Regardless of the criticism they may receive, Super Bowl halftime show performers are consistently well-qualified artists, so viewers should put their personal critiques aside to enjoy the nationwide spectacle.
The beginning of the Super Bowl halftime show tradition dates back to 1967, first performed by the University of Arizona and Grambling State University marching bands. Since then, many music icons, including The Rolling Stones, Katy Perry and Beyoncé, have taken on this prestigious performance, captivating viewers nationwide.
This year, Bad Bunny is set to carry on the tradition, alongside the rock band, Green Day, who will be the opening act.
Bad Bunny is an accomplished Puerto Rican rapper who has been Spotify’s top global artist four times. However, his qualifications to entertain a large audience are being overlooked because of his political views.
He supported former vice president Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election and has spoken out against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Trump Administration. He also chose not to schedule any stops in America for his 2026 tour in fear of the shows being targeted by ICE.
His personal views are resulting in criticism of his upcoming performance, even though the show is not inherently about politics.
In the past, Kendrick Lamar and Maroon 5 received similar judgement for their performances, demonstrating how people will always find something to criticize. However, they were chosen because they are well-qualified, as Maroon 5 has won 3 Grammys with 13 nominations and Lamar has won 22 with 66 nominations.
For example, Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl LIX halftime show received 125 formal complaints to the Federal Communications Commission. Some claimed it was inappropriate for children, it was racist for not displaying any white performers and that Serena Williams Crip-walking encouraged gang affiliation.
Despite the criticism, Lamar’s halftime show became the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history.
Similarly, the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show happened amid a controversy kickstarted by Colin Kaepernick, who knelt for the national anthem to show his support for victims of police brutality. Some artists declined the offer to perform at halftime, like Rihanna and Pink, as they disagreed with the NFL’s requirement for players to stand up for the anthem.
So, when the pop-rock band Maroon 5 agreed to perform at the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show, they received backlash for it, as it was seen as compliance to the police brutality. This sparked immense negative reactions from fans with different opinions.
This year, criticisms about Bad Bunny arose immediately after he was announced as the halftime performer. Two popular oppositions are that he is not American, so he should not represent American football and that his music does not appeal to a large audience. This fails to acknowledge that Puerto Rico is part of the U.S. and that Spanish is the second most popular language spoken in the country.
Furthermore, those against his upcoming performance went so far as to sign a petition created by Turning Point USA, a conservative political group, urging George Strait as a replacement. This level of division is not the show’s purpose; it is meant to entertain.
Even though halftime performers consistently face backlash, that does not make them any less qualified to entertain large audiences because criticism is inevitable. Artists are chosen to perform at the Super Bowl because they are deserving and have the stardom to take on this prestigious national event.
Amid the constant criticism of performers, viewers must recognize that the objective of the Super Bowl halftime show is to entertain. So, place personal critiques to the side to embrace the talent of this event.
This story was written by Amelia Lerret. She can be reached at [email protected].
