After Usher electrified Allegiant Stadium on Sunday (Feb. 11) at the 2024 Super Bowl with his dazzling footwork and surprise guests such as Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Ludacris and more.
Due to his energetic outing, Usher now holds the title for the most watched halftime show. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Kansas City Chiefs’ 25-22 win over the San Francisco 49ers averaged 120 million viewers on CBS. If you include the simulcasts on Nickelodeon, Univision, Paramount+ and other digital platforms, that’s a grand total of 123.4 million. With Usher now sitting atop the leaderboard, who can potentially take the throne from the R&B titan as the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner?
Fans have some speculations as to who could be next up to grace the halftime show in New Orleans. Of course, the first name that comes to mind is rap icon Jay-Z.
Earlier this year, fans’ ears perked when Jay entertained the idea of stepping on the prestigious stage when asked why he hadn’t done so already. “I thought it would be selfish to pick myself too early,” he said during a red carpet appearance for the premiere of The Book of Clarence. “Maybe one year. Maybe.” Since 2019, Jay-Z and his company Roc Nation have signed on to help the NFL pick out talent to perform during the prestigious game.
Another MC who’s crossing his fingers and hoping to touch down in New Orleans happens to have close ties to the city. In a recent interview on the 4HUNNID podcast, Lil Wayne tossed his hat into the race and assured listeners that he’s doing everything it takes to secure the coveted spot.
“I will not lie to you, I have not got a call or nothing,” he said. “But we are praying. We praying. We keeping our fingers crossed. I’m working hard. I’mma make sure this next album and everything I do is killer. I wanna just make it hard for them not to holler at the boy.”
Other notable names to consider outside of hip-hop include Ariana Grande, who is prepping her studio album after clinching her eighth Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper with “Yes And?” in January. Taylor Swift is also looking to wreak havoc this April with her upcoming project, The Tortured Poets Department. After seeing her beau, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, perform on the biggest stage, Swift might finally want a taste of the Super Bowl for herself. And come 2025, she’ll be fresh off The Eras Tour, which is currently slated to wrap on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, B.C.
Or can K-pop make a splashy entrance next year with BLACKPINK, who in 2023 became the first Asian act to headline Coachella? Maybe it could be Bad Bunny? After all, the Puerto Rican superstar ended 2022 with a record-breaking $435 million in tour grosses, according to Billboard Boxscore.
Perhaps Pink, who has been offered the high-profile Halftime Show in the past, will finally reconsider. (She did sing the national anthem at the 2018 match, though.) Or maybe it’s time to bring the show back to rock with the Foo Fighters or Pearl Jam? The Dave Grohl-fronted band dropped its 11th studio album, But Here We Are, in June 2023, while Seattle grunge icons Pearl Jam are set to release 12th studio album Dark Matter in April.
Doja Cat could put on a spectacular show as well. The “Paint the Town Red” artist entranced the audience during the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards in September to promote fourth studio album Scarlet, which arrived later that month.
And why not Beyoncé again? After all, Queen Bey — who previously headlined in 2013 — is launching her new country era with her March 29-slated Act II, which includes already-released singles “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.” (“Texas Hold ‘Em” is already a success in the genre, debuting at No. 1 on the Feb. 24-dated Hot Country Songs chart.)
Who should do the honors and headline the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show? Vote below to let us know who you’d like to see.
