High Fidelity: Top-5 Super Bowl Half-Time Shows

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Posted: 2/3/09

The Super Bowl averages anywhere from 130 to 140 million viewers a year, which makes it the most watched television program of the year. In fact, Super Bowl XVI (1982) was rated as the fourth highest view show of all-time. Every year, less people appreciate the game and focus more on the extravagant commercials and the half-time show. This year, the half-time show featured Bruce Springsteen. I didn't even need to see the show to know it was going to be one of the best. Here is the list featuring the top Super Bowl half-time shows of all time:

5.) Paul McCartney - Super Bowl XXXIX - 2005
This show was fairly tame as compared to the year before (see #1), but rocked far more. Paul preformed "Get Back", "Live and Let Die" and "Hey Jude".

4.) Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias - Super Bowl XXXIV - 2000
One of the most entertaining shows (or it wouldn't be on the list) in Super Bowl history. The show featured 125 drummers and percussionists, a full symphony orchestra, larger-than-life puppets, aerial dancers, a multi-generational choir and advanced pyrotechnics… and Phil Collins.

3.) Prince - Super Bowl XLI - 2007
Prince played twelve-minutes of awe-inspiring guitar solos. The show was performed in a heavy rain, on a stage shaped as Prince's symbol. You can see pictures of the performance in a dictionary beside the combined word "Fucking awesome".

2.) The Rolling Stones - Super Bowl - XL - 2006
This show was performed on the largest stage, which almost gave Mick a heart attack after he strutted the entire thing. The performance was viewed by almost 90 million people, which was more than the Oscars, Grammys and Emmy Awards that year combined.

1.) Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Nelly, P. Diddy, Kid Rock, Jessica Simpson - Super Bowl XXXVI - 2004
Two words: "Wardrobe Malfunction"

A&E Editor's Pick
Super Bowl XLIII - 2009
"The Boss". 'Nuff said.