Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show: Who Will Perform at Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans?

There were plenty of directions the NFL could have gone in figuring out its Super Bowl 59 quarterback.

The spectacle, held in the middle of America’s biggest annual sporting event, routinely lingers in the minds of spectators long after the music has ended. With this year’s game being held in New Orleans, there were a number of performers capable of leading the line on Super Bowl Sunday.

Lil Wayne was heavily associated with the responsibility, an understandable recommendation given his Big Easy roots. In the end, the NFL chose another rapper who has been on their radar. He was certainly a popular choice.

With that, here’s what you need to know about the star of the Super Bowl 59 halftime show, who will hope to follow in the footsteps of Usher, Rihanna, The Who and Prince, among many others, as stars set to appear at the biggest stage in American sports.

SN’s NFL Headquarters: Live NFL Scores | Updated NFL Standings | Full NFL schedule

Who will perform at halftime of Super Bowl 59?

Kendrick Lamar will grace the marquee for Super Bowl 59’s halftime show in New Orleans.

The primary performer regularly calls upon a cast of additional characters to join them on stage. No special guests have been announced yet, though Lamar has a treasure trove of artists he could call on if he so chooses.

This won’t be Lamar’s first Super Bowl rodeo. In 2022, Lamar took to the stage and performed with Dr. Dre. The legendary producer also had Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Mary J. Blige lend their vocals during his performance.

Lamar has 57 Grammy nominations and 17 Grammy wins to his name. He recently dropped his highly acclaimed sixth studio album, “GNX.” Some believe there is more music in store for the Compton-based artist in 2025.

When does the Super Bowl halftime show start?

The Super Bowl starts at 6:30 PM ET and the first half ends about 90 minutes later. Break time starts around 20. Intermission lasts approximately 20 to 30 minutes to include the performance and production set up and tear down.

Who is Kendrick Lamar?

Lamar is one of the greatest lyricists of his generation, garnering worldwide recognition over his two-decade career.

The 37-year-old built a loyal following in the late 2000s and early 2010s, dropping a pair of high-profile releases — mixtape “Overly Dedicated” (2009) and debut studio album “Section.80” (2011). In 2012, he released “Good Kid, MAAD City,” a titan of a record that spawned the hit singles “Money Trees,” “B—, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” “Poetic Justice” and “Backseat Freestyle.”

Lamar has gone from strength to strength in the years since, releasing four more albums as well as a smattering of other projects. Almost all of his drops have received some form of critical praise.

Coming off a banner in 2024, Lamar returns to the top of the rap charts after a high-profile feud with Drake. His Super Bowl performance, while probably the opposite to some of his earlier feelings, should give him another opportunity to take a victory lap.

MORE: 5 Best Super Bowl Halftime Shows | 5 Worst Super Bowl Intermissions

Do artists get paid for the Super Bowl halftime show?

The simple answer is nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Super Bowl performers do not receive a single cent for their exploits. That doesn’t mean the NFL is leaving these musicians up a creek without a paddle.

The league covers the cost of the theaters. Does that mean the plume of smoke you see when Lamar walks on stage? The NFL writes that check. The sturdy stage frame is filled with twinkling strobe lights? This is also handled by the league’s auditors. Often, the Hollywood-level filmography needed to pull off a grade-A performance can run the NFL millions of dollars.

Free labor is not ideal. But performing at the Super Bowl can – and has – become fairly financially viable for some music acts. The reason why? It offers a platform to introduce their sound to billions who have not previously interacted with it.

Super Bowl halftime players generally experience a sudden bump in their streaming numbers after their show. That means more streams, more sales and more money. Maroon 5’s sales skyrocketed 434 percent on the day of their halftime show back in 2019, per Billboard. Justin Timberlake experienced a similar increase, boosting his album sales 534 percent after his ’18 showcase. Lady Gaga was reported to have seen her numbers increase by 1,000 percent after rocking the house at Super Bowl 51 in ’17.

Who sings the national anthem at Super Bowl 59?

Five-time Grammy winner – and New Orleans native – Jon Batiste will perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl 59.

The history of Super Bowl halftime show performers

Super Bowl	Year	Performer(s)
1	1967	“Super Sighs and Sounds” featuring bands from the University of Arizona and Grambling State University
2	1968	Grambling State University band
3	1969	“America Thanks” with the Florida A&M University band and high school bands in the Miami area
4	1970	“Tribute to New Orleans” with Southern University band, Al Hirt, Lionel Hampton, Doc Severinsen, Marguerite Piazza
5	1971	Southeast Missouri State band
6	1972	“Salute to Louis Armstrong” with Ella Fitzgerald, Carol Channing, Al Hirt and the US Marine Corps Drill Team
7	1973	“Happiness Is…” with the University of Michigan Band, Andy Williams and Woody Herman
8	1974	“A Musical America” ​​with the University of Texas Band
9	1975	“Tribute to Duke Ellington” with Mercer Ellington and the Grambling State University bands
10	1976	“200 Years and Just a Baby: A Tribute to America’s Bicentennial” with Up With People
11	1977	“It’s a Small World” by Walt Disney Productions, including spectators waving colored placards in line
12	1978	“From Paris to the Paris of America” ​​with Pete Fountain, Al Hirt and The Apache Band
13	1979	“Salute to the Caribbean” with Ken Hamilton and various bands
14	1980	“A Salute to the Big Band Era” featuring Up With People
15	1981	“A Mardi Gras Festival” with Pete Fountain and the Southern University Band
16	1982	“A Salute to the 60’s and Motown” with Up With People
17	1983	“KaleidoSUPERscope” (a kaleidoscope of color and sound, also with spectator-held colored posters)
18	1984	“Salute to the Superstars of the Silver Screen” from Walt Disney Productions
19	1985	“A world of children’s dreams” with tops in blue
20	1986	“Beat of the Future” featuring Up With People
21	1987	“Salute to Hollywood’s 100th Anniversary and The Land of Make Believe”, a Disney production featuring high school bands
22	1988	“Something Grand” featuring Chubby Checker, 88 grands, the Rockettes and the USC and San Diego State bands
23	1989	“BeBop Bamboozled” with 3D effects
24	1990	“Salute to New Orleans” and 40th Anniversary of Peanuts’ characters with Doug Kershaw and Irma Thomas
25	1991	“A Small World Salute to 25 Years of the Super Bowl” with New Kids on the Block
26	1992	“Winter Magic” with Gloria Estefan and figure skaters Brian Boitano and Dorothy Hamill
27	1993	“Heal the World” with Michael Jackson
28	1994	“Rockin’ Country Sunday” with Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Wynonna and Naomi Judd
29	1995	“Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye” with Tony Bennett, Patti LaBelle, Arturo Sandoval, Miami Sound Machine
30	1996	“Take Me Higher: A Celebration of 30 Years of the Super Bowl” with Diana Ross
31	1997	“Blues Brothers Bash” with Dan Akroyd, John Goodman, James Belushi, James Brown and ZZ Top
32	1998	“A Tribute to Motown’s 40th Anniversary” including Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Queen Latifah, Martha Reeves and The Temptations
33	1999	“Celebration of Soul, Salsa and Swing” with Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Savion Glover
34	2000	“A Tapestry of Nations” with Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias and Toni Braxton
35	2001	“The Kings of Rock and Pop” featuring Aerosmith and NSYNC with guests Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige and Nelly
36	2002	U2
37	2003	Shania Twain and No Doubt with guest Sting
38	2004	“Choose or Lose” with Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Kid Rock, P. Diddy, Nelly and Jessica Simpson
39	2005	Paul McCartney
40	2006	The Rolling Stones
41	2007	Prince
42	2008	Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
43	2009	Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
44	2010	WHO
45	2011	The Black Eyed Peas with guests Usher and Slash
46	2012	Madonna with guests Cee Lo Green, LMFAO, MIA and Nicki Minaj
47	2013	Beyoncé with guests Destiny’s Child
48	2014	Bruno Mars with guests Red Hot Chili Peppers
49	2015	Katy Perry with guests Missy Elliott and Lenny Kravitz
50	2016	Coldplay with guests Beyoncé and Bruno Mars
51	2017	Lady Gaga
52	2018	Justin Timberlake
53	2019	Maroon 5 with guests Travis Scott and Big Boi
54	2020	Shakira and Jennifer Lopez with guests Bad Bunny and J Balvin
55	2021	The Weeknd
56	2022	Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar
57	2023	Rihanna
58	2024	Usher with guests Alicia Keys, Jermaine Dupri, HER, Ludacris, Lil Jon, Will.I.Am
59	2025	Kendrick Lamar