5 Worst Super Bowl Halftime Performances Ever
The San Fransisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens will be rolling into New Orleans this week in preparation for Super Bowl XVII. The Super Bowl is the most watched event every year in America. Last year, 111 million Americans tuned into Super Bowl XLVI and broke many television ratings records.
Even more impressive than that, is the fact that even more people tuned in to see pop legend, Madonna perform during halftime. Since the mid-1980's, the Super Bowl halftime show has become an integral part of pop culture. It has featured chart-topping musicians from all genres over the years. They perform a 12-15 minute set of hits and put on a show for the fans and viewers around the globe.
For those of you too young to remember the first decade-plus of Super Bowls, they used the traditional marching band theme; a college or university marching band would play as the halftime entertainment. The marching band lasted in some capacity during halftime shows up through the 1990 Super Bowl.
In 1991, the NFL celebrated their 25th anniversary of the Super Bowl and it was the first year the halftime show featured a popular recording act as the main attraction. Walt Disney World and Coca-Cola sponsored the event that featured the New Kids on the Block, Disney characters, Warren Moon and 2,00o local Tampa children.
From that point on, we have seen the likes of Gloria Estefan (1992), Michael Jackson (1993), the Rolling Stones (2006), the Who (2010), U2 (2001) and Madonna (2012). With all of the talent that has graced the Super Bowl stage, none had a larger audience than Madonna's show, with about 114 million viewers. Three more million than the actual game.
There has been a lot of talented performers take the big stage, but in no way have all of the Super Bowl halftime performances been winner's. Here is a look at the top five acts that will have you shaking your head instead of shaking to the music.
Comment with your favorite Super Bowl halftime performance and if you would like to see them change back to a marching band style halftime show.
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I didn't care for that performance. I liked the individual performers a lot better than a bunch of big names. It's really hard to fit everything they want to do into 15 minutes.
Another problem I had with the Black-Eyed Peas performance was that Fergie's voice was terrible because it wasn't electronically enhanced.
Thanks Tom. I listen to Tom Petty myself occasionally, but for a halftime show, he just isn't someone that would be one top of the list.
I forgot about how bad Fergie's voice sounded also. That was just a bad performance.
....Fergie's voice was fine. They just tried to cram too much into that performance
So was Tony the Tiger! :-)
I could've put the Phil Collins and Christina Aguilera one in Petty's place, but again it's not that I'm bashing Tom Petty, I just think his show could've used a little more. It just was a bland performance, that's all.
The "wardrobe malfunction" is a tiny part of what makes Super Bowl XXXVIII number one on this list. It was just a poor production in my opinion and the so-called wardrobe malfunction topped it off. There is no possible way to cram Janet Jackson, P. Diddy, Nelly, Kid Rock, and a duet with Janet and Justin into the short time they tried to. I am just thankful MTV doesn't produce the shows anymore.
well im thankful that youre not in charge of the halftime shows either. What band/singer would YOU pick to satisfy the millions of music fans out there once a year during a football game? Only the people/person you like? How selfish.
Not at all. I would love to pick performers for the halftime show, but I'm certain my choices would get criticized just as these ones did. There were some good shows put on over the years, where I didn't care for the performer, but felt they did well. U2 comes to mind, Shania Twain w/ No Doubt, etc... Prince put on a great show a few years ago. I will say that I am partial to the single acts, rather than a bunch of individuals. Thanks for your opinion.
1967 ~ The University of Arizona Symphonic band, The Anahiem High School Marching Band, Grambling University Marching Band & Al Hirt
1968 ~ Grambling State University Marching Band
1969 ~ Florida A&M Marching Bands
1970 ~ Carol Channing, Southern University Marching Band
1971 ~ Up With People, Southeast Missouri Marching Band
1972 ~ Tribute to Louis Armstrong & The USMC Marching Band
1973 ~ Andy Williams and the University of Michigan Marching Band
1974 ~ A musical tribute to America featuring Miss Texas on the fiddle
1975 ~ Tribute to Duke Ellington with Mercer Ellington & Grambling State University Marching Bands.
1976 ~ Up With People
1977 ~ Walt Disney presents "It's a Small World"
1978 ~ "Trom Paris to Paris to Americqa" (WTH?) featuring Tyler Apache Belles Drill Team, and Apache Band Pete Fountain & Al Hirt
1979 ~Carnival Cruise Line Salute to the Caribbean with Ken Hamilton, various Caribbean bands
1980 ~ Up With People and the Grambling University Marching Band
1981 ~ Mardi Gras Festival with Southern University Marching Band, Helen O'Connell
1982 ~ Salute to Motown with Up With People
And the list goes on....why no mention of all the crap halftimes of the first 25 years of the Super Bowl, every one of which was worse than the 5 you listed.
you should be embarrassed
Hugh, clearly I would rather see marching bands performing at the halftime shows than over-produced mega-acts that we have grown accustomed to. It is all about money and advertising. Who can draw the biggest ratings? Who will sell the most ad time? I am much more of a traditionalist when it comes to sports and I would love to see a few marching bands performing for fifteen minutes as opposed to what we are in store for this Sunday evening.
Mark, indeed you are entitled to your opinion, but I think you meant "no" The Who, not "now". Clearly as I told Hugh, I have a different respect for halftime entertainment than some.
Bill, I too agree that U2 and Bruce were among the best halftime shows of the past 20-plus years. I would put Prince and the Stones on that list as well. Madonna would've been good if it was just her and the drum lines. She didn't need all the collaborations for that short of time frame.
Steve, I think Kiss would put on a really good halftime performance, as long as it was just Kiss. They would have to in full costume too!
I'm with you Brooke and I don't know that age has anything to do with it. I think it would be great to at least give marching bands a try again.
There is nothing like the sound of a really good marching band and like football, it is an ultimate team event.
Buffett would be great Hank! My wife and I have been going to see his shows for the past ten years. I would like to see him at any halftime show.