7 Super Bowl Halftime Performances You May Have Forgotten About

Bianca Gracie | January 30, 2015 2:36 pm

This Sunday (February 1), Katy Perry will grace the stage as the 44th performer at the Super Bowl halftime show! Her mini-concert can include a bevy of things: American flag-printed fireworks, rockets filled with whipped cream and colorful wigs galore. Whatever the chanteuse has in store (other than guest stars Missy Elliott and Lenny Kravitz), time will tell if she has the ability to slay just as much as her famed halftime predecessors — Madonna, Beyonce, Prince, Michael Jackson, etc.

But what about the other Super Bowl stars from the past four decades? You know, the ones who may have slipped through the cracks of the big game’s history of madness? Well today (January 30), we are taking a look back at those performers whose appearances you may have forgotten about over the years.

Head on down below to revel in some good ‘ol American football nostalgia!

1. New Kids On The Block — 1991

Kicking off this list is one of the biggest names in pop boy band history — New Kids On The Block! They performed at the Super Bowl XXV in Tampa, FL. It was a super-kitschy setup that included Tigger, Donald Duck and more as the boys sung “This One’s For The Children” alongside up to 2,000 young ones. The performance was sponsored by Walt Disney World, so we can cut NKOTB a little slack!

2. Gloria Estefan — 1992

Gloria Estefan is probably more known for her 1999 halftime show with Stevie Wonder, but let’s not forget her first appearance at the game back in 1992! The theme was “A Winter Magic” due to its Minneapolis, MN setting — and man, was it intense! There were giant snowmen, women dressed like snowflakes, way too much glitter and even figure skaters. Estefan sung “Live For Loving You” and “Get On Your Feet,” but I think people focused more on the stage setup rather than her performance.

3. Patti Labelle with Tony Bennett — 1995

1995’s Super Bowl halftime show had a weird Indiana Jones theme, and what made it even more odd was the addition of Patti LaBelle and Tony Bennett! The legendary soul singer emerged from a tribal head (literally) and wooed the audience with her sparkly high priestess getup and her powerful vocals. After that, Bennett performed alongside a troop of showgirls — not a far cry from what he’s doing nowadays!

4. Blues Brothers — 1997

For some reason, the Super Bowl organizers decided to bring back the Blues Brothers for the 1997 game. The band is known for their soulful groove, but the end result just sounded like a bad karaoke session. John Belushi would not be proud!

5. Tina Turner, Christina Aguilera and Toni Braxton — 2000

While Britney Spears got to rock out with Aerosmith and N’ SYNC for the 2001 Super Bowl halftime show, Christina Aguilera was joined on stage with Enrique IglesiasTina Turner and Toni Braxton in 2000. That seems like a good fit, right? The game organizers decided to pay homage to Xtina’s Disney background, as they were the producers behind this cheesy performance that barely highlighted her killer vocals. Well, at least she made up for it when she sung the National Anthem later in 2011…kind of.

6. Shania Twain — 2003

The main headliners for the 2003 Super Bowl halftime show were rockers No Doubt and Sting. But some may forget that country starlet Shania Twain also had a hand in entertaining the sports crowd. This year marked a better production, thanks to music industry legend Jimmy Iovine. Twain belted, flirted and shimmied through a medley of 1999’s “Man! I Feel Like A Woman” and 2003’s “Up!” But we’ll leave it up to you to decide if she was lip-syncing or not.

7. Jessica Simpson — 2004

We’re surely all too familiar with the 2004 Super Bowl halftime controversy! (Hint: it involves Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and a certain part of her body). But what you may not remember is that Jessica Simpson entertained the crowd prior to the major show. She performed her 1999 hit “I Think I’m In Love With You” with such fervor that is lacking nowadays in the pop world. Can she make a comeback in 2015, please?

What is your favorite Super Bowl halftime performance? Let us know in the comments below!

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