2010’s Super Bowl Halftime Shows ranked

Part 2 of All Super Bowl Halftime Shows Ranked for 2000-2026. Part 2 is 2010-2019

10. Super Bowl 2011 Bridgestone: The Black Eyed Peas with Usher and Slash

Wow. I actually feel so bad for The Black Eyed Peas. Probably the only time I ever will. Because that SUCKED right there. Like whoever the sound technician is should get fired for that performance. Muting the performers mics, the absolute disrespect towards Slash with the terrible rushing and mixing for the backing track of Sweet Child O’Mine. While that part isn't necessarily their fault, there's only so much leeway I can give them. The choreography was pretty basic for the amount of dancers they had and the costume and set piece was stupid in my opinion. Not to mention but the Sweet Child O’Mine cover was just bad with Fergie on vocals. wil.i.am seemed to be the only one trying too. Yeah, terrible halftime show. I was actually cringing at how bad it was, though I will try to be nice in the ranking as much as I possibly can due to the sound quality not necessarily being The Black Eyed Peas fault but more of the NFL and Bridgestones.

9. Super Bowl 2019 Pepsi: Maroon 5 with Travis Scott and Big Boi

Ooof. Thats how it felt watching this halftime show. Easily Pepsi’s worst. How you the header of the show and you get sidelined by your musical guests? And who thought it would be good to pair Travis Scott and Big Boi with Maroon 5?. And why Adam Levine taking off each layer the longer the show goes? Yeah Maroon 5, despite having some hits, does an absolutely terrible job. They did not pick the best setlist in my opinion, with too many ballads than hype energy songs. Even for the songs I did know by them like Sugar and Moves Like Jagger, man that mixing is horrible! Also your not slick with that fake guitar playing Adam Levine. As for the guests I will say they did good even if they didn't make sense that they were at a Maroon 5 show. Travis Scotts intro was a bit goofy, and while he didnt have any autotune I still thought it was fine with his raw vocals. But the disappointment to go from Sicko Mode to lame-o Maroo 5 was immeasurable. And Big Boi did good too, better than Travis in my opinion, and while I’m glad at least half of Outkast got to prove their worth at the Super Bowl after their stiffing of the show in 2004, the same question still applies of why after Big Bois 2 songs it went back to mid. Overall a bad show with Maroon 5 clearly not giving a crap of how it went based on how much they put into the show.

8. Super Bowl 2010 Bridgestone: The Who

Whooooo are you. Who, who, who, who. Whooooo are The Who. Yeah I don't know who The Who are but their halftime show was ok. The best thing I can say was good handling of the stage and good theatrics but other than that the show was ok. Not to put all the blame on me not knowing them but in all honesty, and maybe why this is why they stopped having bands do the halftime show, but there's only so much a band can do to put on a show before it starts to get boring and name/song recognition is needed to keep an audience captivated.

7. Super Bowl 2012 Bridgestone: Madonna with LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A, Cee Lo Green and Cirque du Soleil

If the seven deadly sins were a person Madonna would resemble Pride, as shown in the halftime show. Seriously, what was this crap that I just watched? Dont get me wrong Madonna has a good voice but what the hell was her set piece? First the strange greek/eygyptian costume opening, then the sexualized techno piece with stupid LMFAO, where they contributed absolutely nothing, along with the sexualized cheerleaders with Nicki Minaj and M.I.A, who thought she was being tuff by flipping us off (I wonder how that went for her career). I just felt weirded and creeped out the entire time. Like A Prayer was the only enjoyable part of the show. And then dont even get started with the “World Peace” sign at the end of the show. It just felt like this weird Madonna fantasy where she had to keep reminding us every minute that she’s Madonna! Thankfully this was Bridgestone's last halftime show, because I don't know how the NFL would have let them keep running it. Overall weirdly entertaining but much of it feels forced, almost like I was held at gun point to find this mildly enjoyable.

6. Super Bowl 2018 Pepsi: Justin Timberlake with pre-recorded video of Prince and intro by Jimmy Fallon.

Justin Timberlake's return after the infamous 2004 halftime show with this marking his 3rd time at the Super Bowl (The most an artist has ever appeared). Justin's solo show though was pretty average. His hits such as SexyBack, Rock Your Body and Cant Stop The Feeling had me vibing and his choreography was average too. I did like the rendition of I Would Die 4 U with the Prince recording, even if I don't really know Justin's connection to Prince. My only critique of the show would probably be that I think artists should interact with people in the crowd to a certain extent (and I’m writing this with still 8 artists left to review). Like waving to them on stage or kneeling down to feel their hands is fine. But Lady Gaga's hug and now the awkward crowd stance when he went into the stands is cringy in my opinion. Still, it was an ok show.

5. Super Bowl 2015 Pepsi: Katy Perry with Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott

Huh. i’m a tad bit confused and disappointed. Because when a star like Katy Perry comes along who has some huge songs you expect the show to be crazy. But tell me then how Missy Elliot was able to steal the show from her. Maybe it was just something with the execution of how she sang the songs and her overall energy. Because really the only song that she sang where I was actually vibing with was Teenage Dream. And California Gurls is one of my favorite Katy perry songs. Like I know all the songs she sang, most of them by heart and yet there was something about the show, where instead of vibing and dancing, I was more or less just watching it. As for the set pieces, even though some were strange for a halftime show, it gets a pass because I know it fits with the theme of Katy Perry. Overall I cant say its a bad show, it was good at best, but definitely had the potential to be great.

4. Super Bowl 2017 Pepsi Zero Sugar: Lady Gaga

I think this is the first halftime show besides 2010s The Who that has left me with questions despite it being a show for personal entertainment. First of all, why is it Pepsi Zero Sugar? Its like the meme of Obama giving the medal to himself, that's how Pepsi handed over the halftime show to Zero Sugar. Second, is this what has led to the belief that the Super Bowl and its halftime show represents America? I mean the Super Bowl is opened with the Star Spangled Banner and past halftime performers have said God bless America. But never has a halftime show really had much patriot symbolism like this show had, with her opening with God Bless America and This Land Is Your Land and there being so much red, white and blue scattered throughout the show. Outside of these questions Lady Gaga did do a good show with my favorite moment being Just Dance. But I will say I think she could have done better with the length of some songs and the configuration of the order. Some critiques I do have for the show is mostly with the middle part (the slowness of the song and the hugging kinda confused me), her choreography sometimes getting in the way with the songs (like the bungee cord at the beginning and the dancing in Bad Romance) and also her sudden entrance and exit (with her jumping off the stage). Otherwise it was a good show, but I do believe it could have been better.

3. Super Bowl 2013 Pepsi: Beyonce with Destiny's Child

Good show. While it leans a little bit to much on its sexual moments, Beyonce put on a very good show. Most of her songs had me vibin along, like Halo, and Single Ladies. Even the songs I didn't know by her were good choices as they were fast and upbeat and kept me entertained. I also like how she brought up Destiny's Child too as they were the group that helped her be the mega star she is today. Also very good set pieces and good theatricals that weren't too grand and glamorous but also weren't plain and simple.

2. Super Bowl 2016 Pepsi: Coldplay with Beyonce, Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson

Wow what a trip. Coldplay definitely took us back, with not only bringing up previous halftime showstoppers Bruno Mars and Beyonce but also replaying old clips of previous shows such as Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones etc was cool and added to the nostalgia factor. Outside of that their hits of Viva La Vida and Adventure Of A Lifetime were great (along with their other songs of course). My only critique of the show to be honest is that there wasn't a lot of Coldplay identity in the show, and I felt it had to rely a lot on not only Bruno Mars and Beyonce but the unexpected montage of previous halftime shows. Now don't get me wrong, those aren't bad things and they added a lot to the show. But it inadvertently took away in my opinion Coldplay being the headliners of the show. Still though great show overall and W tribute.

1. Super Bowl 2014 Pepsi: Bruno Mars with Red Hot Chili Peppers

Impeccable performance right here. I wanna say textbook definition but I feel like I might of already said that a couple of times to other shows. But man this show has literally everything. It has the bangers, the hype, the ENERGY. Seriously probably the most danceable halftime show ever. Not only for Brunos own songs, with songs like Treasure, Runaway Baby and Locked Out of Heaven, but when he brought on the Red Hot Chili Peppers man that elevated things to the next level. Like seriously the hype was off the charts, with everyone in the crowd going crazy as the Chili peppers rocked out. And Just The Way You Are was the perfect way to close out his set. Amazing show and I wish I was conscious enough to be able to watch this when it was 2014.