Bruno Mars "Ain't Scared," but He Has Lots to Live Up To: Look Back at the 5 Best Super Bowl Halftime Shows Ever

Beyoncé, Prince and U2 are just a few of the big names who have wowed in the past

By Alyssa Toomey Jan 31, 2014 12:39 AMTags
Super Bowl Performances, Beyonce, Prince, U2Getty Images

Whether you're excited for the commercials, the halftime show or the actually game come Sunday, there's sure to be plenty of entertainment at this year's Super Bowl.

Bruno Mars is set to perform at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J, following in the footsteps of iconic past performers such as Prince, Beyoncé and U2.

The Grammy winner most recently opened up about the intense pressure to put on a phenomenal performance, admitting he has yet to feel any pre-show jitters.

"I ain't scared if that's what you think," he joked to a reporter during the halftime show press conference at Rose Theater–Jazz at Lincoln Center before responding to a question about the spectacles in his act. "Spectacle-wise? I don't do trapeze and all that stuff. I hope to get people dancing and smiling. If you ever come to one of my shows, it's just us up there. We've got these songs and our instruments and I'm hoping that's enough."'

But Bruno certainly has some big shoes to fill! Here are the six best Super Bowl halftime shows ever:

1. Beyoncé: Last year, the singer's superfans dubbed the big game the Superbowlonce—and for good reason. Jay Z's missus gave a killer performance which featured a medley of her hit songs, some of the fierest dance moves we've ever seen (along with equally fierce backup dancers) as well as an epic reunion with Destiny's Child when Bey, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams all broke out in to "Single Ladies." Oh, and how could we forget the leather-clad costumes and fiery props?! Forget the Ravens—it's safe to say Queen Bey was the true champion in 2013.

2. Prince: The 55-year-old performer brought the party to Florida when he performed at the Super Bowl in 2007. Rocking out to his own hits such as "Let's Go Crazy" and "1999" as well as others' classics like "Proud Mary" and "All Along the Watchtower" the iconic artist powered through his set while jamming out on his purple guitar in a manner which only Prince can pull off. But the real highlight came when the performer played his hit "Purple Rain," which saw the entire football-crazed stadium waving their arms in glee.

3. U2: Less than five months after the 9/11 tragedy, U2 gave a touching tribute performance on a heart-shaped stage during which they paid homage to each and every victim. The Irish rock band opened the show with their hit song "Beautiful Day" before closing the show by playing "Where the Streets Have No Name" as a scrolling backdrop featured the names of every person who perished in the tragic attacks. Bono then ended the song by opening up his jacket to reveal his coat's patriotic lining—the American flag—in what proved to be a unifying moment for the entire country.

4. Aerosmith, 'N Sync and Britney Spears: Let's be real—how could this not be one of the most memorable performances with these three all performing on the same stage? The epic 2001 halftime show opened with 'N Sync's classic hit "Bye Bye Bye" before the boy-banders and the legendary hard rockers dueted together. And in case Steven Tyler and Justin Timberlake sharing the stage wasn't enough, the performance reached new heights when Spears, Mary J. Blige and Nelly suddenly appeared on stage for a showstopping rendition of "Walk This Way." 

5. Madonna: While Madge may not have danced as much as we all hoped for (luckily Bey brought the booty-shaking moves the following year), the Queen of Pop gave a star-studded performance at the Super Bowl XLVI which featured LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. and CeeLo Green. Entering on a giant gold throne while being carried by a throng of Roman soldiers, the 55-year-old pop star opened the show with her hit "Vogue" before belting out her 2000 song "Music." But the headline-making moment came when M.I.A. and Nicki joined the hitmaker on stage to perform "Gimme Your Luvin'" and M.I.A. happened to flip the bird. Luckily, the singer recovered, closing off the show by singing her tune "Like a Prayer" with a little help from CeeLo. 

Honorable Mention—Justin Timberlake & Janet Jackson: Because be real, these two but on a pretty phenomenal performance, but no one remembers anything but the last last second. Two words: Wardrobe malfunction.