The Evolution of the Super Bowl Halftime Show
For decades, the Super Bowl halftime show was defined by one principle: spectacle above all else. The goal was simple – create the biggest, flashiest production possible to captivate the millions of viewers tuning into the year's most important football game. However, a significant transformation has been unfolding in recent years. A new standard has emerged from the halftime show's greatest-hits trend, one that demands artists on this global stage deliver not just showmanship, but substantive performances that truly enrapture audiences.
A New Era of Headliners
The latest stars to carry this wave into the current decade are Kendrick Lamar, who performed solo at the 2025 halftime show, and Bad Bunny, the headliner for Super Bowl LX. Both artists delivered unforgettable shows that captivated onlookers in distinct yet equally potent ways.
Lamar staged a politicized version of "The Great American Game" narrated by Uncle Sam, portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson. Meanwhile, Bad Bunny honored his Puerto Rican roots through a joyous celebration of heritage and culture. Each performance ignited conversations that have lingered well beyond the game-day broadcast, demonstrating a lasting cultural impact.
Even now, audiences continue to decode and dissect every detail of Bad Bunny's historic set, which was performed almost entirely in Spanish. From star-studded appearances by Ricky Martin and Lady Gaga to nods to his historic Grammy win and countless overt references to Puerto Rican life and Latin culture, the performance has become a cultural touchstone.
Raising the Bar for Cultural Resonance
Both headliners' groundbreaking shows have surpassed what we've come to expect from most halftime performers. Between Lamar's pointed political statement and Bad Bunny's celebratory message of Boricua resilience – each laced with historically specific symbolism – the bar for cultural resonance on the Super Bowl stage has been officially raised high.
This development raises important questions about the future of the halftime show. Will this precedent last? If so, which artists possess the range and cachet to shoulder such a tall task? So far, there's no official word on who the NFL might select for next year's coveted headlining slot, although one artist has already thrown his name into the ring.
Artistic Challenges and League Boundaries
Shortly after Bad Bunny's performance, Chris Brown posted a cryptic Instagram story seemingly shading the Latin star, writing, "I think it's safe to say.. they need me!" While it remains unclear whether this was a direct response to Bad Bunny's show or a challenge to the NFL, the timing is hard to ignore.
This incident raises larger questions about what the Super Bowl halftime show could, and perhaps should, become in the wake of the model that Lamar and Bad Bunny have established. Which other artists are capable of meeting the moment on that grand a scale? What kind of cultural worldview might they choose to project to a global audience if given the opportunity?
More pointedly, is the world even prepared for a halftime show that more openly engages with sociopolitical commentary? The answer depends significantly on how much leeway the NFL is willing to grant artists to address such matters. This is, after all, the same risk-averse league that, less than a decade ago, stood by as Colin Kaepernick's football career unraveled after he took a knee during the national anthem.
Even with Jay-Z's Roc Nation producing the show, there are clear limits to how much protest and provocation the NFL will allow on its own stage. This tension between artistic expression and corporate control remains a central dynamic in the evolution of the halftime show.
A Legacy of Political Moments
Lamar's and Bad Bunny's performances are proof that when artists have something urgent to say about the state of the world and the issues shaping our time – and with an audience willing to listen – the Super Bowl stage can, in fact, make room for it. These two performers aren't alone in this legacy.
Their example follows in the footsteps of previous stars like Beyoncé, whose memorable 2016 appearance alongside Coldplay and Bruno Mars included an unapologetic homage to the Black Panther Party and a reference to the Black Lives Matter movement during her performance of "Formation".
Other halftime performers have also leveraged the Super Bowl stage for isolated political moments:
- Eminem's kneeling tribute to Colin Kaepernick
- Jennifer Lopez's "kids in cages" reference condemning Trump's immigration policy
- Lady Gaga singing her LGBTQ anthem "Born This Way"
- Madonna's outraged call for world peace
However, as solo Super Bowl headliners, Bad Bunny and Lamar have established a new blueprint for a 13-minute cultural showcase that others could one day emulate, so long as the NFL's mainstream viewership remains receptive to it.
The Future of Halftime Entertainment
Some cultural commentators argue that these culturally rich and politically charged performances – yes, even joyful art like Bad Bunny's can be considered political in today's climate – are only a timely reaction to current political dynamics and wouldn't exist otherwise. Others contend that such moments won't even last, predicting that the halftime show could soon revert to its familiar, status-quo formula of apolitical entertainment.
Only time will tell which direction the league will take. But once you set a standard for unprecedented artistic audacity, it's hard to imagine the halftime show going back to the safe, predictable affair it once was. Audiences have already seen what's possible when creativity, culture and courage collide on the Super Bowl stage. Stripping that away would represent a significant step backward in hard-won progress.
Then again, as some observers note, there would be nothing more American than the NFL regressing to days of stifled expression. The tension between commercial interests and cultural significance continues to shape one of television's most watched annual events, making the future of the Super Bowl halftime show one of the most compelling narratives in contemporary entertainment.
