince kept fighting to make sure footage of his performance stayed off the internet while he was alive. But after his death in 2016, the footage has emerged on the internet where everyone could watch his mastery.
U2 (2002)
U2 was one of the most memorable performances at a Super Bowl, and it was one of the most patriotic. It started out with "Beautiful Day" and dedication to the 9/11 victims who lost their lives less than five months earlier. You won't be surprised to hear that grown men were weeping in the crowd. A vital moment of the set was when Bono ripped open his jacket to reveal the American flag sewn on the inside.
Who is the Super Bowl 2022 halftime performer?
This year a trio of performers will take centre stage at halftime. Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre and Mary J Blige will all perform as part of the halftime show.
