Super Bowl Halftime Show Trendsetters: Ranking 5 Most Watched Musical Performances

The wait is almost over for football fans, as Super Bowl LVII is only two days away. Soon, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will battle each other for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The game will be played at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 12.

The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched events in the country. It attracts huge viewership not just for two of the strongest NFL teams playing each other, but also because of the celebrities who perform at the event. Even those not interested in the game tune in to the halftime show to watch the glamorous performances by famous singers and actors.

Last year, a poll by YouGovAmerica stated that 52% of people watched the Super Bowl LVI for the actual game, 27% watched it for the commercials and 17% said their favorite part was the halftime show. The 2021 event witnessed performances from Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Mary J. Blige.

The first Super Bowl halftime show happened in 1967, and since then, many celebrities have carried out mind-blowing performances. Do you know which halftime show was the most watched? Read on to find out!

Here's a look at the 5 most-watched Super Bowl performances

#5 Madonna (2012) — 114 Million Viewers

With 114 million viewers, "Pop Queen" Madonna holds the fifth slot in the broadcast ratings. Despite being a success since the 1980s, Madonna was given the opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show in 2012 by the NFL.

Although the NFL approached her so late, she was instrumental in bringing millions of people worldwide to a halftime show. It became the highest-watched halftime show at the time, and it wasn't until 2014 that the record was overtaken. Along with Madonna, artists like the electronic duo LMFAO and British musician M.I.A. also took the stage.

#4 Bruno Mars (2014) — 115.3 Million Viewers

Fourth on the list, Bruno Mars has a broadcast rating that is just 200,000 viewers shy of Coldplay's 2016 performance. Mars participated in the halftime performance despite being a more recent artist who had only released two albums. He sang "Locked Out of Heaven" and "Just the Way You Are," two of his early songs.

Midway through his concert, the seasoned rock group Red Chili Hot Peppers also joined him, creating an intriguing genre collision.

#3 Coldplay (2016) — 115.5 Million Viewers

Coldplay performed in the Super Bowl 50 halftime concert with special guests Bruno Mars and Beyoncé. The show is ranked third in the broadcast ratings, attracting 115.5 million viewers.

After a grueling first half of the game between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos, the band's performance gave the spectators a much-needed breather and brought life to the evening. Coldplay played "Paradise" and "Viva La Vida," two of their top singles.

Beyonce performed "Formation" before joining Bruno Mars in a memorable dance-off. Bruno Mars headlined the halftime show on "Uptown Funk."

#2 Lady Gaga (2017) — 117.5 Million Viewers

Lady Gaga's Super Bowl LIII halftime show can be regarded as one of the finest performances at the event. In our top 5 list, only Gaga did her act with no special guests, allowing the audience to concentrate solely on her incredible performance.

Before performing a variety of early career hits like "Poker Face," "Bad Romance" and "Just Dance," she began the performance by leaping over the top of the NRG Stadium. According to Billboard, Lady Gaga's record sales rose 1,000% following her 2017 halftime performance.

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#1 Katy Perry (2015) — 118.5 Million Viewers

With 118.5 million viewers, Katy Perry, who sang in Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, takes the top spot. Other notable guests for her concert included Missy Elliott, Lenny Kravitz and the Arizona State University Sun Devil Marching Band.

A selection of Katy Perry's chart-topping songs, including "Firework," "Teenage Dream," "Dark Horse," "Roar" and "California Gurls," were performed. Later, Missy Elliot performed a mashup of the songs "Get Ur Freak On," "Lose Control" and "Work It." Lenny Kravitz, a special guest during Katy Perry's appearance, sang his breakthrough song "I Kissed A Girl."