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Are these the 6 most iconic Super Bowl halftime shows?

Rain pouring down while Prince ripped an iconic guitar solo. Lady Gaga dropping in from the roof at NRG Stadium. Bruce Springsteen sliding across the stage.

These are some of the moments that have made Super Bowl halftime shows much more than just a break in the game. With world-class performers taking the stage every year, the Super Bowl halftime show has created lasting cultural memories.

As Super Bowl 60 approaches, fans are already speculating about what comes next: , potential surprise guests, and the visual moments that could define the night.

In recent years, that anticipation has become part of the Super Bowl experience, with fans engaging long before halftime — from predicting the songs that will be played to guessing cameos. Before the 2026 halftime show is added to the list, highlights six great Super Bowl halftime shows to commemorate Super Bowl 60.

These iconic Super Bowl halftime shows were chosen based on live execution, cultural impact, replay value, stage presence, and cameos.

Paul McCartney

Super Bowl XXXIX, Feb. 6, 2005

Halftime Score: Patriots 14, Eagles 7

Set List

• “Drive My Car” – The Beatles
• “Get Back” – The Beatles
• “Live and Let Die” – Wings
• “Hey Jude” – The Beatles

Cameos: None

Final Score: Patriots 24, Eagles 21

Paul McCartney’s halftime performance stood out for its simplicity and flawless execution — a needed reset one year after the infamous Janet Jackson incident. McCartney was the perfect performer as the NFL intentionally shifted toward a stripped-down approach to the show.

McCartney is one of the most consistent live performers in rock history and has the uncanny ability to connect with listeners of all generations. All generations love singing along with “Hey Jude.”

The image of tens of thousands of fans singing along in unison was one of the earliest — and clearest — examples of how shared can create a lasting halftime show memory.

Dr. Dre’s Hip-Hop Extravaganza

Super Bowl LVI, Feb. 13, 2022

Halftime Score: Rams 13, Bengals 10

Set List

• “The Next Episode” – Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg
• “California Love” – Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg
• “In Da Club” – 50 Cent
• “Family Affair” – Mary J. Blige
• “No More Drama” – Mary J. Blige
• “M.A.A.D City” – Kendrick Lamar
• “Alright” – Kendrick Lamar ft. Pharrell
• “Forgot About Dre” – Eminem (with Kendrick Lamar)
• “Lose Yourself” – Eminem (with Anderson .Paak on drums)
• “Still D.R.E.” – Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar

Cameos: Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, Anderson .Paak

Final Score: Rams 23, Bengals 20

The Super Bowl LVI halftime show from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, headlined by Dr. Dre, marked the first time that hip-hop fully took the stage — and it didn’t disappoint. Alongside Dre — the legendary producer — there were plenty of surprise cameos from his collaborators: Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and an unforgettable 50 Cent scene.

Who better than Dr. Dre to bring together the era-defining tracks like “Lose Yourself” — with its unforgettable guitar riff — the driving bassline of “California Love” and “Alright,” the timely anthem from Los Angeles’ own?

There wasn’t a dull moment in this performance, signaling hip-hop’s long-overdue recognition within American pop culture, on the nation’s biggest stage.

The sheer number of collaborators and surprise appearances from this performance helped normalize cameo speculation as part of the Super Bowl experience.

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band

Super Bowl XLIII, Feb. 1, 2009

Halftime Score: Steelers 17, Cardinals 7

Set List

• “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”
• “Born to Run”
• “Working on a Dream”
• “Glory Days”

Cameos: None

Final Score: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band took the halftime stage during what would become one of the greatest Super Bowls of all-time, sandwiched between James Harrison’s 100-yard interception touchdown and an unforgettable photo finish.

Springsteen set the tone in the opening seconds with The Slide — a full-speed, knees-first dive across the stage that instantly matched the energy of the game unfolding.

This was the kind of halftime show that amplified the moment, with hits like “Born to Run” and “Glory Days” cementing the legacy of this halftime performance.

Rolling Stones

Super Bowl XL, Feb. 5, 2006

Halftime Score: Steelers 14, Seahawks 3

Set List

• “Start Me Up”
• “Rough Justice”
• “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”

Cameos: None

Final Score: Steelers 21, Seahawks 10

If you think McCartney knows how to hold a crowd, meet the Glimmer Twins. Once Mick Jagger and Keith Richards opened with “Start Me Up” and got the crowd going, they had already salvaged what was a relatively boring Super Bowl.

Jagger’s nonstop movements and Richards’ guitar work sparked a fiery outing, with rock-and-roll energy oozing through America’s televisions.

The moment that stuck was the slow build into “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” as the band’s impressive catalog alone carried the show. Rather than feeling like a legacy act cameo, the performance rocked because it leaned fully into the Stones’ legendary ability to command a stadium.

Lady Gaga

Super Bowl LI, Feb. 5, 2017

Halftime Score: Falcons 21, Patriots 3

Set List

• “God Bless America / This Land Is Your Land” (pre-recorded)
• “Poker Face”
• “Born This Way”
• “T�������DzԱ�”
• “Just Dance”
• “Million Reasons”
• “Bad Romance”

Cameos: None

Final Score: Patriots 34, Falcons 28 (OT)

For Springsteen, it was The Slide. For Lady Gaga, it was The Jump.

While crooning a sincere homage to this country of mine to start, Gaga kicked off her outing by diving off the NRG Stadium roof, setting the tone for a visually striking masterpiece.

That was followed by a rapid-fire through the pop icon’s biggest hits; Gaga blew through six of her classics in a well-rehearsed, well-choreographed show.

The combination of scale, execution, hits, and sheer replay value made this halftime performance feel instantly iconic — just like the 25-point second-half comeback that accompanied it.

Prince

Super Bowl XLI, Feb. 4, 2007

Halftime Score: Colts 16, Bears 14

Set List

• “Let’s Go Crazy”
• “Baby I’m a Star”
• “Proud Mary”
• “All Along the Watchtower”
• “Best of You” (Foo Fighters Cover)
• “Purple Rain”

Cameos: The New Power Generation (band), The Twinz (dancers), Florida A&M Marching 100 Band

Final Score: Colts 29, Bears 17

Prince’s Super Bowl halftime show has become the standard by which every performance has been measured since. Fans got career-defining originals, unexpected covers, and a build toward an iconic closing stretch, featuring a guitar solo during “Purple Rain” — performed as rain poured down.

The combination of live musicianship, visual timing, and stage command — as is expected by The Purple One — is why this performance is often cited as the greatest Super Bowl halftime show of all-time.

Even if Prince’s halftime show isn’t at the top of your list, one thing is for sure: That is the stuff that Super Bowl halftime legend is made of.

The Super Bowl Halftime Show Starts Before Kickoff

From sing-alongs in Super Bowl parties across America, to surprise cameo appearances, to rain-soaked guitar solos, the greatest Super Bowl halftime shows share one common thread: They create moments that people remember long after the game ends.

As Super Bowl LX approaches, Bad Bunny will look to write his own halftime chapter. And as history has shown, fans won’t just be watching — they’ll be debating first songs, surprise guests, and defining moments ahead of kickoff.

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