Predicting 2027's Super Bowl LXI Halftime Act after Bad Bunny's Epic Show

Bad Bunny's Super Bowl LX halftime show fused global pop dominance with Puerto Rican pride. He unleashed a tightly choreographed spectacle soundtracked to a catalog built for communal vibes, even if you "no habla espanol."

The NFL has spent the last several years recalibrating what the halftime stage represents. It's been a blessing that they no longer nostalgia-bait for Baby Boomer rock. Streaming rules all. And as corporations continue to virtue-signal, the halftime show works as a cultural temperature check and, increasingly, a strategic partnership with artists promoting major projects.

Recent selections reveal a pattern. The league is looking for artists with international reach and cross-generational appeal, as well as a narrative arc that mirrors the American Dream. Think about the selection process through buzzwords like redemption, coronation and reunion. Get it?

The halftime show is the biggest stage in music. An artist can reset or cement their legacy in just 15 minutes.

Projecting next year's act, there needs to be a tie-in to the NFL's efforts to expand into Europe, Latin America and Asia, while platforming a catalog casual viewers recognize at first note.

With that in mind, here are our 10 most likely halftime performers for next season, ranked by a combination of momentum, catalog strength, promotional timing and the direction the NFL appears to be heading. The list includes expected superstars, global phenomena, redemption stories and one truly off-the-wall swing.

10. Pharrell

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Likely Setlist: "Happy," "Get Lucky," "Frontin,'" "Drop It Like It's Hot," "Blurred Lines," "Beautiful"

Energy and Angle: Cross-generational hitmaker, producer, architect turned frontman.

Pharrell Williams really is the architect of modern pop. As one half of The Neptunes and a founding member of N.E.R.D., Pharrell helped shape the sonic blueprint of the early 2000s, crafting hits that blurred genre lines and dominated radio across rap, R&B and pop. A halftime show for him would double as a celebration of two decades of production influence.

"Happy" is tailor-made for a stadium singalong. "Get Lucky," his collaboration with Daft Punk, easily bridges genres. "Frontin'" kicks nostalgia, while "Drop It Like It's Hot" was a rap radio anthem in the mid-2000s. No other producer crafted melodic hooks like Pharrell. Think about "Blurred Lines" and "Beautiful" as examples.

He's worked with everyone from Jay Z to Snoop Dogg to Justin Timberlake. The halftime format thrives on surprise appearances, and Pharrell's catalog would make that an A-list affair.

Since Pharrell operates across music, fashion and art, you would get a performer/designer/director. Think right visual palettes and sleek stage design. There's no safer choice, as Pharrell offends no one. Just upbeat, polished and joyful as hell.

9. Metallica

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Likely Setlist: "Enter Sandman," "Master of Puppets," "Nothing Else Matters," "Seek & Destroy," "One," "Sad but True"

Energy and Angle: Metal legend, generational endurance, unapologetic aggression.

The most straightforward stadium act on this board, Metallica, has spent four decades proving they can command massive crowds. Few bands in rock history have mastered scale like they have.

The NFL periodically returns to rock institutions when it wants broad appeal. Metallica checks that box emphatically. Their fanbase spans generations, remaining relevant through relentless touring and consistent releases.

"Enter Sandman" alone justifies the booking. Its opening riff is instantly recognizable. "Nothing Else Matters" provides a melodic pivot, before "Seek & Destroy" and "Sad but True" shove back into raw rage. Ending with "One" might create the most dramatic arc in halftime history.

Booking Metallica would return rock to its place in Super Bowl history. Can heavy music coexist with pop and hip-hop on the biggest stage? Who knows. But it would be loud as hell.

8. Björk

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Likely Setlist: "Hyperballad," "Army of Me," "Human Behaviour," "Jóga," "It's Oh So Quiet," "All Is Full of Love"

Energy and Angle: Theatrical, orchestral, visually daring.

This is one of the boldest projections on the board. Björk isn't a conventional halftime artist, in any context. Her lengthy career exists outside the Top 40 ecosystem.

But for America's biggest spectacle, why not invite the most visually inventive live performer of the past three decades? The NFL has increasingly treated halftime as a global showcase, and Björk represents a true international art icon whose performances blur the line between concert and installation.

Her catalog contains more recognizable hooks than casuals might assume. "It's Oh So Quiet" offers Broadway-scale theatrics. "Hyperballad" builds into a euphoric release that would translate beautifully in a stadium setting.

The show could open with "Army of Me," carrying a pounding industrial backbone. With a live choir, sweeping strings, and futuristic costuming, its spectacle built around more than just choreography.

There's also a strategic argument. The NFL has committed to international games and continues to court audiences outside the United States. Booking Björk would send a message that the halftime stage belongs to the world, not just to American pop radio. What a wave of curiosity it would birth. Casual viewers might tune in simply to see how an unconventional artist adapts to a mass-audience format.

It's unlikely. But America could use a leap of faith. Who better for a cultural statement than Björk?

7. Radiohead

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Likely Setlist: "Creep," "Karma Police," "No Surprises," "Paranoid Android," "Idioteque," "High and Dry"

Energy and Angle: Emotional intensity, art-rock credibility, stadium-scale atmosphere.

Radiohead is one of the most influential bands of the past 30 years, and yet their biggest bangers remain fixtures on streaming playlists. The NFL has occasionally returned to rock acts when it wants generational reach, and Radiohead offers a refreshing switch-up from '70s-era nostalgia rock.

"Karma Police" and "No Surprises" will click for anyone who has wandered the aisles of CVS or Walgreens at 3 a.m. A shortened "Paranoid Android" would showcase the band's elite musicianship while leading into their more intricate work.

In the last decade, Radiohead's members have rotated through solo projects and side ventures, so a formal reunion performance on the biggest stage would bag global headlines. The NFL survives on those kinds of symbiotic relationships. Tie their halftime appearance to a new record or large-scale tour, and everybody wins.

Radiohead's moody, existential vibes would fit our current American climate almost too well.

6. Lil Wayne

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Likely Setlist: "A Milli," "Lollipop," "6 Foot 7 Foot," "Mrs. Officer," "Right Above It, " "Go DJ"

Energy and Angle: Hit packed Southern rap celebration with guest potential.

Few rappers of Lil Wayne's generation can match the number of bona fide hits and hall-of-fame guest verses he's dropped across 30 years. The NFL's growing embrace of hip hop makes Tunechi the next logical step.

Kicking it off with "A Milli" would make everyone go bonkers. That instrumental is woven into the fabric of 2000s rap culture. Then switch it up to "Lollipop," bridging the gap between rap and pop audiences. "6 Foot 7 Foot" adds lyrical velocity, while "Right Above It" and "Go DJ" tap into his early career catalog.

But the real cultural earthquake would come midway through the set if Wayne paused, smiled, and suddenly the opening notes of "Back That Azz Up"welcome Juvenile, B.G. and Turk to the stage for a Hot Boys reunion.

Southern rap's foundational place would finally get its flowers, long overdue in mainstream culture. The Hot Boys helped shift hip hop's center of gravity from New York and Los Angeles to New Orleans, "the Dirty South." Cash Money's rise in the late 1990s altered regional power dynamics and the evolution of commercial rap. It also set up Wayne's legendary solo career.

Millennials who grew up on bounce rhythms, gold grills and block party anthems would go bananas. For the NFL, that kind of history-making spectacle is exactly the sort of conversation-driving moment halftime is designed to produce. Tunechi!

5. Janet Jackson

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Likely Setlist: "Rhythm Nation," "That's the Way Love Goes," "If," "All for You," "Control," "Together Again"

Energy and Angle: Cultural restoration, precision choreography, catalog celebration.

Man, oh man, a Janet Jackson return would carry heavy emotional and symbolic weight. More than 20 years removed from one of the most dissected moments in Super Bowl history, a solo headlining performance would serve as the public apology she deserves.

The NFL has shown a greater awareness of narrative framing in recent years. Inviting Jackson back on her own terms would be a powerful statement.

Kicking off the set-list, "Rhythm Nation" offers one of the most iconic choreography blueprints in pop history. A stadium filled with synchronized dancers would deliver immediate visual impact across Black America. "All for You" and "That's the Way Love Goes" bring groove and accessibility. "Control" reinforces her legacy as a defining pop voice. "Together Again" provides an uplifting close to bridge generations.

Jackson's catalog spans multiple eras of radio dominance. The performance could reframe the past and establish her place in pop royalty. The queen deserves recognition for influencing countless contemporary artists.

4. Tyler, the Creator and Frank Ocean

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Likely Setlist: "EARFQUAKE," "See You Again," "Thinkin Bout You," "Lost," "NEW MAGIC WAND," "Pink + White"

Energy and Angle: Creative direction meets emotional resonance, modern R&B and hip-hop synergy.

Tyler, the Creator and Frank Ocean came up under the same Odd Future umbrella, shaped the same era of internet-fueled fandom, then drifted into separate orbits that rarely intersect in public anymore. Are they really together again? What does it all mean?

Last year, fans noticed that Tyler appeared to unfollow Frank Ocean and Frank's Homer brand on Instagram, sparking weeks of rumor-mongering. A dramatic quote attributed to Tyler about not being on speaking terms and "Odd Future is over" went viral, but it was debunked as fabricated.

Multiple write-ups traced it back to a fake or parody source and found no evidence that Tyler posted that statement in an authentic Story. Still, the unfollow itself, and the absence of public collaborations for years, kept the speculation alive.

That matters for halftime because the NFL loves a sparked-up headline. Fans get a rare Frank Ocean performance, paired with a Tyler set built for stagecraft, with the subtext of a repaired friendship (at least a professional truce). The internet would do the marketing heavy lifting.

Musically, "NEW MAGIC WAND" is built for mayhem, kicking off the mosh pit. "EARFQUAKE" and "See You Again" give the mainstream audience familiar hooks and the kind of sing-along chorus that echoes throughout a stadium. Then Frank supplies the emotional center. "Thinkin Bout You" is one of the sexiest R&B records of the past decade. "Lost" adds bounce. "Pink + White" gives the show an open-air release that would pop under a field-wide light show.

There's an irony that enriches the booking. Back in 2016, Tyler publicly said Frank's "Blonde" turned him into a "fanboy," describing their relationship in warm, big-homie terms. If the relationship has cooled since then, as fans suspect, a shared halftime stage becomes a mended heart.

3. Jungkook

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Likely Setlist: "Seven," "Standing Next to You," "Euphoria," "Dynamite," "Butter," "My Universe"

Energy and Angle: Global pop precision, synchronized choreography, international fan mobilization, worldwide proof-of-concept.

Jungkook helps the NFL make a statement about its global future. As a solo star and a central figure in BTS, he commands one of the most dedicated fanbases in contemporary music. The halftime show has long been treated as an American cultural export. Booking Jungkook would invert that dynamic and acknowledge that the largest stages now belong to global artists who can cross continents.

Musically, the set would be structured for maximum accessibility. "Seven" and "Standing Next to You" highlight his solo act. "Euphoria" connects directly to classic BTS. "Dynamite" and "Butter" are global hits with English language hooks that mainstream American audiences recognize.

K-pop live performance culture emphasizes dance routines. This would fit seamlessly into the halftime format. When every second is scripted, Jungkook's experience performing for massive international audiences will make sure he slays in a high-pressure environment.

Let's talk about the numbers: Streaming platforms have erased geographic barriers. Jungkook's reach is massive, so the NFL's recent expansion into international games suggests it's serious about new markets.

It's time to acknowledge that global pop power can define the moment just as clearly as any homegrown superstar.

2. Drake

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Likely Setlist: "God's Plan," "Hotline Bling," "One Dance," "Started From the Bottom," "In My Feelings," "Nice for What"

Energy and Angle: Streaming era dominance, sports adjacency, medley precision, generational saturation.

This one feels obvious. Over the past 15 years, Drake has built one of the most commercially dominant catalogs in modern music history. In fact, Drake may be the most optimized artist alive for the Super Bowl format.

"God's Plan" would kick things off in Biblical terms. The hook connects across demographics. Who doesn't know the silhouette dance to "Hotline Bling"? "One Dance" and "In My Feelings" inject some bounce. "Started From the Bottom" taps into the sports mythology of the grind.

But beyond the music, Drake is already part of the sports ecosystem. He's a constant presence at high-profile NBA games, especially his hometown Toronto Raptors. He has public friendships with athletes, which has kind of made him a cultural peer to pro ballers. The NFL has increasingly leaned into performers who feel connected to sports culture. Who better than Drake?

The NFL would score one of the most-streamed artists on the planet. Drake would cement another milestone in his legacy. Plus, he's one of the few artists who can stand alone on stage.

1. Daft Punk

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Likely Setlist: "One More Time," "Get Lucky," "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," "Around the World," "Digital Love," "Lose Yourself to Dance"

Energy and Angle: Dance-driven unity, visual futurism, generational crossover.

A Daft Punk reunion would be a once-in-a-generation event. The duo's live reputation was forged in the mid-2000s, when they transformed electronic music into an arena spectacle with their pyramid-stage design. Since their breakup, any hint of a return has triggered waves of speculation. The Super Bowl offers the rare platform large enough to justify that return.

The catalog is uniquely suited for mass celebration. "One More Time" celebrates collective joy. "Get Lucky" bridges electronic production and funk groove. "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" grinds out mechanical precision. Imagine that paired with synchronized lighting grids? "Digital Love" taps into their early-era nostalgia.

Given that it's primarily a DJ set, their show could focus on sound and light, offering a full-sensory experience. That could be refreshing. A show driven by design, featuring LED panels and geometric staging, would create an immersive environment that transcends television screens.

A reunion would dominate headlines. If halftime is about creating a moment that lives beyond the game, who better than Daft Punk?