What time does the Super Bowl halftime show start? When to expect 2023 performers on stage
Maybe you’re not a big football fan. Maybe you just want to watch Rihanna. Maybe you want there to witness history, whether it be a viral meme moment or the next wardrobe malfunction.
Whatever it might be, the Super Bowl halftime show is, typically, worth watching. This year, Rihanna makes that exceptionally true, when she breaks her five-year performance hiatus to take center stage at the Apple halftime show in Arizona.
The Grammy-award winning artist is set to perform at Super Bowl 57, and it’s unclear who (if anyone) will join her. Last year, the NFL put on a spectacle at halftime, with five artists — Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem and Mary J. Blige — as well as a special guest in 50 Cent, performing at SoFi Stadium. This year, Rihanna is set to fly solo — but as we’ve seen with the halftime show in years past, there’s always a surprise or two in the works.
What time does the Super Bowl halftime show start?
- 8 p.m. ET (approximate time)
With Super Bowl 57 starting at 6:30 p.m. ET, halftime should be ~8 p.m. ET. That’s an inexact time, considering NFL games are pretty fluid. The first half should wrap up around 8 o’clock ET, however, making way for the halftime show soon after.
The halftime is usually about 20 minutes, so the performance should be roughly 10 songs, some truncated and remixed.
Who is performing during halftime of Super Bowl 2023?
Leading into Super Bowl Sunday, the only confirmed performer for the halftime show is Grammy-winning artist, Rihanna. She was announced as the headliner for the show in 2022. This is the first time that Rihanna is performing a concert in five years.
Katy Perry (Super Bowl 49, 2015), The Who (Super Bowl 44, 2010), Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (Super Bowl 42, 2008), The Rolling Stones (Super Bowl 40, 2006), Paul McCartney (Super Bowl 39, 2005) and U2 (Super Bowl 36, 2002) all performed without special guests or shared headliners.
That would also mark a drastic departure from Super Bowl 56, when Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and Anderson .Paak performed at SoFi Stadium.
Do performers get paid for the Super Bowl halftime show?
Performers actually don’t get paid for the halftime show. The NFL covers the expenses of production, and also the performer’s travel costs. The performers, though, don’t get a check for their work.
In 2021, The Weeknd’s production costs exceeded the NFL’s allowance, and he spent $7 million of his own money to foot the bill for the event.
History of Super Bowl halftime show performers
| Super Bowl | Year | Performer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1967 | “Super Sighs and Sounds” with University of Arizona and Grambling State University bands |
| 2 | 1968 | Grambling State University band |
| 3 | 1969 | “America Thanks” with Florida A&M University band and Miami-area high school bands |
| 4 | 1970 | “Tribute to New Orleans” with Southern University band, Al Hirt, Lionel Hampton, Doc Severinsen, Marguerite Piazza |
| 5 | 1971 | Southeast Missouri State band |
| 6 | 1972 | “Salute to Louis Armstrong” with Ella Fitzgerald, Carol Channing, Al Hirt and U.S. Marine Corps Drill Team |
| 7 | 1973 | “Happiness Is…” with University of Michigan Band, Andy Williams and Woody Herman |
| 8 | 1974 | “A Musical America” with University of Texas Band |
| 9 | 1975 | “Tribute to Duke Ellington” with Mercer Ellington and Grambling State University bands |
| 10 | 1976 | “200 Years and Just a Baby: A Tribute to America’s Bicentennial” featuring Up With People |
| 11 | 1977 | “It’s a Small World” by Walt Disney Productions including spectators waving colored placards on cue |
| 12 | 1978 | “From Paris to the Paris of America” with Pete Fountain, Al Hirt and The Apache Band |
| 13 | 1979 | “Salute to the Caribbean” with Ken Hamilton and various bands |
| 14 | 1980 | “A Salute to the Big Band Era” featuring Up With People |
| 15 | 1981 | “A Mardi Gras Festival” with Pete Fountain and the Southern University band |
| 16 | 1982 | “A Salute to the 60’s and Motown” featuring Up With People |
| 17 | 1983 | “KaleidoSUPERscope” (a kaleidoscope of color and sound, also featuring spectator-held colored placards) |
| 18 | 1984 | “Salute to the Superstars of the Silver Screen” from Walt Disney Productions |
| 19 | 1985 | “A World of Children’s Dreams” featuring Tops in Blue |
| 20 | 1986 | “Beat of the Future” featuring Up With People |
| 21 | 1987 | “Salute to Hollywood’s 100th Anniversary and The Land of Make Believe”, a Disney production featuring high school bands |
| 22 | 1988 | “Something Grand” featuring Chubby Checker, 88 grand pianos, the Rockettes, and the USC and San Diego State bands |
| 23 | 1989 | “BeBop Bamboozled” featuring 3-D effects |
| 24 | 1990 | “Salute to New Orleans” and 40th Anniversary of Peanuts’ characters, featuring Doug Kershaw, Doug Kershaw and Irma Thomas |
| 25 | 1991 | “A Small World Salute to 25 Years of the Super Bowl” featuring New Kids on the Block |
| 26 | 1992 | “Winter Magic” featuring Gloria Estefan and figure skaters Brian Boitano and Dorothy Hamill |
| 27 | 1993 | “Heal the World” featuring Michael Jackson |
| 28 | 1994 | “Rockin’ Country Sunday” featuring Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Wynonna and Naomi Judd |
| 29 | 1995 | “Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye” featuring Tony Bennett, Patti LaBelle, Arturo Sandoval, the Miami Sound Machine |
| 30 | 1996 | “Take Me Higher: A Celebration of 30 Years of the Super Bowl” featuring Diana Ross |
| 31 | 1997 | “Blues Brothers Bash” featuring Dan Akroyd, John Goodman, James Belushi, James Brown and ZZ Top |
| 32 | 1998 | “A Tribute to Motown’s 40th Anniversary” including Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Queen Latifah, Martha Reeves and The Temptations |
| 33 | 1999 | “Celebration of Soul, Salsa and Swing” featuring Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Savion Glover |
| 34 | 2000 | “A Tapestry of Nations” featuring Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias and Toni Braxton |
| 35 | 2001 | “The Kings of Rock and Pop” featuring Aerosmith and NSYNC with guests Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige and Nelly |
| 36 | 2002 | U2 |
| 37 | 2003 | Shania Twain and No Doubt with guest Sting |
| 38 | 2004 | “Choose or Lose” featuring Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Kid Rock, P. Diddy, Nelly and Jessica Simpson |
| 39 | 2005 | Paul McCartney |
| 40 | 2006 | The Rolling Stones |
| 41 | 2007 | Prince |
| 42 | 2008 | Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers |
| 43 | 2009 | Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band |
| 44 | 2010 | The Who |
| 45 | 2011 | The Black Eyed Peas with guests Usher and Slash |
| 46 | 2012 | Madonna with guests Cee Lo Green, LMFAO, M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj |
| 47 | 2013 | Beyoncé with guests Destiny’s Child |
| 48 | 2014 | Bruno Mars with guests Red Hot Chili Peppers |
| 49 | 2015 | Katy Perry with guests Missy Elliott and Lenny Kravitz |
| 50 | 2016 | Coldplay with guests Beyoncé and Bruno Mars |
| 51 | 2017 | Lady Gaga |
| 52 | 2018 | Justin Timberlake |
| 53 | 2019 | Maroon 5 with guests Travis Scott and Big Boi |
| 54 | 2020 | Shakira and Jennifer Lopez with guests Bad Bunny and J Balvin |
| 55 | 2021 | The Weeknd |
| 56 | 2022 | Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige |
| 57 | 2023 | Rihanna |
