Who's Behind The Last Six Awful Super Bowl Halftime Shows?

Half of America is on Google, trying to figure out who Bad Bunny is. (image is who we'd love to see at Super Bowl, Metallica)

Latest announcement of the halftime Super Bowl show is a head-scratcher

This is not being written from the standpoint of a 20-something Gen Z or Gen Alpha (the newest). It's from an older but definitely somewhat 'average' American when it comes to musical tastes.

Although I heavily toward the likes of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Filter, Metallica I also listen to Hank Jr., Zack Top (Sunnyside's own!) even some Morgan Wallen.

Get our free mobile app

The NFL announced the Super Bowl Halftime show for 2026 is a rap-pop artist that at least half of the nation has never heard of, Bad Bunny. He's a Puerto Rican artist whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. While he has set internet records for streaming and won Grammys he is hardly a household name, or even nationally popular outside of the 12-28 age group.

NFL Memes on Facebook published a meme showing a man in his 40's looking up Bad Bunny on Google. The caption read "this is 50 percent of America right now."

Many are wondering why the last six years (including next February) we've gotten a certain genre' of music, pop-rap artists who are as known for their controversial behavior and opinions as they are for their music.

Since 2019, the NFL has had a contract with Jay Z's company, Roc Nation, has been responsible for choosing the acts. According to their criteria, they look at creativity, popularity, diversity and impact on music as well as other factors. However, they're all in the same narrow entertainment window, hardly even approaching mass appeal.

No one will ever completely agree on who the act should be, but it should be an artist or artists that many people will enjoy or at least tolerate. Bruno Mars knocked it out in 2016, outshining Coldplay and Beyonce'. He's talented, and he's been the best the last ten years. His Prince and Motown influence put on a great show.

Prior to 2010, we've had Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen (when he could still sing) and the last time a rock act played was The Who in 2010. And, at that time Roger Daltrey could still do the greatest scream in the history of rock in the song Won't Get Fooled Again.

For the last 8 years, there's been a series of Change.Org and other petitions started to try to convince the NFL to have Metallica perform, but now even the band admits their window might have passed. Millions would love to be head-banging for 15 minutes as they rip through Enter Sandman, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Fuel, Master of Puppets and other monster rocks.

One of the reasons Animal Planet launched the Puppy Bowl during the 2005 Super Bowl halftime was not just aimed at children. Over the last ten years, it has grown into a hugely sponsored event that attracts even adults, because the main shows have gotten so bad, or artists people don't really want to watch.

But until the deal with Roc Nation expires (it was a five-year investment initially) we will be stuck with progressive, activist music that appeals to some, but does little to interest a huge number of average Americans, like myself.

At least the NFL could try to get Morgan Wallen, or Luke Combs..or Lainey Wilson (huge country artists). But with Jay Z in charge, they won't.

Puppy Bowl, here we come...again!