The Super Bowl halftime show is quite the spectacle every year. Even for those who don’t follow or watch football, the question of who's performing is a topic of discussion. For many artists, getting to perform means a lot. This year provides an example, as Lil Wayne felt like he missed out when Kendrick Lamar was chosen to perform. How and why the halftime show is such a big spectacle is a solid question, and I found out it can be traced to one person -- Michael Jackson.
Before the late music icon's show in 1993, the halftime portion of the SB was largely considered a “lousy marching band event.” The King of Pop changed all of that by crafting a grandiose production at the Rose Bowl for Super Bowl XXVII that continues to set the standard for artists today. According to a joint Instagram post from Golden Era Stories and RnBass, the show's defining moment can be chalked up to a late-night phone call and a creative decision regarding the beginning of the show:
I want to determine when the show starts—I have a concept for the beginning.
At showtime, Michael Jackson delayed the start of his performance by two minutes, creating anticipation for the crowd by holding the start cue. He stood there, letting the energy of the audience build, despite the fact that he himself had not moved much outside of looking around at the space. As noted in the video:
He created this spectacular show, the halftime performance actually beat out the rating of the game, which had never happened before.
This would be an entertainment statement that had a domino effect as every year since, as artists have been trying to recreate that level of spectacle and excitement since. For some people, the football games are forgotten but never the show. Artists have used their performances to make statements, similar to how Michael Jackson used his to show his complete control of not just the stage, but the event as a whole.
Sometimes notable performances can become memorable for unexpected reasons as well. For example, Rihanna had an iconic moment at Super Bowl LVII, which ultimately started as a wardrobe malfunction. It was at the show that she announced her second pregnancy. And, following her own performance at LI, Lady Gaga used the unnecessary criticism about her body to send a message of positivity and empowerment.
When it came to the most recent show, many were focused on the continuing beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. However, Kendrick Lamar’s awesome performance featured many stunning and cerebral visuals that conveyed social commentary and honored the Grammy winner's Compton roots. His performance was such a spectacle and broke a record to become the most-watched halftime show of all time. It goes without saying that's not an easy feat.
Whether you are a fan or not, it’s undeniable that the show as we have it today would not be what it's become if not for Michael Jackson. He set the standard, and many artists have strived to not only do their personal best but to outdo their predecessors as well. Still, I say few (if any) have truly managed to outdo MJ.
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