Whenever a new Super Bowl Sunday gets closer and closer, two groups of people start coming together: those watching for the game, and those watching for the commercials and Halftime Show. This year, all eyes were on Rihanna as the “Wild Thoughts” singer gave her first live performance in five years. Choosing the Super Bowl Halftime Show for her big return might just be her coolest move yet, and fans certainly weren’t quiet about it.
Many are probably wondering just how much the NFL has to pay the biggest names in pop music to make an appearance at the football game. After all, the greatest of the great have taken to the iconic stage in the past, from Beyoncé and Bruce Springsteen to U2 and Michael Jackson. The answer, however, might surprise you.
Are Super Bowl performers paid?
As it turns out, Super Bowl guests perform voluntarily, and none are paid a cent. As one of the most iconic stages on the planet, the Super Bowl is obviously a coveted place to be for any artist, so in a way they are paid through free publicity, which tends to result in an increase in streams, album sales, and follower counts following the big night. According to Billboard, Snoop Dogg registered a 143 percent increase in streams following his appearance at the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show, while decades-old Dr. Dre and Eminem albums came back to the top 10 of the Hot 200 following their performances. Shakira’s streams went up 267 percent in 2020 and sales for Lady Gaga’s The Fame album increased by a whopping 986 percent in 2017.
Funnily enough, this was not always the case. If we take it back to the first big name to ever take to the Super Bowl Halftime Show stage — none other than the King of Pop, Michael Jackson — the story was a little different. While today the Super Bowl is watched by around 110 million people each year, not accounting for streaming and international viewership, the biggest night in football was once even struggling to beat a sketch comedy series. They decided to recruit Jackson in 1993 to help retain their audience during halftime, and thus the Super Bowl halftime show as we know it was born.
The “Thriller” singer wanted to be paid, however, even asking the NFL for a fee of $1 million. Eventually an agreement was reached where Jackson would perform for free and, in exchange, the NFL and its sponsors would not only offer up free advert space to promote Jackson’s Heal the World Foundation, but also donate $100,000 to it. The deal benefited both parties, with the superstar’s performance doing its job of not just retaining, but increasing viewership for the half time and the second half of the game – something which was unprecedented.
According to Forbes, both The Weeknd and Dr. Dre took money out of their pockets, around $7 million, to make sure the production for their set was up to their standards. However, the NFL told the publication that the league — alongside sponsor Apple Music — will be covering all expenses related to Rihanna’s show this year.
So, no, Rihanna wasn’t paid to perform at the Super Bowl on Sunday, but she will definitely not be shelling out money, either. As a comeback step to relaunch the star’s music career, it’s probably the best platform she could ask for.