10 Best Super Bowl Halftime Performances Ranked

These performances stole the show at the Super Bowl!

LGBTQ+ fans of music are all shaking in their boots with Rihanna’s grand return to music with a performance at the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show.

After several years of being sponsored by Pepsi, the Halftime Show segment within the Super Bowl is now being sponsored by the Apple Music streaming service. For its first-ever Halftime Show as a sponsor, Apple has picked none other than Rihanna to headline the performance. This is historic on many levels given that the so-called Bal Gal Rih Rih has been mostly absent from music ever since releasing her last album, 2016’s Anti.

Since Anti, Rihanna has focused her energy on launching brands like Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty, starring in films like Ocean’s 8 and Guava Island, and even having a child. Though the fans have been begging for years, Rihanna did not drop any new music until releasing two tracks for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack in late 2022: “Lift Me Up” and “Born Again.”

With fans anticipating a nostalgia-heavy performance from Rihanna at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Performance – and some even hoping for new music! – it’s time to rank the 10 best performances at the event over the years.

Scroll through to watch the 10 best Super Bowl Halftime Show performances and check out our ranking!

10. Coldplay feat. Beyoncé & Bruno Mars (2016)

9. The Weeknd (2021)

8. Janet Jackson feat. Justin Timberlake (2004)

7. Katy Perry (2015)

6. Lady Gaga (2017)

5. Jennifer Lopez & Shakira (2020)

4. Michael Jackson (1993)

3. Prince (2007)

2. Madonna (2012)

1. Beyoncé (2013)