From Michael Jackson To Dr. Dre, How Super Bowl Halftime Shows Lead To Super Sales

Since Michael Jackson headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 1993, nearly every performer who has graced the stage on sports’ (and TV’s) biggest night has seen significant increases in sales and streams. Rihanna, who will headline Super Bowl LVII early next year, is hoping to continue this tradition.

With few exceptions, Super Bowl halftime shows have seen a significant commercial increase over the last 30 years. In the week following the performance, sales of three of the band’s key albums (All That You Can’t Leave Behind, The Joshua Tree, and Best of 1980-1990) more than doubled. Janet Jackson experienced a similar increase in 2004, despite, or perhaps because of, the singer’s infamous “Nipplegate” controversy. Paul McCartney in 2005, Prince in 2007, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers in 2008, Madonna in 2012, Katy Perry and Missy Elliott in 2015, Coldplay and Bruno Mars in 2016, and Lady Gaga in 2017 saw a whopping 1,000% increase in digital album and song sales on Super Bowl Sunday alone.
According to NBCUniversal, which aired the event, the halftime show, which featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige, averaged 103.4 million viewers across television and streaming in the United States in 2022. The game itself drew 112.3 million viewers, the most in five years.
Super Bowl halftime shows have resulted in some impressive increases in sales and streams – as well as on Billboard’s charts – over the last 30 years. Here’s a look back at some of the biggest halftime show winners since 1993, ahead of Rihanna’s 2023 Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, Feb. 12. (According to Luminate, sales and streaming data are only available in the United States.)
Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar in 2022

Snoop Dogg, one of the headliners featured in 2022’s historic hip-hop halftime show on Feb. 13, saw the greatest increase, rising 143% from 12.427 million streams the week before to 30.222 million the week the game aired. Mary B. Blige was close behind in second place, with a 132% gain (14.395 million to 33.386 million). It should be noted, however, that both Snoop and Blige released albums on February 11 (BODR and Good Morning Gorgeous, respectively), just two days before the show. Dr. Dre’s streams increased 108% (22.658 million to 42.136 million), Eminem’s increased 39% (70.330 million to 97.438 million), and Kendrick Lamar’s increased 35%. (44.440 million to 60.138 million).
15 albums tied to 2022 halftime performers (and the songs performed) dotted the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Feb. 26, 2022), including four in the top 20. Eminem’s former No. 1 Curtain Call: The Hits rocketed 126-8 (31,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Feb. 17; up 256%), while Dr. Dre’s Dr. Dre – 2001 rocketed 108-9 (30,000 units; up 220%). It was the albums’ first appearance in the top ten since 2006 and 1999, respectively.

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