Top Ten Thursday: Best Super Bowl Halftime Shows

Super Bowl halftime shows have had a pretty wide range over the years; starting out with mostly college marching bands and currently sometimes ending up in huge controversy (like the above or M.I.A. last year).  For the past twenty years or so, though, the halftime show has settled into two categories for the most part:  aging rock star or in-the-moment pop sensations.  There just hasn’t been a lot of imagination.  I truly believe, and so do Todd and Wes deep down even though they won’t admit it, the combination of Aerosmith, N’Sync, and Nelly was pretty electric, and a legitimate combination of current and aging talents.  Alas, they didn’t make the list.  Neither did The Who (decrepit), Madonna (mummified), or the Shania Twain, No Doubt, Sting combination (puzzling).  In fact, this list is not nearly as strong as we would have expected, so I ripped to some degree on several acts.  Enjoy, and as always let us know what you think in the comments.

10. 2006 – The Rolling Stones

After the 2004 Janet Jackson debacle (blessing?), the NFL decided to trot out a lot of very “safe” acts for some time.  Hence, a bunch of old bags of bones (stones?) took the stage in 2006 and sounded much smaller than the event demands.  As a consolation, the stage is phenomenal, and Keith Richards puppet-master continues to get paid for his superb work.

Madonna’s Halftime Show Review

It’s fair to say that there are plenty of overrated things in the entertainment industry. HBO’s Entourage, Michael Bay, the entire clan of Kardashians (not just Kim), and essentially everything in the vein of “Hollywood life” or “Los Angeles culture” all lead the pack in worthless assets to the industry that should make people cringe, and maybe even throw-up in their mouth a little bit. Close behind all of these resides a special spot for the worthlessness of the Super Bowl halftime show. Don’t get me wrong, I love football, and the Super Bowl itself, and all the fun and hype that come along with it. But over the years, the halftime shows have just become a chore to watch. In fact there are really only two non-nudity involved halftime shows that have really ever stood out to me, and last nights performance was actually one of them.