Memorable Super Bowl musical performances

Superstar Rihanna returns to the stage for this year's legendary Super Bowl halftime show. The Barbados-born billionaire has most recently dedicated herself to her successful cosmetics, underwear and fashion brands. Her new Fenty collection is already on display at the stadium's NFL Shop (pictured above). In 2019, she turned down the coveted event in solidarity with quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Rap legend Eminem made a statement against racism at the 2022 Super Bowl. After his hit "Lose Yourself," he knelt down, imitating the former NFL player Colin Kaepernick's protest — a gesture against police violence toward Black people. He was joined on stage by Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige and also Snoop Dogg, who was sued for sexual assault just days before the event.

Brass band music once filled the 12-minute intermission at the NFL Super Bowl, but in recent decades the halftime show has become a global marketing opportunity for pop superstars. Michael Jackson was probably the first to recognize the potential. His 1993 performance completely changed the segment, making it the spectacle it is known for today.

More celebrities can't be a bad thing — that might have been the idea behind the halftime show in 2001. Aerosmith (pictured left) and Britney Spears (right), 'N Sync, Nelly, Mary J. Blige, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler and Chris Rock were part of the show. People loved the colorful mix of comedians, rappers, teen stars and pop music.

During their concert in 2002, Irish band U2 honored the people who died in the attack on the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001. The names of the victims were displayed on a banner in the background. At the end of the song "Where The Streets Have No Name," lead singer Bono revealed the Stars and Stripes in the inner lining of his jacket as a sign of solidarity.

Most people will remember the 2004 show only for the biggest scandal in the recent history of the Super Bowl. Four other stars performed at the show, but what stuck was Justin Timberlake tearing off a piece of Jackson's outfit during the song "Rock Your Body," exposing her breast. Since that incident, the Super Bowl has been broadcast with a 5-second delay.

Long live Prince! Often considered one of the best halftime shows of all time, Prince delivered the performance of a lifetime in 2007 under difficult conditions, as it rained throughout. When Prince sang "Purple Rain" at the end of his concert, it was a truly magical moment in Super Bowl history.

The Super Bowl halftime show has taken on a life of its own, and some people tune in just for the show. In the US, 114 million people watched Madonna's performance in 2012 — almost 3 million more than watched the game. Dressed as Cleopatra, the Queen of Pop was accompanied by LMFAO, Nicki Minaj and CeeLo Green.

Not every halftime show is outstanding. Bruno Mars and Beyonce brought momentum to the stage at the 50th anniversary in 2016, but Coldplay's performance came across as a bit stuffy.

Dressed in a futuristic cowgirl outfit, Lady Gaga started her 2017 performance on the roof of the stadium, jumped off the ledge and was lowered onto the stage. She sang Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land," an unofficial national anthem of the United States. Donald Trump was president at the time, and her show was seen as a subtle protest.

For the 2020 halftime show, shortly before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez teamed up. A guest appearance by J. Lo's daughter Emme was a nice touch: the 11-year-old sang along to "Let's Get Loud" and the Springsteen classic, "Born In The USA."

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd had to follow strict security and distancing rules in 2021, all the while playing to an audience of cardboard cutouts. Like all the other artists at a Super Bowl halftime show, he was not paid. In fact, he spent $7 million (€6.1 million) to create the show according to his own wishes.