Madonna’s hits are just made for the big stage. That’s why she was the perfect choice for the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show, which she slayed with number one hit after number one hit. Madonna hit the stage as the first solo female headliner in 16 years and broke records with the 114 million viewership – higher than the game itself. She kicked off the event with “Vogue” and showed off her flawless ability to command the big stage with a glamorous show with an ancient queen theme.
In The Music Man’s book, Madonna is one of the most naturally talented entertainers in popular music, and her halftime show showed off that in abundance. Madonna dropped her hit “Music” second, performing with a killer trio of Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. to rock “Give Me All Your Luvin’.” Madonna’s halftime show also featured a massive production, with each song kicking things to an even higher level. And of course, she sealed the deal with a triumphant closing rendition of “Like a Prayer” with a huge choir.
Madonna uploaded an HD full cut of her 2012 halftime show to YouTube on January 8, 2021, and it has since gained a hefty 50 million views. Fans were loving the show, and added comments such as “This has to be the happiest Madonna has ever looked performing. She looked like she was having the time of her life” and “She debuted in 1982. This was 30 years into her legendary career, at 54 years old. She’s amazing.”
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One of Madonna’s most notable performances since the turn of the century was her Live 8 rendition of “Like A Prayer.” The performance had a celebratory mood, and Madonna’s energy on stage was off the charts. This rubbed off on the audience, who were vibing to the Material Girl’s show big time. This live cut also featured a fantastic choir who brought the vocal arrangement to another level.
Madonna performed at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show on February 5, 2012. She began rehearsals for the event the month before and later said that they were the most exhausting rehearsals of her entire career. As is customary, Madonna wasn’t paid for the halftime show. However, as The Music Man readers may have guessed, it paid off for her quite well in other ways. Billboard reported that Madonna enjoyed a 17-fold sales increase on her back catalogue due to the performance, as well as a big boost to presales on her forthcoming releases.