For over two decades Super Bowl entertainment leaned toward elaborate spectacle instead of chart-topping tunes. The opening 24 halftime productions largely highlighted dancers along with marching bands.

The shift arrived during the 1990s once New Kids on the Block and Gloria Estefan appeared ahead of Michael Jackson headlining Super Bowl 27 in 1993.

Excitement around his set ran so high that several Dallas Cowboys players quietly left the locker room to catch the King of Pop live.

Tim Tubito serving as the NFL director of global event presentation music and entertainment since 2021 calls that moment transformative.

It stood as the most memorable halftime act he explains to the BBC and it transformed how audiences expect halftime productions to deliver spectacle.

From 1998 onward halftime leads have featured globally renowned performers spanning many styles yet discussion persists about the standout edition.

Growing up with Jay-Z and Wu-Tang made the 2022 lineup of Dr Dre Eminem and Snoop especially memorable for Tubito.

Prince performing Purple Rain amid rainfall in 2007 remains unforgettable because nothing tops that scene.

J Lo and Shakira in 2020 hold personal meaning while Bad Bunny this year also proved memorable.

Roc Nation the firm led by Jay-Z has partnered with the NFL since 2019 to choose performers and craft the halftime production.

The collaboration has pushed domestic television viewership past 120 million for each of the last four shows with Kendrick Lamar in 2025 eclipsing Michael Jackson as the most viewed at 133.5 million.

Recent seasons have brought ongoing talk about the chosen headliner the set list and any additional remarks or actions.

Despite a defamation suit filed by Drake against Lamar the track Not Like Us appeared last year minus its most debated line.

Even with worries that Bad Bunny might voice political views against President Donald Trump in February the sole English phrase he used was God bless America while screens displayed a unity message.

Tubito notes the league prefers no surprises so the full show is reviewed and rehearsed in advance.

Artists are never directed on their perspective or barred from expression yet they grasp the platform and focus on entertainment value.

Bad Bunny and his crew aimed for a larger-than-life presentation that succeeded and connected strongly with audiences through a unifying theme.

Partnering with such an artist proves consistently effective since the music crosses borders and languages while delivering impact.

Tubito leads the group handling entertainment for every NFL event domestically and overseas and they created halftime shows for six of the prior season seven international contests.

British acts Raye Giggs and Jme appeared at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium doubleheader while Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee led the debut game in Spain last November.

After topping the bill in Brazil the prior year Colombian artist Karol G joined Bad Bunny at Super Bowl 60 and later became the first Latina to headline Coachella.

Diversity in talent and local relevance matter greatly to Tubito.

A strong home connection matters because weak crowd energy shows up on broadcasts so the goal is an act that resonates locally while also appealing worldwide including back in the United States.

The league will now deliver more halftime shows than in any prior year and will soon reveal the lineup for this season international slate.

Australia and France joining the calendar with Mexico returning opens doors for wider talent variety.

Although Bad Bunny ranked as Spotify top streamed artist in four of the past six years Tubito stresses that booking the biggest name is not the sole aim.

Only a limited number of such global stars exist so the right balance must be found and that selection process is the toughest challenge.

Success is not guaranteed every time yet Raye in London last year was on the verge of major breakthrough and delivered strongly while embracing the shared vision.