Why Super Bowl Halftime Performers Aren’t Paid (But Still Win Big)

Maksymilian Lipka

Kendrick Lamar has recently headlined at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show alongside SZA. Because of this, more evidently than ever before, it has come to public attention that artists aren’t actually getting paid for this performance. Instead, they may be actually getting something even more valuable.

The Super Bowl is an annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), and it is one of the biggest and most iconic events of its type in the world. Every year, it attracts millions of viewers: not just football lovers, but also people that want to experience its most viewed part, the halftime show. Halftime shows are performances during the break in the middle of the game, historically featuring stars like Shakira, Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd singing their greatest hits. Despite huge hype and spotlight, it is surprising these performers do not get paid at all for their performances. How come?

The reason performers aren’t paid is because the Super Bowl isn’t a traditional gig. As per NFL policy, they cover all costs related to the production of the performance, but not an actual monetary payment to the artist themselves. It is in fact all about exposure.

When performing at a stage watched by millions - recently reaching nearly 128 million viewers - artists get access to global audiences. For many musicians, this kind of exposure is worth way more than money.

Let’s take Rihanna’s performance in 2023 as an example. The moment she performed at the Super Bowl, her music saw a huge increase in charts and some of her albums got back into the spotlight. That’s the kind of reach you simply can’t buy. They often see such increases in streams that it would be nearly impossible to achieve them in any other way, with payouts being higher than what could be earned through paychecks in compensation.

The Super Bowl halftime show is such an iconic event that we can safely say it has reached indisputable cultural significance. For most artists, performing at one is a career-defining moment. Stars like Beyonce or Kendrick Lamar have used this platform to ensure their legacy in music. It is an opportunity to showcase their abilities on a massive level, whether by debuting new music or reimagining their old hits.

In the end, while not getting paid with might seem odd, for many artists, the Super Bowl halftime show is more than just a performance—it’s a game-changer. The opportunity to reach millions of people and gain exposure they simply couldn’t get elsewhere makes it one of the most sought after stages in the world.