The Super Bowl: A Concert With a Football Game in BetweenDid Anyone Actually Watch the Super Bowl, or Were We All There For Bad Bunny?

By Olivia Prieto

Graphic by Katie-Ann Small

The Super Bowl halftime show is one of, if not the most classic American sporting events there are. Millions of people worldwide tune in every February for the game. It's a great opportunity to host parties, gather with friends, and bond over an all-American gathering. I just had one concern this year: I really wish the players didn’t interrupt Bad Bunny’s concert to play more football.

I wholeheartedly believe that the entire reason anyone watches the Super Bowl anymore is due to the halftime show. So, I created a poll amongst music lovers and football fans alike, asking what people were most looking forward to during this year’s Super Bowl. Was it the content of the game, or was it the captivating halftime performance? Out of 23 people, 68.2% tuned in specifically for the halftime show, and 65.2% wouldn’t tune in at all if the Super Bowl got rid of the halftime show altogether. What my small poll showed, at least in my circle of people, is that many are very excited to gather and watch this dazzling concert, and the added football game in between.

The Super Bowl has included a halftime show performance since its creation in 1967. However, instead of the awaited spectacle it is now, it took until the 90s for the Super Bowl to begin hosting music superstars during halftime. The 60s, 70s, and 80s included performances from college marching bands, the Rockettes, and other tribute bands. Finally, in 1993, the Super Bowl brought in Michael Jackson, and viewership was never the same again. Bringing in approximately 133.1 million viewers, the following Super Bowls decided to bring in trending artists to perform at halftime year after year.

Over the years, the anticipation for the Super Bowl began to stem more from who was going to be performing at halftime. The announcement of which artists would be taking the stage created immense amounts of hype for the game. Some notable performers include Aerosmith, Britney Spears, Madonna, and Beyoncé, among other iconic artists. This year’s halftime show for Super Bowl 60 was headlined by Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican singer and rapper.

Bad Bunny’s rise to fame was a long time coming, from collabs with huge rappers such as Cardi B to his 2022 album Un Verano Sin Ti winning best Música Urbana album at the 2023 Grammys, to now, winning Album of the Year at the 2026 Grammys for his album DeBi TiRaR MaS FOToS. The album was an immediate success, with the literal translation “I should have taken more photos” bringing a nostalgic and reflective feeling to his album that is meant to showcase his love for his Puerto Rican culture and home.

The announcement of Bad Bunny performing created quite a bit of hype surrounding this year’s Super Bowl. In the current political climate, audiences were excited to have an artist represent Latin culture and promote messages of love, rather than divisiveness. The road to halftime wasn’t steady, however; the nonprofit organization Turning Point USA took it upon themselves to create a separate halftime show to protest Bad Bunny’s performance and to headline artists like Kid Rock who emphasize faith and “all-American values” above all else. Unfortunately for the nonprofit, Bad Bunny’s halftime show performance was recorded as being the most viewed halftime show in Super Bowl history.

Needless to say, the Super Bowl wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining or anticipated as it is today without the iconic halftime show performance. People love to gather to listen and dance to music, especially if that music is trending or popular at the moment. I can’t think of a better way to bring Americans and the world at large together: a football championship combined with a fantastic musical performance promoting love and unity.