4 minute readrundown
Bad Bunny is headlining tonight’s Super Bowl halftime show, but he’s not getting paid much for his performance. Performers have historically received only a small fee set by their union. The NFL’s senior vice president and global head of major events recently spoke about why artists are still looking for gigs.
Bad Bunny, who just won a historic Album of the Year award at last Sunday’s Grammy Awards, is a six-time Grammy Award winner and one of the most celebrated artists in the world. But when he takes the halftime stage at Super Bowl LX tonight, he won’t be getting paid a lot for it.
That’s because Super Bowl halftime performers are not paid more than a small wage set by their union. According to Sports Illustrated, 2024 cast member Usher received $671 for his performance and about $1,800 for rehearsals for the show.
The league “pays for all costs associated with the show and also pays for the union size of the halftime performers,” an NFL representative told The Independent.
John Barker, the NFL’s senior vice president and global head of major events, spoke to the New York Times earlier this month about why big-name artists still seek gigs.
“When you’re on stage as an artist and you have the opportunity to reach 250 million people at a time, and that doesn’t include the addition of social and streaming and the ability for people to go back and rewatch, I think that’s one of the most important stages in live entertainment,” he said. “Once they join us and become a part of the halftime show, I think (artists) realize what the halftime show is and being a part of it.
“And I think that resonates very strongly with artists,” Barker added. “That’s certainly the feedback we hear from our artists year after year after year.”
According to Forbes, the NFL and Apple Music (this year’s halftime sponsor) will pay millions of dollars in production costs. This includes everything from set design to travel expenses, making the performance itself essentially “free” for the artists. However, in some cases, performers may invest their own funds to realize their vision. In 2021, for example, The Weeknd reportedly poured $7 million of his own money into the show.
Last year’s Super Bowl was watched by more than 133.5 million people, and the halftime show is more than just a concert. It’s one of the biggest marketing opportunities for music. Therefore, the actual salary will be revealed.
The show’s high profile can lead to increased album sales, streaming numbers, ticket sales, and social media followers. After the 2025 halftime show, performer Kendrick Lamar’s Spotify streams increased by 175 percent overall, and streams for his song “Not Like Us” increased by 430 percent. He and SZA set records during the halftime show. It was viewed 133.5 million times, making it the most-watched game in league history. Similarly, Rihanna’s 2023 set saw a 640% increase in music sales.
While Bunny’s performance tonight will no doubt lead to more streams of his music, the rapper spoke about why he decided to perform a halftime show before the game: It was to perform his Grammy-winning album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.
“This is the most special project I’ve ever done, because it’s what led me here,” he said at the pregame press conference. “I wasn’t looking for anything. I wasn’t looking for a Grammy or a Latin Grammy for Album of the Year. I wasn’t looking to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. I just wanted to connect with my roots, my people, more than ever before, myself, my history, my culture. And I did that very honestly. I just wanted to perform at the residency and that’s it. I said, ‘I never want to leave.'” I want to be here forever. ”And it was like, “Oh, wow.” I should go give love because the world really needs me…show love to the world…to Latin America. ”And the opportunity to bring that feeling that was in that album to one of the biggest stages in the world was something I never thought was possible. ”
“Without a doubt, this album is the most special one, because like I said, I was trying to connect with myself and my roots, and that says something to you, which I’ve known for a long time, and now it’s like it’s confirmed. Always be proud of who you are and be proud of who you are. You have to feel comfortable being who you are. Be proud of your history and where you come from. But don’t let that limit you. I know where I’ve come from, but I also know where I can go. This is an album that goes into my heart. ”
