As the pinnacle of sports entertainment, the Super Bowl halftime show has become a cultural phenomenon in its own right, capturing the attention of millions of sports fans worldwide. Each year, speculation and anticipation swirl around which artist or bands will take center stage, delivering unforgettable performances with incredible choreography and performative set-pieces. Amidst the fervor, only a select few acts can take the stage each year, with headliners often bringing surprise guests in the form of frequent collaborators.
From iconic pop sensations to boundary-pushing hip-hop legends, the list of desired performers is as diverse as it is dynamic. With modern audiences hungry for spectacle, here are seven artists whose fanbases are clamoring for a chance to dominate the Super Bowl halftime stage, igniting imaginations and fueling dreams of legendary performances to come.
7. SZA
SZA has amassed billions of streams on Spotify, headlined countless worldwide performances, and recently took home a number of Grammy Awards for her chart-topping 2023 album SOS. The acclaimed singer songwriter is currently at the top of her game, making this the perfect time for her to headline a Super Bowl halftime show. With Kendrick Lamar having left TDE, SZA is arguably the most prominent artist on the label, and will certainly remain the case as her deluxe version of SOS, titled Lana, is expected to drop some time this year.
The release of Lana will no doubt reinvigorate the popularity of already-massive radio hits such as "Kill Bill," "Snooze," and "I Hate U" as well as deliver on a number of new ear-worms for audiences to put on repeat. SZA's massive following of fans and supporters would no doubt turn out in droves to see her take the stage.
6. Adele
Despite her massive star power, Adele has never performed at a Super Bowl halftime show. Of course, that's not due to the NFL's lack of trying, as the singer was approached to headline Super Bowl LI back in 2016, and ultimately declined. Apparently, the "Rolling In The Deep" singer felt that the halftime show is more inclined for a high-energy artist who can dance and is largely "not about music." Certainly, Adele's voice, lauded as one of the best, may not necessitate a series of high-intensity movements for the ideal halftime performance.
If she were to take the stage, set designers could likely organize a visually stunning show with background dancers, pyrotechnics, and moving parts, which don't require Adele to take her attention away from the microphone. Regardless, her millions of fans worldwide would surely support her decision.
5. André 3000
Like Adele, André 3000 once turned down the Super Bowl halftime performance offer as one half of the duo OutKast, due to strict rules the NFL wanted to impose on the performance. Now, nearly 20 years after the iconic duo has split up, André 3000 could serve as a perfect solo halftime headliner. Big Boi took the stage in 2019 in a dual performance with Travis Scott and Maroon 5, making André the only remaining member not to appear at the event.
Three stacks dropped an album of resonant flute instrumentals last year that influenced hip hop heads from across the globe to experiment with their music taste, taking in jazz, lo-fi, and sultry funk tones. With the rapper turned flutist officially coming out of retirement, it would certainly bridge genre and generational gaps to see tracks like "That Night In Hawaii When I Turned Into A Panther And Started Making These Low Register Purring Tones That I Couldn’t Control ... Sh¥t Was Wild" on the Super Bowl stage.
Read More: Andre 3000 "New Blue Sun" Review
4. Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish is an acclaimed young artist with a ravenous fanbase of loyal supporters, who could easily take on a Super Bowl halftime performance in the coming years. The star, who launched her career when she was just 14-years-old, has successfully blended genres to make hit songs which resonate with a wide array of audiences. While the singer songwriter is now 22, her musical goals seem as lofty as ever.
Currently, Bruno Mars holds the title for youngest halftime headliner, for performing at the NFL-hosted event at the age of 28 back in 2010. If any artist is poised to carry that torch, it's Billie Eilish.
3. Lil Wayne
Super Bowl LVI earned its place in history as the game with the first true hip-hop halftime show, featuring iconic artists such as Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, and more on the SoFi Stadium stage in sunny Los Angeles. Of course, many hip hop fans felt that one highly acclaimed rap artist was missing from the roster, in the form of Lil Wayne.
Wayne's decades-long career boasts enough hit records to headline 5 Super Bowl halftime shows, and his enthusiasm shows as he expresses excitement at the thought of being invited. Super Bowl LIX, slated to bring the big game to Wayne's hometown of New Orleans next year, could provide the perfect opportunity to bring the "6 Foot 7 Foot" rapper on board to headline. Additionally, a Lil Wayne headliner could mean guest appearances from some of his frequent former-Young Money collaborators like Nicki Minaj, Tyga, and Drake, in a giant display which would almost surely break the internet.
2. Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has shown this past football season how much her star power can influence the NFL, just from her showing up in the stands. The pop singer's relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has been the source of endless media coverage, uniting NFL football fans and Swifties in a harmonious combination of entertainment and sport. Swift taking the stage as a headliner for the Super Bowl halftime show seems like a no-brainer at this point, considering she is arguably the biggest star in the entire world right now.
Of course, we'll have to see where her relationship with Kelce goes, as well as how the upcoming season of football plays out, with the Chiefs seemingly carving out an unbeatable dynasty in the vein of Tom Brady's illustrious run with the New England Patriots. Another Travis Kelce Super Bowl win, with his superstar girlfriend headlining the halftime show, would easily be the biggest moment in NFL history.
1. Jay-Z
Jay-Z has partnered with the NFL through his Roc Nation multimedia company to curate halftime performances since 2020, after the 2019 show was criticized for being out-of-touch with fans. As the NFL's Live Music Entertainment Strategist, Jay-Z has humbly chosen not to take the stage himself, as he felt it would be too self-aggrandizing in his first few years with the role. However, Jay's millions of fans worldwide would surely go head-over-heels for a Super Bowl halftime performance of "Empire State of Mind" or "N****s In Paris."
Jay-Z responded to questions about headlining a Super Bowl halftime show with a nebulous "maybe one year," indicating a potential willingness to come out of retirement and rock the NFL stage. It should go without saying that Jay-Z's catalogue could allow dozens of high-profile guest artists to join in as well, including Kanye West, Eminem, Nas, The Lox, and especially his super mega-star wife, Beyoncé.