Featured Image Credit: NBC
Topics: Michael Jackson, NFL, Super Bowl, Celebrity, Music, Sport
Anish Vij
Topics: Michael Jackson, NFL, Super Bowl, Celebrity, Music, Sport
Michael Jackson's Super Bowl performance changed the way we watched the halftime show forever.
Before MJ, the halftime show featured outdated marching bands and drill teams - but after 1993 that had all changed.
Check out the musician's iconic Super Bowl XXVII halftime show below:
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Jackson took centre stage at at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California, and delivered one of the greatest Super Bowl halftime shows of all time.
Viewership of the actual Super Bowl increased after the singer's half-time performance for the first time in history.
The show began with Star Wars' James Earl Jones - who introduced the King of Pop to the audience.
Jackson seemed to appear at the top of the stadium's two jumbotrons by using another body double.
After taking to the stage, he stands completely still and silent for almost two minutes.
Probably the biggest artist in the world at the time, Jackson started off with a medley of 'Jam' and the beginning of 'Why You Wanna Trip On Me'.
Then followed the hits, 'Billie Jean' and 'Black or White'.
His finale featured a video montage of Jackson participating in various humanitarian efforts around the world.
Jackson was then joined by a choir of over 3,000 local Los Angeles area children singing 'We Are the World', and 'Heal the World' alongside an inflatable globe.
Despite the incredible performance, in the years prior, the NFL half-time show was low in viewership and lacked any real importance.
It was mocked in a comedy sketch for Fox in 1992 and that was enough for organiser to switch up their game.
Along with low ratings and viewership, the decision to get Jackson to perform seems like an obvious one now, but it was a stroke of genius at the time.
It paved the way for huge acts such as Beyoncé, U2 and Eminem to make their mark with brilliant performances.
Of course, tonight's 2023 Super Bowl half-time show will feature Rihanna, who has spent weeks planning and preparing for her highly anticipated debut.
Arizona will mark the singer's first return to the stage in seven years and is expected to be watched by millions of people around the world.
Speaking at the Apple Music pre-game press conference, Rihanna said she had been so focused on the show that she had forgotten about all other upcoming events - including Valentine’s Day and even her own birthday.
“It’s literally like 300 to 400 people breaking the stage down and building it back up and getting it out in eight minutes. It’s incredible. It’s almost impossible,” she of the event.