Super Bowl season is finally upon us! The nation is counting down the hours to the rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles on February 9.
But of course, there's no Super Bowl without the legendary halftime show, with this year's honor going to rapper and Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar.
The 37-year-old, who recently took home five golden gramophones at the 67th Grammy Awards, will also be bringing his close collaborator and friend SZA out for his show, and is already promising a good time.
Will Kendrick continue the halftime show's record-breaking broadcast watch numbers, a streak that began two years ago? Ahead of his highly anticipated performance, here are the ten most watched Super Bowl halftime shows of all time…
© Getty ImagesSuper Bowl LII: Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake's return to the Super Bowl after his controversial appearance alongside Janet Jackson may have received mixed reviews, but it received a healthy 106.6 million in audience viewership.
© Getty ImagesSuper Bowl XLV: The Black Eyed Peas
In an effort to bring in a younger audience, The Black Eyed Peas headlined the Super Bowl XLV halftime, with guest appearances from Slash and Usher (more on him in a bit). Despite its 110.2 million in audience, the show received generally negative reviews.
© Getty ImagesSuper Bowl XLVII: Beyoncé
On the flip side, Beyoncé headlined the XLVII halftime show, with special appearances from none other than Destiny's Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. The show became the most tweeted moment in history, 110.8 million in viewership, and massive critical acclaim.
© Getty ImagesSuper Bowl XLVI: Madonna
Madonna broke records with her extremely opulent show, complete with pyrotechnics, costume changes, and celebrity guests like LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, Cee Lo Green and M.I.A., plus 114 million in viewership.
© Getty ImagesSuper Bowl XLVIII: Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars brought the funk to the XLVIII halftime, joined by his band The Hooligans and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, attracting an audience of 115.3 million.
© Getty ImagesSuper Bowl 50: Coldplay
Coldplay turned their halftime performance into a spectacle of color and power, also thanks to special guests (and previous mentions on this list) Beyoncé and Bruno Mars, attracting 115.5 million viewers, making them the most watched show by a group to date.
© Getty ImagesSuper Bowl LI: Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga brought the house down the year after, putting on a show filled with impressive drone shots, the singer's loving tribute to the LGBTQ+ community, and a collection of major hits, all completely by her lonesome. She leaped off the stage at the end to a record 117.5 million viewers.
© Getty ImagesSuper Bowl XLIX: Katy Perry
With special guests Lenny Kravitz and standout Missy Elliott, Katy Perry roared into the stadium on a giant mechanical lion and soared through the crowd at the end with "Firework," ending the show with 118 million viewers and setting the record for most viewed show in history at the time.
© Getty ImagesSuper Bowl LVII: Rihanna
Amid her years-long break from music, Rihanna broke several records with her career-spanning set, plus the internet when she revealed she was pregnant with her son Riot Rose. The show surpassed Katy's record with 121 million viewers, only to eventually be broken the next year by…
© Getty ImagesSuper Bowl: LVIII: Usher
Alongside supporting acts like Alicia Keys, will.i.am, Lil Jon and more, Usher put on a sultry, dance-heavy show last year that quickly took over as the most viewed halftime show from Rihanna, clocking in at 123 million.
