Since the first edition of the Super Bowl, held in 1967, the halftime show has featured a musical performance. In its early years, these shows were mainly led by bands from American universities, offering traditional performances during the game’s intermission.
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However, over the decades, the Halftime Show has transformed into a large-scale event, and its prominence has increased as the popularity of the Super Bowl has grown.
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From university bands to superstars
Originally, the show was a simple break during the game, but as the Super Bowl gained audience, the NFL began to explore the idea of hiring more well-known artists. In its early years, performances by college bands such as the "University of Arizona Symphonic Marching Band" in 1967 were the highlight of the halftime show. However, it was in the 1970s when the NFL began to see the potential of attracting big music stars.
In 1993, the big leap was made with the hiring of Michael Jackson for Super Bowl XXVII. His performance, which included 3,500 children singing "Heal the World," marked a turning point. The show was a resounding success in terms of audience, and from then on, the NFL opted for bigger and more popular artists for the following events.
Cultural impact and memorable moments
Over the years, the Halftime Show has become a global platform for promoting the most popular artists of the moment. In 2002, U2 delivered a performance that transcended beyond music. During the song "Where the Streets Have No Name", Bono paid tribute to the victims of the September 11th attacks, turning their performance into a historic moment in American television.
However, not all shows were well received by the audience. In 2004, the Halftime Show of Super Bowl XXXVIII, starring Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, was involved in a huge controversy. At the end of the performance of "Rock Your Body," Timberlake accidentally exposed Jackson's breast by removing a piece of her costume, an incident that was quickly spread on the internet and went down in history as "Nipplegate." This scandal cost CBS a fine of $550,000, and since then, live shows are broadcast with a five-second delay in the United States to prevent similar situations.
The present of the Halftime Show
Nowadays, the Halftime Show is one of the biggest attractions of the Super Bowl, not only for the music, but for its cultural impact. Artists such as Beyoncé, Prince, Shakira, The Weeknd, and more recently, Rihanna, have used this stage to deliver spectacular performances that not only thrill football fans, but millions of people around the world. Every year, the show continues to evolve, but what is clear is that the Super Bowl Halftime Show has earned a place in entertainment history as one of the biggest and most anticipated musical events on the planet.
