Editor's Note: The video in this story is from a previous report.
The biggest game in football, Super Bowl LIX, is coming up Sunday, and so is the highly anticipated Super Bowl halftime show -- often a star-studded performance that creates viral moments (remember the wardrobe malfunction?) and reportedly costs millions of dollars.
This year, rapper Kendrick Lamar, fresh off his 20th Grammy win, will take the stage at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, with special guest star SZA.
Halftime shows often rack up hundreds of millions of viewers, too. But do halftime show performers actually get paid?
Do Super Bowl halftime show performers get paid?
You may be thinking that the NFL will be willing to pay top dollar to get such an iconic lineup of halftime performers. The truth is, artists that perform at a Super Bowl halftime historically make nothing.
In a 2016 interview with Forbes, NFL spokesperson Joanna Hunter said: “We do not pay the artists. We cover expenses and production costs.”
Local
Still, production costs for the Super Bowl halftime performance are typically covered by the NFL.
If they don't get paid, what's in it for the artists?
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
While halftime performers don’t get a paycheck from the NFL for their time and efforts, ultimately, they reap financial benefits through their guaranteed exposure to millions of people.
Through the halftime performances, artists are given an unmatched opportunity to promote their newest albums or singles, driving traffic to their upcoming tours or latest projects.
In 2020, Spotify reported that Super Bowl LIV’s halftime performance by Shakira spiked her streams by 230% while Jennifer Lopez’s went up 335%.
No, Rihanna Did Not Get Paid For Her Epic 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show. Here's Why
In 2018, Justin Timberlake’s halftime show increased his sales gain by 534%.
In 2024, Super Bowl halftime performer reportedly earned $52.5 million in exposure. Around the time of his performance, he released his latest album "Coming Home," and announced a 2024 tour titled "Usher: Past, Present, Future," beginning in late summer. Tickets for the tour went on sale the Monday after the big game.
How much do Super Bowl halftime shows cost?
While Super Bowl performers are not paid by the NFL, the production details can be quite pricey. Whether it’s for fireworks, LED panels or extravagant entrances, here are some of the most notable halftime shows we have seen and the costs involved:
- 2001: Aerosmith, NSYNC, $11 million
- 2007: Prince, $12 million
- 2013: Beyoncé, $600,000
- 2017: Lady Gaga, $10 million
- 2020: Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, $13 million
How is the Super Bowl halftime performer decided?
"When it comes to picking the musical headliner at the Super Bowl halftime show, it turns out the choice comes down to just one man," TODAY.com says.
That man is Jay-Z.
Jay-Z has been choosing the Super Bowl halftime headliner every year since his entertainment company, Roc Nation, partnered with the NFL in 2019, TODAY.com reported.
Who is performing at the 2025 Super Bowl?
National Anthem
Jon Batiste, a New Orleans native, Grammy-winning musician and television personality, will usher in festivities with The National Anthem. Pregame festivities will also include an appearance from Lauren Daigle and Trombone Shorty, who will perform "America the Beautiful."
Halftime show
Rap megastar and Pulitzer Prize winner Kendrick Lamar will headline the Super Bowl LIX Apple Music halftime show.
Lamar will be joined on stage by Grammy winner SZA — his former Top Dawg Entertainment labelmate. The singer appeared on Lamar’s recent album “GNX” and was featured on a couple of songs including “Gloria” and “Luther,” which also features sampled vocals from Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn.
The duo’s previous hits include the Oscar-nominated “All the Stars” and “Doves in the Wind.” Jay-Z’s Roc Nation company and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will serve as co-executive producers of the halftime show.
Lamar and SZA will also co-headline a 19-city North American tour this spring and summer, stopping at Soldier Field in Chicago June 6.
Who performed at the Super Bowl halftime show last year?
The halftime show in 2024 during Super Bowl LVII was headlined by Usher, alongside a slew of special guests including Alicia Keys, Ludacris and will.i.am. The year before that, Rihanna was the headlined the show.
