Oct 3, 2011 - Madonna will perform during the Super Bowl 2012 halftime show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on February 5, sources close to the event told SBNation.com on Monday. A spokesperson for the NFL declined to comment.
As you'd expect for an artist with her mass appeal, this isn't the first time Madonna's been approached about performing at the Super Bowl. In 1998, it was heavily rumored that Madonna would perform at Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami, only to have the plans fall apart before a deal could be reached. Likewise, Madonna was reportedly to headline the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXV, two years later, but backed out at the last minute.
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None of which is to say that she's a stranger to the Super Bowl spotlight. As recently as 2008, Madonna's music was used in a commercial for SunSilk hair products, for which the singer was paid $10 million, according to Rolling Stone. So where does Madonna fit in the lineage of Super Bowl halftime performers?
Let's take a look at the past 10 years.
Now we can add Madonna to that list. For the moment, the biggest question is how much freedom she gets from the NFL. Madonna of the '80s and '90s would've been a pretty interesting experiment at the Super Bowl, as no female artist this side of Janet Jackson would've been more likely to push the envelope as far as costumes, themes, and stageplay is concerned.
More: Super Bowl Commercials 2012.
After the debacle with Janet Jackson in 2004, old school Madonna would've been far too risky for the NFL. But today's Madonna is a mom more famous for charity than lack of chastity, and a natural fit for the NFL's biggest stage, especially considering the direction the NFL's taken in the years since 2004's controversy.
She may not match Prince, but she's better than Paul McCartney, and certainly an upgrade over 2011's apocalyptic amalgam of the Black Eyed Peas, a half-dead Slash, and Usher. So, if we can accept that the NFL's not going to give us any relevant new music (like, say, Jay-Z and Kanye West), then fans could certainly do worse than Madonna, right?
The Super Bowl and its halftime show will be televised live on NBC on February 5th, 2012. Stay tuned for further comments from Madonna and/or the NFL as the news emerges.
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"Better than Paul McCartney"?
Sorry, no.
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by Al Yellon on Oct 3, 2011 11:32 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Agreed
Self-praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.
-John Madden
by Willgfass on Oct 3, 2011 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Better than 21st-century Paul McCartney.
I am proud to be a Kennesaw State Fighting Owl. -- Vince Dooley
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by Jason Kirk on Oct 3, 2011 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Not only booo, but
ARE YOU FRICKIN’ KIDDING ME?!?! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Out of bounds you stupid guy!"
by Modrik Zutar on Oct 3, 2011 12:18 PM EDT reply actions
Don't care
usually get up and get something to eat, drink a beer or two, kill one or two of my neighbors and bury their bodies in the snow so they’ll be found in spring…
or whatever else i can think of to avoid the half time show.
Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
Corn Nation!
Twitter!
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by Jon Johnston on Oct 3, 2011 6:25 PM EDT reply actions
Skipping Half Time Again this year...
… my bladder thanks the NFL in Advance.
Rather see Spam-A-Lot at half time…. actually I really would rather see Spam-A-Lot than anything that’s rolled out recently. I meant that sarcastically at first but the more I think about it… or maybe the cast from Lombardi.
by The Delivery Guy on Oct 3, 2011 6:36 PM EDT reply actions
Super Bowl half time shows....
Acts 30 years too late, acts that never should have been.
Too bad there hasn't always been a DH...then we never would have to hear about this Ruth guy...
by Brad Spontak on Oct 3, 2011 11:57 PM EDT reply actions
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