This current decade is coming to a close as we enter into a new era of adventure. The Super Bowl is one of those events that will go down in history year after year, although, some are more memorable than others. Teams may battle for a victory, but the halftime show is something that most viewers never forget.
We have compiled a ranking of the halftime shows from the past decade, and some of them blew the competition away. They were outstanding as they called upon other singers, and utilized the space they were given to their advantage. Keep reading to learn about the ranking of every Super Bowl half-time show this decade!
2011: The Black Eyed Peas, Usher, Slash
This should have been a halfway decent show based on the performers listed, but it ended up being an abomination to the world of football. The overall performance was weak and poorly planned, as well as boring to watch.
They brought Slash as a guest, and he seemed unenthused throughout the whole performance, which only detracted more from its appeal. It was a royal fail on their part, and we hope we never have to witness a show as poor as theirs ever again.
2010: The Who
The Who is a rock band from England who people loved and are generally great performers, but it wasn’t something fans wanted to see as the main event for a half-time show. The main complaints came from their sound as viewers were having issues matching the vocals to the music due to a delay.
They were as energetic as ever, although they were beginning to show their age as younger generations had no idea that this band even existed. The band has a great track record, but their music should have been kept off of the Super Bowl halftime stage.
2018: Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake had just dropped a new album before his show this year, and playing this new music at this venue was a horrible idea. People loved the old Justin and his style, but the new look he was sporting stylistically didn’t work for him here.
There were a lot of strange mixes in terms of his sound, and he even played a tribute to Prince, which was highly controversial. Fans of Prince knew that Timberlake had previously dissed the singer in one of his songs, so having him perform this segment left people with mixed feelings.
2019: Maroon 5, Travis Scott, Big Boi
There was a lot of controversy going on during this halftime show as many performers refused to be on stage due to the issues with Colin Kaepernick. This left Maroon 5 as their next option, and it was not great, but it wasn’t terrible either.
It was a bit odd when Spongebob Squarepants was thrown into the mix, and neither Travis Scott nor Big Boi was particularly memorable. Several fans ended up turning it off due to how boring of a performance it was, and many also found it odd how Levine managed to lose his shirts and jackets throughout the performance.
2016: Coldplay, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Gustavo Dudamel
Coldplay was the headliner for this halftime show, but it turned into a Beyoncé takeover. There was already quite a bit of controversy over Coldplay running the show, and luckily they knew better than not to bring in other great acts.
She brought soul and funk together with Bruno Mars, who turned a sad and dejected performance into something out of a legend. It was obvious that Mars and Beyoncé were the powerhouses of the performance, and Coldplay was kind enough to take a backseat during this segment to let them work their magic.
2014: Bruno Mars, Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were the star of this show, but the females in the crowd were all for Bruno Mars. The biggest downfall of this performance was how small the stage was, and the lack of change between songs.
This segment was not bad at all, even though fans were disappointed there was no surprise Led Zeppelin song. We probably would have ranked him higher if he had added something else to his performance, but the overall vote was that he had a solid performance that no one could really complain about.
2012: Madonna, LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A., Cee Lo Green
There were a lot of mixed reviews of this performance as some loved it, and others said it was a failed comeback. She managed to mix old and new in an exciting way as she brought multiple acts on stage with her like LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A., and Cee Lo Green.
There was a lot of talk after the show as M.I.A. decided to give the crowd the finger, which some say marred the beauty of the performance. Even with this minor hiccup, Madonna didn’t disappoint as she presented a flashy show that kept the viewer’s attention focused on the screen.
2015: Katy Perry, Lenny Kravitz, Missy Elliot
We all knew Katy Perry’s performance would be exceptional, but we never expected anything as grand as this. She went through several wardrobe changes, rode a giant metal lion, and had dancing sharks. These sharks stole the show, especially the one on the left, as it delivered an impromptu performance that fans thought was botched.
Missy Elliot and Lenny Kravitz also joined the stage with Perry, and they produced a knockout performance that football fans will remember for years to come. It all built up to Perry riding a comet and fireworks ending that shot this performance toward the top of our list.
2013: Beyoncé, Destiny’s Child
Beyoncé is already the queen of the world of pop, and her fanbase only grew after this performance with her old bandmates from Destiny’s Child. She danced the night away in a performance that rocked the ages. It involved a lot of pyrotechnics and planned choreography with over 100 backup dancers.
She oozed girl power, and the stadium ate it up as she belted out the notes to some of her most popular songs. We can’t wait to see her in the stadium performing again because this is just another performance this decade where she took it to the next level.
2017: Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga managed to make it to the top of our list due to her singularity on the stage combined with an epic performance. Fans weren’t quite sure what to expect based on her history to wear insane outfits, but she delivered a perfect performance as herself.
The wire dive was subpar, but fans quickly forgot it once the real performance began. She danced to her best songs and then slowed it all down by playing on her piano. Gaga came out to give fans a show they would enjoy without pulling out all the stops that tend to end in disaster. It was solid and true, and America loved every aspect of it, which is why it sits at the top of our ranking.
