Super Bowl LX halftime show

On September 9, 2025, it was reported that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hinted that singer-songwriter Taylor Swift could be the headliner for the halftime show. He said when asked if it is possible that Swift could do the show: "We would always love to have [Swift] play. She is a special, special talent, and obviously she would be welcome at any time". When asked by Today co-host Savannah Guthrie if an appearance from Swift was in the works, Goodell said "I can't tell you anything about it." It was initially reported that Swift had asked for an appearance fee and full copyrights to the show, which the NFL does not provide to performers. However, Swift later said that she had rejected the possibility during early conversations with Roc Nation because she was unwilling to perform in a game in which her fiancé Travis Kelce could be a participant, since it would detract from her enjoyment of the game by having to focus on the details of a concert. Swift's concerns were rendered moot after Kelce's team, the Kansas City Chiefs, were eliminated from postseason contention on December 14, 2025. Billboard also reported that potential headliners included Lady Gaga (who headlined the Super Bowl LI halftime show in 2017), Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber, Drake, BTS, Green Day, Metallica, and Jay-Z. == Announcement ==

Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny was officially announced as the headliner for the Halftime Show on September 28, 2025, by the NFL in partnership with Apple Music and Jay-Z's Roc Nation. Bad Bunny was the first Latino and Spanish-speaking artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show as a solo act. He previously performed as a special guest at the Super Bowl LIV halftime show, alongside headliners Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. In a statement, Bad Bunny highlighted the cultural significance of the event, saying, "This is for my people, my culture, and our history." Earlier in the year, Bad Bunny declined to hold concerts in the mainland US and reserved Puerto Rican shows to archipelago and island residents due to concerns over raids executed by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A day before the announcement, Bad Bunny said, "I've been thinking about it these days, and after discussing it with my team, I think I'll do just one date in the US." NFL Latino audience strategy Bad Bunny's selection came amid the NFL's intensified efforts to grow its Latino fanbase, which the league identified as essential to its expansion strategy. In 2024, NFL Senior Vice President of Global Brand and Consumer Marketing Marissa Solis stated that league growth "is mathematically impossible without Latinos", pointing to over 39 million Latino fans in the US—one of the largest Latino fanbases in American sports. The league's "" campaign, launched in 2021, represents an ongoing initiative to cultivate Latino audiences through Spanish-language broadcasts, cultural partnerships, and storytelling featuring Latino players. The selection also reflected the growing economic influence of Latino consumers in the US. A 2025 McKinsey & Company report projected that Latinos would account for one-third of total US sports market growth by 2035. Super Bowl LX featured the broadest Spanish-language broadcast distribution in Super Bowl history, with both Fox Deportes and Telemundo producing separate Spanish-language coverage of the game. Univision highlighted the pride of the Latino community, while celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Mars, Shakira, Jelly Roll, and Jay‑Z expressed their support. Reports emphasized the economic and cultural impact of his concerts in Puerto Rico. NFL officials stated that Bad Bunny's selection was an important way to be relevant to its growing Latino fanbase, and that it was part of a broader effort to engage the community of over 70 million Latinos in the US. Conservative influencers and political figures questioned the selection, criticizing Bad Bunny for his opposition to President Donald Trump and ICE. Some critical commentators also noted that Bad Bunny performs primarily in Spanish and had avoided including mainland US dates in his Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour due to concerns about potential ICE raids. Trump described the announcement as "absolutely ridiculous". US secretary of homeland security Kristi Noem announced that ICE agents would be present at the Super Bowl. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson opined that choosing Bad Bunny was a "terrible decision" and claimed he did not have broader appeal, suggesting Lee Greenwood as an alternative. Conservative organization Turning Point USA held its own halftime musical performance as counterprogramming, with conservative musician Kid Rock announced as the headliner on February 4, 2026. Bad Bunny addressed the response during his October Saturday Night Live appearance, where he jokingly told critics they had "four months to learn" Spanish. He praised Bad Bunny as "one of the greatest artists in the world", and rejected calls to change the performers. Jay-Z dismissed the opposition to the selection as astroturfing. ==Development==

Production The production team included Julio Himide as production designer, Harriet Cuddeford as creative and show director, and Puerto Rican art director Mónica Monserrate. It marked the first time the fast fashion retailer outfitted a performer on this large of a scale; they also dressed his backup dancers, band, and orchestra. He dreamt of taking Ocasio to a future Super Bowl game, but he unexpectedly died following the 49ers' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LVIII. Lady Gaga wore a light blue dress adorned with the red flor de maga, the national flower of Puerto Rico, matching the colors of the light blue Puerto Rican flag displayed throughout the performance. ==Performance synopsis==

For the Halftime Show, part of the stadium was transformed into a sugarcane field. Yellow Studio's Julio Himede, part of the creative team behind the show, said that they divided the stage into various smaller sections to accommodate the "vignettes" that Bad Bunny would walk through as he told the story of "real people in everyday life that are celebrating the Latin community". The show featured more than 300 dancers and multiple moving stages, along with an actual wedding. The set consisted of multiple odes to Puerto Rican and overall Latin American everyday life, with the rapper interacting with old men playing dominoes, a jeweler, and more, as well with food stands of coconut, piraguas, and tacos. Lady Gaga and Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin were featured as guest singers during the performance. Gaga performed a salsa version of "Die with a Smile" (2024) backed by the salsa band Los Sobrinos, with an arrangement by Big Jay. A couple, who had previously invited Bad Bunny to attend their wedding, was legally married on stage during the performance. Meanwhile, Martin made his Super Bowl debut by singing a rendition of "Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii" a song about the growing dangers of gentrification and the cultural loss Puerto Rico is experiencing with a comparison to Hawaii. The "Mónaco" orchestral segment was conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero, and during "Café Con Ron", Bad Bunny was backed by Los Pleneros de la Cresta, a plena ensemble. The performance also saw Bad Bunny give a replica of one of his Grammy Award statues to a child, playing the part of a young Benito Antonio, watching his Grammy Award acceptance speech from the week prior on television with his family in a domestic set, with the rapper encouraging his younger self to "always believe in yourself". While there was speculation that the child was Liam Conejo Ramos, a five-year-old boy detained along with his father by ICE officials in January, it was later revealed to be child actor Lincoln Fox. The casita portion of the stage included special appearances by Cardi B, Karol G, Young Miko, Jessica Alba, Pedro Pascal, Alix Earle, David Grutman, baseball outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., and boxers Xander Zayas and Emiliano Vargas. María Antonia Cay, better known as Toñita, owner of the Caribbean Social Club in Little Caribbean, Brooklyn, New York, who is famously known for refusing to sell her property despite mass gentrification in the Williamsburg area, also appeared during the performance serving Bad Bunny a drink from a bodega during "Nuevayol", in which, she is also referenced. == Political themes ==

The halftime show was widely discussed for its political themes, including the show's definitions of the words "America" and "American" as a continental identity rather than being a term solely for citizens of the US, and support for Latino ethnic consciousness and anti-colonialism in Puerto Rico. For example, scholars Vanessa Díaz and Petra Rivera-Rideau of Rolling Stone highlighted the many symbols of Puerto Rican history and culture displayed during the performance, as well as gestures to the "broader Latino community, and a strong reframing of U.S. notions of what it means to be American". thus positioning the US as only one of many countries and territories in the American continent. Bad Bunny concluded by holding up a football inscribed with the words "Together we are America" and said "" ("we're still here"). The show's guest appearances reinforced this theme. Martin, who during the 1999 Latin explosion had crossed over into the US mainstream largely by singing in English, instead performed entirely in Spanish. NPR characterized the moment as Bad Bunny "flipping the traditional Latino crossover". Similarly, Gaga's salsa arrangement of her hit song was described by Time as "a shrewd moment of reverse assimilation", noting that "while conservatives called for Bad Bunny to sing in English, instead he got a major white female pop star to adapt her song into salsa". Latino community members and business owners across the US expressed pride in the performance. Victor Villa, the owner of Villa's Tacos, the taco truck that appeared during a brief segment of the show, posted on Instagram that it was an "honor" to have participated as a part of the performance, writing that "This one is for all the immigrants who paved the way before us to make this moment possible." Yazmin Auli, owner of the Philadelphia bakery El Coquí, added, "I think it doesn't matter that it's Bad Bunny, but that any Latino that goes and represents us in the Super Bowl, we're good." Bad Bunny's song "Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii", which draws imperialist, settler colonialist, and colonialist parallels between Puerto Rico and Hawaii under the US sovereignty, was performed by Martin. The song criticizes gentrification and displacement as it warns Puerto Ricans to protect their culture, land, and language. "El Apagón" was performed by Bad Bunny, as dancers dressed as sugarcane workers performed on electric utility poles, a visual which some scholars said demonstrated "the continuity between colonial exploitation of Puerto Ricans across centuries". During his performance of the song, Bad Bunny also carried a Puerto Rican flag featuring a light blue triangle, which has become strongly associated with the Puerto Rican independence movement. Some commentators interpreted the gesture as a call for the independence of Puerto Rico from the US. ==Reception==

Critical Daniel Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter called it "the most impressively conceived and executed Super Bowl halftime production I've ever seen... vital in every imaginable definition of the word". The Chicago Tribune reviewer Christopher Borrelli described it as "a cultural moment, a paradigm shift". Time characterized the show as being "a fierce act of resistance" and "a sharp cultural and history lesson". On NPR's Its Been A Minute', host Brittany Luse along with guests Reanna Cruz and Alana Casanova-Burgess characterized the show as wholesome, stating that it showcased "joy as resistance". Billboard said it was "one of the most culturally specific productions in Super Bowl history". The magazine also ranked the performance at number ten on its list of the 15 best Super Bowl halftime shows, writing that "while it may go down in history as one of the most endlessly debated halftime shows, it ought to be remembered as the halftime show with the best direction and cinematography since, well, ever". Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone ranked it the second-best Super Bowl halftime show of all time, behind Prince Super Bowl XLI halftime show in 2007. The Washington Post described the show as largely restrained and celebratory, highlighting its inclusive message and emphasis on unity and love. Catholic bishop Eusebio Ramos Morales, president of the Episcopal Conference of Puerto Rico, also praised the performance. Political President Trump criticized the performance on Truth Social, calling it "absolutely terrible, one of the worst, ever!" Rolling Stone noted that Trump's reaction came despite the White House having previously stated that he would not be watching the halftime show. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously stated that "the president would much prefer a Kid Rock performance over Bad Bunny", while California governor Gavin Newsom made a tongue-in-cheek tweet mocking Trump by imitating his writing style after declaring the day of the Super Bowl to be "Bad Bunny Day" in California. The "All-American Halftime Show", an alternative halftime event organized by Turning Point USA, featured Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett, as well as former NFL players Eric Dickerson and Brett Favre, and former ESPN host Sage Steele. which Variety labelled as "slapdash" and in contrast called Bad Bunny's show "an All-American triumph". Congressional response In the days following the performance, several Republican members of Congress called for investigations into the halftime show. Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee sent a formal letter to Representative Brett Guthrie, chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, requesting a congressional inquiry into the NFL and NBCUniversal "for their prior knowledge, deliberate approval, and facilitation of this indecent broadcast". Ogles described the performance as "pure smut" and alleged it contained "explicit displays of gay sexual acts" and lyrics that "openly glorified sodomy". In a separate post on Twitter, Ogles stated that the performance was "conclusive proof that Puerto Rico should never be a state". Representative Randy Fine of Florida announced that he and other Republicans would send a letter to FCC (Federal Communications Commission) chairman Brendan Carr calling for "fines and broadcast license reviews" against the NFL, NBC, and Bad Bunny. Following Fine's complaint, the FCC requested a transcript of the show. After reviewing the transcript, FCC commissioner Anna M. Gomez stated that the show did not violate any rules. Alford acknowledged that he did not watch the entire performance and does not speak Spanish. Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York also expressed support for the performance. ==Impact==

Commercial Following the performance, Bad Bunny streams increased 470% in the US and 210% globally, occupying the top six spots of Spotify's US Daily Top Songs Chart. "Yo Perreo Sola" had a 2,170% increase in comparison of the previous day streams numbers and "El Apagón" 1,320% increase globally. Additionally, Shazam named him as the "Most Recognized Latin Artist in a Single Day", with an increase of more than 400% during and immediately following the halftime show, while the songs "Die with a Smile" and "Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii" were the most Shazamed songs during the event. On Apple Music, 23 songs landed in the Top 100, including nine in the top twenty-five and five in the top ten, and "DTMF" rose to number one. Also, listeners were up by seven times and, "DTMF", "Baile Inolvidable", and "Tití Me Preguntó" were the most streamed songs immediately after the show. In the United Kingdom, Debí Tirar Más Fotos jumped from 44 to 2 on the UK Albums Chart, earning a new highest peak and the first top 10 album for Bad Bunny in the region. In France, the album jumped from 9 to the number one spot with 14,133 equivalent units sold. Also, "DTMF" jumped from 43 to 4 on the UK Singles Chart, while "Nuevayol" reached 15 and "Baile Inolvidable" at 20. The following week, songs and albums continued to receive a sales boost on the US Hot 100 and US Billboard 200 due the halftime show. "DTMF" jumped from 9 to 1, becoming just the fourth all or mostly Spanish to have topped the charts and his first solo number one single, with 43 million streams (up 85%), 5.3 million in airplay audience (up 56%) and 12,000 digital download sold (up 262%). Also, "Baile Inolvidable" rise from 19 to 2 with 28.8 million streams (up 141%), 4.3 million in airplay audience (up 2%) and 4,000 copies sold (up 231%), "Nuevayol" from 28 to 5 with 24.4 million streams (up 165%). 3.1 million in airplay audience (up 19%) and 5,000 sold (up 238%) and "Tití Me Preguntó" re-entered on number 7 with 22.6 million streams (up 334%),1.8 million in airplay audience (up 71%) and 10,000 sold (up 734%). On the Billboard 200, Debí Tirar Más Fotos stayed at the number two position which reached the previous week due streams boost following winning Album of the Year at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, but it scored 250,000 united (up 191%), making it Bad Bunny's best mark ever. Un Verano Sin Ti also moved up 10 spots from No. 16 to No. 6 with 81,000 units, (a 63% jump from the previous week). On the issue dated February 21, 2026, the 14-minute halftime performance, which was also released as an audio track onto streaming platforms shortly after the Super Bowl concluded, debuted on three Billboard charts, mainly debuting at number 31 on the US Hot Latin Songs chart with 2.78 million streams and 2,000 downloads. He also became the first artist to occupy the top 25 spots on the same chart. The show was seen by a combined 128.2 million average viewers, making it the fourth-most watched halftime show in history, after Kendrick Lamar in 2025 (133.5 million), Michael Jackson in 1993 (133.4 million), and Usher in 2024 (129.3 million). Despite 137.8 million peak viewers (the highest viewership in history) watching the second quarter, 9.6 million viewers were lost from its lead-in. With 4 billion views after the first 24 hours, 55% of those originating from international markets, it became the most-viewed halftime show on social media. It also became the most-watched American football-related program on Telemundo with an audience of 4.8 million. The company, which has approximately 116.7 million users worldwide with nearly 49 million learning Spanish, shared data on social media showing a sharp spike in Spanish lessons coinciding with the broadcast. The surge followed Bad Bunny's appearance on Saturday Night Live in October 2025, during which he had challenged viewers to learn Spanish before the Super Bowl. Duolingo CMO Manu Orssaud told Adweek: "When something captures people's attention, learning follows. The surge in Spanish learning during and after the halftime show shows the appetite is there." ==Set list==

Set list adapted from Business Insider. • "Tití Me Preguntó" • "Yo Perreo Sola" (with "Safaera") • "Voy a Llevarte Pa' PR" (prefaced by elements of "Party") • "Eoo" • "Mónaco" (violin arrangement) • "Die with a Smile" (salsa rendition performed by Lady Gaga) • "Baile Inolvidable" • "Nuevayol" • "Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii" (performed by Ricky Martin) • "El Apagón" • "Café con Ron" (with elements of "El Apagón", featuring Los Pleneros de la Cresta) • "DTMF" == Personnel ==

Credits and personnel adapted from Liam Lunniss and Live Design. Main performer • Bad Bunny Direction and production • Director: Hamish Hamilton • Associate directors: Hayley Collett and Cameron Whitelaw • Director of photography: Dylan Sanford • Executive producers: Dave Meyers, Desiree Perez, Jesse Collins, Roger Goodell and Shawn Carter • Producer: Jana Fleishman • Supervising producer: Jody Kolozsavari • Associate producer: Matt Mojo Creative personnel • Creative directors: Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Bruce Rodgers and Harriet Cuddeford • Associate creative director: Liam Lunniss • Creative producers: Cory FitzGerald, Harriet Cuddeford, Liam Lunniss and Tiffany Olson • Field creative producer: Kristen "KP" Terry • Creative assistant: Daniela Matos • Music director: Miguel Gandelman Choreography • Lead choreographer: Charm La'Donna • Associate choreographers: Jovanni Soto, Karina Ortiz and Melany Mercedes • Team choreographer: Valerie Lemus • Stunt choreographer: Kianí Del Valle • Stunt coordinator: Sara Beko • Field cast choreographer: Kristen "KP" Terry Art and production design • Production designer: Bruce Rodgers of Tribe Inc. • Lead art director: Shelley Rodgers • Art directors: Connor Munion, Leticia León, Lily Rodgers and Oli Coleman • Art department assistants: Andrew Frey and Regan Eastland • Set fabrication and engineering: All Access Staging • Scenery: Atomic Scenery, Global Scenic, JetSets, Lennon & Co., ShowFX and Trio Entertainment Services Lighting • Lighting designers: Al Gurdon and Cory FitzGerald • Lighting directors: Ben Green, Eric Marchwinski, Harry Forster and Mark Humphrey • Programmers: Eric Marchwinski and Mark Humphrey • Lighting drafter: Jeff Behm ==Charts==

Weekly charts for "Super Bowl LX Halftime Show" (Live) single ==Notes==