Background
During most of the Super Bowl's first decade, the halftime show featured a college marching band. The show's second decade featured a more varied show, with Up with People producing and starring in four of the performances. The middle of the third decade saw the introduction of popular music acts such as New Kids on the Block, Gloria Estefan, Michael Jackson, Prince, Clint Black, Patti LaBelle, and Tony Bennett. Starting with Super Bowl XXXII, commercial sponsors presented the half-time show; within five years, the tradition of having a theme—begun with Super Bowl III—ended, replaced by major music productions by arena rock bands and other high-profile acts. In the six years immediately following the 2004 halftime show controversy, all of the halftime shows consisted of a performance by one artist or group, with the musicians in that era primarily being rock artists from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The show changed directions beginning with Super Bowl XLV by shifting to contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop artists, also allowing for the return of collaborations.
The NFL does not pay the halftime show performers an appearance fee, though it covers all expenses for the performers and their entourage of stagehands, family, and friends. According to Nielsen SoundScan data, the halftime performers regularly experience significant spikes in weekly album sales and paid digital downloads due to the exposure.
Read more about this topic: List Of Super Bowl Halftime Shows
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