Super Bowl halftime show a big stage, even for music’s biggest stars

The 34-year-old singer performed at the 2013 Pepsi Super Bowl halftime show, where she sang with her Destiny’s Child co-members.

In addition to those three names, we can probably expect one or more “surprise” guest stars. Last month, Coldplay announced it would perform at the halftime show.

Super Bowl 50 would mark a repeat performance from Mars, who helmed the Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show as a headliner in 2014. The first SB in 1967 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum had the University of Arizona Band, Grambling College Band and trumpeter Al Hirt entertained the audiences, minus, of course any kind of commercialization.

As Coldplay gears up to take the Super Bowl halftime stage on Sunday, there’s a lot at stake – even for a band Rolling Stone deemed “one of the most commercially successful acts of the new millennium”. Fans have high expectations from both the game of football and the artists who will be performing.

It is also worth noting that the “Love on Top” hit-maker collaborated with the British rock band on their two new major singles in the album – “Hymn for the Weekend” and “Up & Up”. Game day will feature a Super Bowl menu, says manager John Simak, with special drink offers during each quarter of the game as well as a squares board.

The King of Pop’s performance in 1993 really was unprecedented, paving the way for the Super Bowl halftime show to become the pop culture phenomenon it is today. That year, during the broadcast of Super Bowl XXXVIII, Justin Timberlake exposed her breast on live television for about half a second near the end of their performance, giving the phrase “wardrobe malfunction” a permanent place in the nation’s entertainment lexicon. With the fireworks and extras, Jackson proved no gesture could be too big.

Although the very big 1970s singing ensemble Up With People performed at four halftime shows (1976, 1980, 1983 and 1986), they weren’t really the most memorable. Those decisions, Kendle says, have only heightened the anticipation over who will be chosen each year. Referring to Bruno Mars, he added, “Let’s look for a Bruno one”.