Once again, this year’s Super Bowl halftime show was nothing short of sensational. With this year’s performer, Bad Bunny, and his special guests, Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, live audience members were left in awe. According to NBC Sports, the halftime show averaged 128.2 million viewers, placing it as the 4th most viewed NFL halftime show of all time –falling short of Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 halftime show by a few million. The emergence of a Turning Point USA Halftime Show, which offered an alternative show for viewers displeased with the official headliner choice, may have contributed to this difference in viewership between Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny. The TPUSA headliners included musicians Kid Rock, Lee Brice, Gabby Barrett, and more. Streaming was available through YouTube and conservative platforms such as Daily Wire+. Total viewer estimates are unclear, although total YouTube viewers, as of a few days post-performance, reached around 20 million.
Although Bad Bunny’s halftime show had a total of three musicians featured, many celebrities and influencers could be seen dancing in the background of the set. These figures included Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, Alix Earle, Karol G, and Jessica Alba. Despite her background appearance, many fans were disappointed to discover that rapper Cardi B did not perform the hit song “Like That” alongside Bad Bunny, considering they collaborated with each other and J Balvin on the track.
Bad Bunny’s setlist included his hits “Tití Me Preguntó,” “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” “EoO,” and more. The track Lady Gaga performed was a salsa-inspired version of her own single, “Die with a Smile,” originally a collaboration between her and Bruno Mars. Ricky Martin covered Bad Bunny’s “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii”. All of these tracks are notable in either Lady Gaga’s or Bad Bunny’s discographies– “Die with a Smile” has over 3 billion streams on Spotify, and “DeBÍ TiRaR MáS FOToS” over 1.5 billion. With such high viewership, it’s clear why these hit tracks were chosen for this year’s show! But why Bad Bunny?
To begin, Bad Bunny’s fanbase is massive. With over 104 million monthly listeners on Spotify as of February 2026, placing him #5 in Top Artists, Bad Bunny as a halftime performer appears to be a strategic move made by the NFL. Not only is he extremely popular, but the NFL was also looking to expand its international audience. With this goal in mind, Bad Bunny was a great choice, as he is recognized as the first solo Latin artist to become a headliner for the halftime show and is reputed to have a sizable Latino fanbase. According to ESPN, “Marissa Solis, the NFL’s senior vice president of global brand and consumer marketing, told ESPN in November that the league first identified the U.S. Latino population as a ‘critical growth area.’”
Bad Bunny’s performance included references to many countries with Latino populations, likely paying homage to his Latino heritage and describing them as a part of “America,” the continent. Born in Puerto Rico, he carried the Puerto Rican flag throughout his performance, while backup dancers carried other various flags such as the Guatemalan, Brazilian, and Bolivian flags. Many of these Latin American countries were mentioned by Bad Bunny towards the end of his performance, likely to resonate with Latino viewers and fans.
The music was not the only notable part of Bad Bunny’s performance though. On a billboard in the background of his performance, the words “The only thing more powerful than hate is love” were displayed. This message moved many viewers as it called for people to combat negativity–which many have been connecting to the current sociopolitical state of the U.S., including topics such as the recent turmoil surrounding ICE activities and pressing immigration policies–not with reciprocated negativity, but with love instead. Many on social media believe this message to also partly be in response to people’s criticism regarding the choice of Bad Bunny as a headliner. Such criticisms have stemmed from various places and people, including President Donald Trump, who told the New York Post, “I think it’s a terrible choice.” Despite much backlash prior to the performance, the NFL stuck with their initial decision.
Looking past the criticism, this show’s influence remains apparent. According to NBC News, “the top three most-viewed NFL social posts in history are now Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show clips.” This halftime show performance has proven, yet again, how powerful music can be, as both a uniting and dividing force. In coming years, how will the NFL top this year’s halftime performance?
Works Cited
Diaz, Vanessa. “Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show Explained: Meanings, Symbols.” Rolling Stone, 9 Feb. 2026, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-latin/bad-bunny-super-bowl-meaning-1235513218/.
Guardian staff reporter. “Super Bowl and Bad Bunny Miss US TV Audience Record but New Mark Set for Social Media.” The Guardian, 11 Feb. 2026, www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/11/super-bowl-lx-audience-figures-bad-bunny-halftime-show.
Kahler, Kalyn. “Why the NFL Stood by Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl Halftime Show – ESPN.” ESPN.com, ESPN, 30 Jan. 2026, www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47757332/nfl-stood-bad-bunny-super-bowl-half-show-trump.
Maher, Kit. “Trump Says He’s Skipping the Super Bowl: “It’s Just Too Far Away.”” CNN, 25 Jan. 2026, www.cnn.com/2026/01/25/politics/trump-super-bowl-lx-football.
Robinson, KiMi. “Bad Bunny Super Bowl Setlist – Every Song from His Halftime Show.” USA TODAY, 9 Feb. 2026, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2026/02/08/bad-bunny-super-bowl-halftime-setlist/88539336007/.
Stoddard, Catherine. “Bad Bunny Halftime Show and Turning Point: How Many People Watched in the US.” FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth, FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, 11 Feb. 2026, www.fox4news.com/news/bad-bunny-halftime-show-turning-point-how-many-people-watched-us.
“Super Bowl LX Is Second Most-Watched All-Time with Nearly 125 Million Viewers, Peaking at All-Time U.S. Record 137.8 Million Viewers across NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo.” NBC Sports, 10 Feb. 2026, www.nbcsports.com/pressbox/press-releases/super-bowl-lx-is-second-most-watched-all-time-with-nearly-125-million-viewers-peaking-at-all-time-u-s-record-137-8-million-viewers-across-nbc-peacock-and-telemundo.
