I hate to say it, but I was not that impressed with Usher’s halftime show at Super Bowl LVIII. I had some really high expectations that were probably very difficult to meet as internet rumors swirled about Justin Bieber joining Usher on stage, which would have been the throwback moment of the century for most of us girls. I blame every TikTok I saw theorizing this guest appearance for getting my hopes up. Usher is a great performer, but it’s hard to please everyone, especially when thousands of fans were waiting to see Biebs back in his prime everytime the stage lights went purple (or a shade of blue that even remotely resembled purple).
Rihanna’s performance last year was a tough act to follow. My friends and I rewatched it after this year’s Super Bowl to try and search for the feeling of watching it for the first time again. This journey sent us down a YouTube rabbit hole of past Super Bowl halftime shows. Some that rocked our worlds recently, and some that brought back vivid memories of childhood. Let’s take a little trip down memory lane to look at a few of the best halftime shows from years past!
Rihanna, 2023
First, we have to discuss Rihanna’s show last year in more detail. Every aspect of it was perfection, from the pregnancy reveal, to the choreography, to the set list. Not to mention she was basically flying through the air? My girls and I were stunned while watching RiRi perform at our Super Bowl party last year, and the dance routines of the “marshmallow” backup dancers blew up on TikTok and across social media. The show lived on for months afterward. Again, I really think we would have enjoyed Usher’s moment this year more if he wasn’t following Rihanna. Her show was amazing and even though he should have been able to follow her, unfortunately he just couldn’t reach her caliber.
Katy Perry, 2015
It’s hard to believe that Katy Perry’s performance was almost ten years ago. When my friends and I did our rewatch, this was definitely our favorite. It reminds us so much of being kids again, and everything from Katy’s entrance, to her outfits, to the shark backup dancers was totally iconic. Katy ruled pop radio during this time and her performance definitely reflects that. Also, we were in awe of how perfect her hair stayed by the end of the show. It’s the little things.
Coldplay, Beyonce, and Bruno Mars, 2016
This was another show we couldn’t forget because of how much of a surprise the Bey and Bruno Mars dance-off was. They definitely stole the show and, at least in my friend group, are a fan favorite in terms of guest appearances. It was such a surprising matchup! Honestly, looking back, I forgot Coldplay was even involved in this show, let alone the headliner. No hate to Chris Martin, but I think the 2016 halftime will go down in history with Beyonce and Bruno Mars.
Despite the letdown of Usher’s performance, I’m looking forward to finding out who will be performing halftime next year. For all us pop culture fans, sometimes the show is more enjoyable than the big game itself!