J.Lo, Lady Gaga and More: The Net Worths of the Super Bowl’s Richest Halftime PerformersIn 2020, more than 98 million pairs of eyes were glued to the television screen watching the world’s most famous, talented and wealthy performers belt out approximately 13 1/2 minutes of songs at the Super Bowl. While performers like 2017’s headliner, Lady Gaga, rake in more than a million dollars per concert when they’re on tour, they don’t get paid a penny for their Super Bowl appearances. Instead, Super Bowl halftime performers make money from increased sales of music and concert tickets after the game. While everyone waits in anticipation for The Weeknd’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, here’s a look at the net worths of the richest halftime performers from 1993 to 2020. For those who are deceased, the net worth listed is their net worth at passing. For bands and musical groups, the net worth is calculated based on a sum of the individual members’ net worths. Even though they don’t get paid for the Super Bowl, these musicians are making bank. Travis Scott Net Worth: $40 MillionTravis Scott only appeared onstage for roughly 90 seconds during the 2019 halftime show, but he made the most of his time. The rapper — after being introduced by a “SpongeBob Squarepants” video clip — entered the stadium via an augmented-reality comet to perform his hit “Sicko Mode” while surrounded by flames. Following his performance, sales of “Sicko Mode” increased 80%, Billboard reported. Missy Elliott Net Worth: $50 MillionIf you thought the dancing sharks, beach balls and palm trees were the pinnacles of the 2015 Super Bowl XLIX halftime show, you hadn’t seen anything yet. As the lights went down on bikini-clad frolickers on Katy Perry’s island, blue mist surrounded a mysterious silhouette that left some viewers perplexed. Social media blew up with inquiries from the younger generation asking who it was. Grammy-winning artist Missy Elliott hadn’t released an album in 10 years while she worked on writing and producing. In the nearly three minutes it took Missy Elliott to work through a medley of “Get Ur Freak On,” “Work It” and “Lose Control,” she made a new generation of fans. Elliott’s music downloads and sales exploded nearly 1,000% in the days following the show. Lenny Kravitz Net Worth: $50 MillionKaty Perry’s girl-on-fire dress and grand entrance on the back of a 28-foot-long, metallic lion wowed during the 2015 Super Bowl XLIX halftime show. Lenny Kravitz looked right at home next to Perry in her $15,000 patent leather 3D flame dress. But Perry’s Swarovski crystal-studded shoes weren’t the only bling on stage. Kravitz strutted to the mic to belt out the opening lyrics of “I Kissed a Girl“dressed in shredded Hedi Slimane jeans and a black Saint Laurent motorcycle jacket. Beneath it all, he wore a gold mesh tank top designed by Natalia Fedner. Patti LaBelle Net Worth: $50 MillionThe 1995 Super Bowl halftime show was produced by Disney to promote its new Indiana Jones Adventure ride at Disneyland. Criticized as being one of the worst halftime shows of all time, the show featured over-the-top Indiana Jones-themed theatrics and vocal performances by Patti LaBelle and Tony Bennett. Given the lackluster response, it should be no surprise that the performance didn’t lead to increased sales for LaBelle or any of the others onstage that year, Billboard reported. Tanya Tucker Net Worth: $60 MillionIn 1994, the Super Bowl halftime show went country with a lineup that included Tanya Tucker, Clint Black, Travis Tritt and The Judds. It’s one of the few times the genre was highlighted during the show — the only other time was Shania Twain’s performance in 2003. Tom Petty Net Worth (Deceased): $95 MillionThe lights went down in the stadium at the beginning of the 2008 Super Bowl XLII halftime show, revealing the outline of a heart-shaped stage. A large, lighted arrow rolled across the field to signal the start of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ opening number, “American Girl.” Blowing through a medley of his greatest hits paid off for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Reeling in a new generation of fans, digital downloads of songs he performed rose more than 150%. Petty’s albums “Greatest Hits” and “Through the Years” increased in sales by 196% and 240%, respectively. Stevie Wonder Net Worth: $110 MillionStevie Wonder’s first halftime show appearance was in 1994 as a “special guest” during the finale. He then headlined the show five years later in 1999 alongside Gloria Estefan. Wonder entered the arena while driving a car and singing “Sir Duke” for this memorable performance. The Black Eyed Peas Net Worth: $155 Million
Before Fergie quit The Black Eyed Peas, the group performed a selection of their old and new hits at the 2011 Super Bowl halftime show. The performance ended up being gold for their bottom line: The group’s then-current album, “The Beginning,” saw a 35% sales gain in the week ending Feb. 6, 2011. The next week, sales were up 61%, Billboard reported. Christina Aguilera Net Worth: $160 MillionThe new millennium kicked off with a Disney-sponsored halftime show with big-name headliners that included Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, Phil Collins and Toni Braxton. Despite the star power of 2000’s show, many fans were disappointed that the performers sang little-known ballads instead of their more popular hits. Case in point, Aguilera joined Iglesias for a duet of the song “Celebrate the Future Hand in Hand.” Pictured: Christina Aguilera attends the BMG Party at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 23, 2000. Bruno Mars Net Worth: $175 MillionBruno Mars was the first performer to appear on a halftime show twice in just two years. His performance at the 2014 Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show was such a hit that he reappeared as a guest act with Coldplay and Beyoncé in the 2016 Super Bowl 50 halftime show. His performance at the 2014 halftime show started off innocently enough with children holding hands singing an excerpt from “Billionaire.” Mars made his grand entrance on a moving drum stage, beating the skins as an intro to “Locked Out of Heaven.” Mars’ showmanship once again did not disappoint the audience in the 2016 Super Bowl 50 halftime show. After he performed “Uptown Funk,” he danced with Beyoncé before he ended his set with Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin joining him for a rendition of the song. The Blues Brothers Net Worth: $182 Million
It might be hard to believe but in 1997, a fictional blues and soul band headlined the actual Super Bowl halftime show. Dan Aykroyd and the late John Belushi’s brother, Jim Belushi, took the stage as The Blues Brothers for this year’s show, a full 17 years after their group’s eponymous movie was released. Fortunately, they were joined by legitimate musicians on stage — James Brown and ZZ Top — but the performance has still gone down in history as one of the worst halftime shows of all time. Janet Jackson Net Worth: $190 MillionIt’s not often a performer makes a major ripple in the world within seconds. But that’s just what Janet Jackson did in her 2004 performance with Justin Timberlake at the Super Bowl XXXVII halftime show. Known ever after as Nipplegate, Jackson’s bare breast emerged as Timberlake pulled at the front of her bustier during the last lines of “Rock Your Body.” The move was supposed to reveal a red lace bra, but the garment failed, which brought the term “wardrobe malfunction” into common use. Although Jackson’s music sales rocketed in the weeks following her performance, the move negatively impacted her career. She was banned from that year’s Grammy Awards and blacklisted from music video and radio channels for several years. Boyz II Men Net Worth: $200 Million
In 1998, Boyz II Men headlined a halftime show dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Motown. The show opened with a video montage of celebrities — including Whoopi Goldberg and Martha Stewart — singing along to “The Way You Do The Things You Do” before the live show began. In addition to Boyz II Men, the show included performances by The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Martha and the Vandellas, and Queen Latifah. Pictured: Boyz II Men in 1998. Maroon 5 Net Worth: $205 Million
Maroon 5 headlined 2019’s halftime show, opening up with their first-ever single, “Harder To Breathe,” followed by another early hit, “This Love.” The band — who was joined onstage by both Travis Scott and Big Boi — also sang “Sugar” and “Moves Like Jagger” during a performance that included a number of costume changes by lead singer Adam Levine. After the performance, sales of Maroon 5’s entire catalog jumped by 488%, Billboard reported. Who Made the List? 7 Most Expensive Grammy-Winning Albums Ever Britney Spears Net Worth: $215 MillionBritney Spears has always been famous for dancing to the beat of her own drum, even back in her days as a child actor. And during the 2001 “The Kings of Rock and Pop” extravaganza at the Super Bowl XXXV halftime show, Spears showed her own style when she joined Aerosmith, ‘N Sync, Nelly and Mary J. Blige onstage. The character Spears portrayed, Missy Who Was Ready to Play, was wearing that famous arm sock that caused a fashion commotion. Countless Spears wannabes chopped the toes off tube socks the next day and donned them on their arms, and it wasn’t long before Urban Outfitters and other fashion houses picked up the trend. The fad died out, but you can still buy arm warmers online today. The Who Net Worth: $235 Million
The two remaining members of The Who, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend took the stage for a pyrotechnics-filled rock ‘n’ roll halftime show in 2010. The 12-minute performance included a number of their top hits like “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” The performance boosted sales of the band’s “Greatest Hits” album: Sales rose to 8,000 (up 102%) the week of the Super Bowl, and the following week, they jumped to 14,000 (up 84%), Billboard reported. Diana Ross Net Worth: $250 MillionDiana Ross is one of the few artists who actually sang live during her Super Bowl performance. The former Supreme put on a 12-minute solo show in 1996 that included nine wardrobe changes and a dramatic exit via helicopter. Ross included two new songs in her performance — a cover of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and an original song, “Take Me Higher” — off her then-current “Take Me Higher” album. The album sold 3,000 units the week after the show, an increase of 74%, Billboard reported. Justin Timberlake Net Worth: $250 MillionAt the 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show, Justin Timberlake became momentarily infamous for having a hand — quite literally — in Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction. Timberlake ascended the stage as Jackson completed “Rhythm Nation” to perform a duet of his hit “Rock Your Body,” the show’s finale. At the song’s concluding lyric, “I bet I’ll have you naked by the end of this song,” the history-making wardrobe malfunction happened. Despite the controversy, Timberlake was invited back as a headlining performer in 2018. Donning a camouflage suit, Timberlake played a medley of his past and present hits, including “SexyBack” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” as well as a spirited tribute to Prince. Phil Collins Net Worth: $260 MillionAs part of 2000’s Disney-themed halftime show, Phil Collins sang the theme from “Tarzan.” Other performers that year included Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, Toni Braxton and Tina Turner. Prince Net Worth (Deceased): $300 MillionThe 2007 Pepsi Super Bowl XLI halftime show featuring headliner Prince began with pyrotechnic flames shooting into the sky. Queen’s “We Will Rock You” got the hearts and feet of viewers pounding in rhythm. After another burst of pyrotechnics around the stage, the lights dimmed to Prince’s voice intoning, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life.” Dressed in a teal suit and coral shirt, Prince captivated the audience with a medley of three of his hits, “Let’s Go Crazy,” “1999” and “Baby I’m a Star.” The real surprise came when he switched from his own songs to pay homage to other artists’ classics. Prince transformed “Proud Mary” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, “All Along the Watchtower” by Bob Dylan and “Best of You” by Foo Fighters with a style distinctly his own. Shakira Net Worth: $300 MillionShakira — along with Jennifer Lopez — headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2020. Several artists reportedly turned down the opportunity to perform in protest of the NFL’s treatment of Colin Kaepernick, but Shakira defended her decision to participate, according to The Guardian. “I think it’s the right thing to do for the Latino community because we’ve also been through so much in Trump’s America,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to celebrate our culture.” Lady Gaga Net Worth: $320 MillionAs the headlining act for the 2017 Super Bowl LII halftime show, Lady Gaga was no stranger to the Super Bowl — you might remember her singing the national anthem at the 2016 Super Bowl LI. While she killed her rendition of the national anthem, her halftime performance will surely be remembered as one of the greatest of all time. Gaga began by jumping off the roof, and through a series of costume changes and pyrotechnic displays, sang her way through both high-energy hits like “Poker Face” and soulful ballads like “Million Reasons.” She ended her set by jumping off the stage — while catching a football, of course. All of Gaga’s prep for the show paid off in a big way. She sold roughly 150,000 digital albums and songs in the U.S. on the day of her performance, an increase of more than 1,000% compared to the day before, Billboard reported. Katy Perry Net Worth: $330 MillionKaty Perry made her grand entrance at the 2015 Super Bowl XLIX halftime show singing her hit “Roar” on a 16-foot-high lion puppet that weighed nearly 1,600 pounds. But it was a shark that stole the show. “Left Shark’s” free-frolicking moves seemed random and out of sync with “Right Shark’s” tight moves, which made the clip go viral. Perry’s 12 1/2-minute performance included four wardrobe changes. From 20-carat diamond earrings to more than 22,000 Swarovski crystals bedecking her dresses, microphones and shoes, Perry’s designer Jeremy Scott delivered the fashion bling for which she’s known. Coldplay Net Worth: $390 Million
Coldplay headlined the Super Bowl 50 halftime show in 2016, which also included performances by Bruno Mars, Beyoncé and Mark Ronson. The whole crowd got to be involved in the performance, holding up placards that created designs and phrases across the entire stadium during the show. Following the Super Bowl, sales of Coldplay’s full discography jumped 365% in the U.S., and the band’s latest album, “A Head Full of Dreams,” rose up in the Billboard 200 chart from No. 16 to No. 4, Forbes reported. Jennifer Lopez Net Worth: $400 MillionJennifer Lopez took the stage for 2020’s Super Bowl halftime show alongside Shakira. The multihyphenate star told Variety that she hoped the performance would be a unifying moment for America. “I think it’s important in this day and age for two Latin women to be standing on that stage — when Latinos are being treated a certain way in this country or looked at a certain way — to show that we have a really specific and beautiful culture and worth and value, and we bring something to this country that’s necessary,” she said. “I think that’s going to be an amazing moment. That night, I want it to be a celebration of who we are — all of us, because we’re in this together.” Shania Twain Net Worth: $400 MillionShania Twain opened up the halftime show in 2003 during Super Bowl XXXVII, performing “Man I Feel Like a Woman” and “Up!,” off her album of the same name that had just been released two months prior. The performance proved to be good publicity for the album — it sold 67,000 units, an increase of 41%, in the week after the show, Billboard reported. Check Out: The 30 Richest Country Music Stars, Ranked Aerosmith Net Worth: $490 Million
The 2001 Super Bowl marked a new direction for the halftime show. In previous years, there was less of a focus on current artists and more of an emphasis on beloved stars from the past, Billboard reported. The 2001 show was a pop fan’s dream come true with a mashup of hits performed by some of the biggest acts of the time: Britney Spears, ‘N Sync, Aerosmith, Nelly and Mary J. Blige. Aerosmith sang some of their most popular songs during the show, including “I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing” and “Walk This Way” — the big finale that included all the performers in one iconic halftime show moment. The band also used the platform as an invaluable promotion opportunity by performing “Jaded,” the lead single from their upcoming album “Just Push Play,” which was due out the following month. Beyoncé Net Worth: $500 MillionPosing before a pyrotechnic display of herself, Beyoncé opened the 2013 Super Bowl XLVII halftime show by belting out a snippet of “Love on Top.” She packed nine of her hit songs into the 14-minute show, surrounded by dramatic special effects and tightly choreographed backup dancers. Beyoncé‘s former Destiny’s Child bandmates joined her onstage for three songs. The reunited trio rolled through fan favorites including “Independent Women Part 1” and “Bootylicious” before finishing with Beyoncé‘s own “Single Ladies.” Beyoncé returned to the Super Bowl stage in 2016 for a guest appearance. She performed her newly released single “Formation,” danced with Bruno Mars to “Crazy in Love” and joined Mars and Coldplay’s Chris Martin for a rendition of “Uptown Funk.” Gloria Estefan Net Worth: $500 MillionGloria Estefan has actually performed as a halftime show headliner twice — first in 1992 and again in 1999. The 1992 show was a winter-themed production featuring ice dancers, while 1999’s halftime show was all about dance — swing dancers, tap dancers and salsa dancers were all part of the spectacle. For the latter show, Estefan was joined onstage by Stevie Wonder, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Savion Glover. Michael Jackson Net Worth (Deceased): $500 MillionMichael Jackson’s 1993 performance during Super Bowl XXVII is credited as the origin of the superstar-packed halftime show. Prior to his performance, the show was more about marching bands and card stunts, Billboard reported. The King of Pop set a high bar for this new halftime show format. He began his set by letting the tension build for 90 seconds as he stood motionless on the stage, and then went on to perform an energy-packed medley of five songs: “Billie Jean,” “Jam,” “Black and White,” “We Are the World” and “Heal the World.” Jackson took a chance as the first performer to appear in this star-focused halftime show, and the gamble paid off. Sales of “Dangerous” increased 83% for one of its best sales week ever, and the album rose from No. 88 to No. 41 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album sold over 50,000 units for the next six straight weeks, Billboard reported. Bruce Springsteen Net Worth: $500 MillionBruce Springsteen opened the Super Bowl XLIII halftime show by addressing the viewers at home, not in the stadium. “Ladies and gentlemen, for the next 12 minutes, we’re going to bring the righteous and mighty power of The E Street Band into your beautiful home!” He advised viewers to step back from the guacamole dip, put the chicken fingers down and turn the volume up. The Boss broke into “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out,” and about two minutes into it took a running slide toward the camera and crashed into it. Springsteen used a runway to get up close with the crowd while fireworks shot off in time to the music. Springsteen’s Super Bowl appearance coincided with the release of “Working on a Dream” earlier that week. The album landed in the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart for the week ending Feb. 1, with a total of 224,000 albums sold. Madonna Net Worth: $850 MillionMadonna entered the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI halftime show on an elaborate chariot borne by a parade of marching Roman warriors. Twelve minutes later, she disappeared in a dramatic plume of smoke. Between the two events, she held millions of viewers spellbound. Viewers saw Madonna transform from exotic princess to cheerleader to choirmaster and more as she danced and sang with guests Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. and Redfoo. She rode a bejeweled human serpent, danced with a tightrope trickster and vogued with a contortionist and break-dancing lyre player. She also debuted a song from her then-upcoming album “MDNA” — “Give Me All Your Luvin'” — with Minaj and M.I.A. The album received 50,000 preorders by the end of Super Bowl Sunday. Her appearance boosted her other music sales, too. Her older albums saw a rise of 410% and fans downloaded 115,000 copies of her new single by week’s end. The Rolling Stones Net Worth: $1 Billion
No special effects were necessary at the 2006 Super Bowl XL halftime show. The Rolling Stones did what they do best — played rock and roll. All eyes were on Mick Jagger as he shook and wiggled down the giant, tongue-shaped stage “licking” into the audience. The band played just three songs during its 12-minute set. The Stones kicked things off with “Start Me Up” and then rolled into “Rough Justice” during the first half of their performance. They devoted the second half entirely to the crowd-pleasing song “Satisfaction,” which lasted more than six minutes. The Rolling Stones saw only a minimal increase in music sales — around 9% — immediately following their performance. However, the performance coincided with their “A Bigger Bang” tour, which became the highest-grossing tour of all time in 2007. Paul McCartney Net Worth: $1.2 BillionThe 2005 Super Bowl XXXIX halftime show opened with a decidedly retro feel as Paul McCartney launched into “Drive My Car” from his days with The Beatles. Other oldies but goodies included “Get Back” and the set’s finale “Hey Jude.” In between, McCartney sandwiched a favorite from his Wings days, “Live and Let Die.” McCartney was no stranger to the Super Bowl. Although 2005 was his first time headlining the event, he sang “Freedom” at the 2002 Super Bowl XXXVI pregame show. At halftime, he harmonized with Fox Sports broadcaster Terry Bradshaw — the duo belted out a short rendition of “A Hard Day’s Night.” U2 Net Worth: $1.6 Billion
Had Janet Jackson only said yes to her invitation to sing at the 2002 Super Bowl XXXVI, Nipplegate might never have happened. However, she didn’t feel comfortable headlining the halftime show after the 9/11 attacks happened just a few months before. U2 was a natural choice for the NFL’s top marketing executive, John Collins. Shortly after Jackson declined, he watched U2 play at Madison Square Garden. As the band performed one of many encores that night, the names of those killed in the terror attacks just weeks before scrolled across the arena’s domed ceiling. It was riveting as people started recognizing victims’ names. U2 brought the concept with them to the Super Bowl XXXVI halftime show. After they opened with “Beautiful Day,” a towering screen behind the stage scrolled the names of those killed while the band rolled through “MLK” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” The scrolling came to an end when the screen suddenly dropped down, mirroring the World Trade Center’s collapse. The emotional set concluded with Bono opening his jacket to reveal the American flag on its inside lining. More From GOBankingRates
Jodi Thornton-O’Connell contributed to the reporting for this article. All net worths are sourced from Celebrity Net Worth and are accurate as of Jan. 8, 2020. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: J.Lo, Lady Gaga and More: The Net Worths of the Super Bowl’s Richest Halftime Performers |
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