Expand / Collapse search
☰

Rolling Stone releases new Super Bowl halftime show rankings; how did Usher do?

By
Updated  February 12, 2024 1:29pm EST
Super Bowl
FOX 5 Atlanta
Image 1 of 10
▼

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: (L-R) Alicia Keys and Usher perform onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation)

ATLANTA - Rolling Stone magazine has released a new ranking of Super Bowl halftime shows and Usher's show didn't even make the top 10. 

Usher's 13-minute show featuring 14 songs ranks No. 18 on Rolling Stone's list. Rolling Stone points out that Usher didn't go for big thrills or surprises in his set. They described it as "millennial-friendly" and seemed disappointed that Justin Bieber wasn't on stage even though he was at the game. The magazine does give props to H.E.R. and credits Lil Jon with bringing the energy. Of course, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Lana Del Ray were mentioned even though they didn't perform.

WATCH BELOW

At least Usher's review wasn't as bad as the one they gave the Black Eyed Peas show in 2011, which Rolling Stone described as "The worst. Just the worst."

Rolling Stone's top 5 Super Bowl shows are:

1. Prince (2007)
2. U2 (2002)
3. Beyonce (2013)
4. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, and Kendrick Lamar (2022)
5. Aerosmith, Britney Spears, ‘NSync, Nelly & Mary J. Blige (2001)

The Athletic was a bit nicer to Usher. They described the 2nd half of the show as excellent, but said the show was pretty shaky in the beginning and will be easy to forget in a few years. They also praised H.E.R. and praised Lil Jon and Ludacris for bringing the energy. 

OTHER USHER STORIES

Viewing numbers haven't been released yet, but these are the top 5 halftime shows in terms of viewers, according to DigitalTrends.com.

1. Rihanna, Super Bowl LVII – 121.017 million
2. Katy Perry, Super Bowl XLIX – 121 million
3. Lady Gaga, Super Bowl LI – 118 million
4. Coldplay, Super Bowl 50 – 115.5 million
5. Bruno Mars, Super Bowl XVLIII – 115.3 million