2008 Super Bowl XLII

The following is a list of Super Bowl halftime shows. Due to the large number of viewers that the Super Bowl generates, a number of popular singers and musicians have performed during the halftime show.

In the United States, the halftime show for the Super Bowl is a highlight of the event, can cost millions to stage, and employ hundreds. It often serves as a crossover from pop culture, as Super Bowl Sunday has become likened to a de facto U.S. national holiday, and an event telecast, rather than merely a game. In some years, especially those in which the game itself is uncompetitive, the halftime show can be among most-discussed topics of the day, and is often regarded as watercooler material.

Due to the precise timing required to accommodate the high priced advertising surrounding the halftime shows, performers sing live but to pre-recorded backing tracks. The band on stage plays along with the pre-recorded backing tracks. The guitar solos are also performed live rather than being pre-recorded.

According to Nielsen SoundScan data, the halftime performers regularly experience significant spikes in weekly album sales and paid digital downloads due to the exposure.