Back in the 1960s, the NFL couldn’t have predicted Bad Bunny headlining on one of its football fields. That’s because, once upon a time, those 15 minutes belonged to marching bands and pageantry. These days, it belongs to global pop stars, cinematic production and moments that live beyond the stadium.
Over the years, the league’s brief break has transformed into one of entertainment’s biggest stages. From hosting era-defining performances like Prince in the rain to Rihanna‘s record-setting return. Can’t forget about Usher and his flawless choreography. Then, there was Kendrick Lamar, who had the stadium rocking to ‘Not Like Us.’ Once an intermission, the halftime show is now a global spectacle. And it keeps more eyes glued to the screen than the game itself. Here’s a rundown on how it went from snooze fest in the ’60s to Benito Bowl in 2026.
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What Can We Expect From Bad Bunny?
The Super Bowl halftime show was supposed to be a time filler. A regular break for the players, but an entertainment one for the viewers in the stadium and watching on TV. Now, it pulls in more than 100 million viewers worldwide, per the Associated Press.
That evolution continues this year. Bad Bunny is set to take the halftime stage. His performance will put Latin culture and Spanish-language music at the center of America’s most-watched TV event. He’s already said so. Last Thursday, he promised viewers to bring a lot of “fun” to the stage.
“It’s going to be a huge party,” Bad Bunny reportedly said. “What people can expect from me … I want to bring to the stage, of course, a lot of my culture.”
Because all of the artist’s music is in Spanish, it’s likely he’ll keep the same energy on stage. And for those who don’t speak the language, BB said all you’ll need are your dancing shoes. As for who will join him? That’s the mystery fans are waiting to answer. On the Grammys stage last week, Bad Bunny didn’t hold back his political stance on immigration enforcement, as pushed by the Trump administration. He let ICE know they have got to go! But will he repeat or elevate the message at the Super Bowl? Again, we’ll have to wait and see.
A Brief Show, But A BIG Stage
All of this, from the guest performers to the political messaging, is a new shift. And it did not happen overnight. For decades, the Super Bowl halftime show reflected the NFL’s family-friendly image. The intermission was built around marching bands, drill teams and patriotic spectacle.
Then, the Super Bowl grew into an unofficial national holiday — and a global broadcast event. It was at that point that the league began rethinking the power of those 12 to 15 minutes. That’s when the halftime show became a SHOW. Today, it’s a cultural platform capable of launching careers, shaping narratives and sparking viral conversation.
Take Kendrick Lamar for example. Last year, he used the halftime stage as a narrative space. He used choreography, costuming and staging to explore themes of identity, power and perception. Lamar kept his show within league parameters but still had folks debating over its imagery and tone. By the end of it, the rapper had the most-watched halftime performance on record. Approximately 133.5 million viewers, surpassing Usher’s 2024 performance. Usher’s reached about 129.3 million. About six million more people watched the halftime show versus the actual 2025 game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Even The Stars Love The Super Bowl Halftime Performance
And just like us regular folks, celebrities love a good halftime performance. Scarlett Johansson, the actor? She lives for the drama and unpredictability of it all, despite not being the being football fan.
“I think the live element is pretty exciting for people because it’s a massive production and there’s so many moving pieces,” she said, per AP. Examples? Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson’s infamous “wardrobe malfunction.” Lady Gaga dropping from a stadium roof. And we’ll say it again: Rihanna’s iconic pregnancy reveal.
“You kind of watch with nervous excitement,” Johansson said. “You know at any moment something could maybe go wrong. That’s why it’s so fun to watch it because you’ve got all this anticipation. The production is so huge and so many people have come together to create this one moment. It’s kind of awesome.”
Kris Jenner agrees. To her the Super Bowl halftime is a “giant surprise.”
“The production level and how quickly they put it together as they’re breaking into commercial and come back with this fabulous, epic show,” Jenner has previously said. “Through all the years and technology, it gets better and better. It’s so exciting to watch and see what they come up with next and who is going to perform. It’s such a big deal.”
Even the performers are gagged by the big stage. Usher said his appearance with the Black Eyed Peas during the 2011 Super Bowl taught him not to “take the moments for granted because you only get 13 of them.”
