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) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: Usher performs 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) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: (L-R) Ludacris, Usher, and Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri, and will.i.am perform onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: (L-R) Usher and Alicia Keys perform onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: (L-R) Usher and H.E.R. perform onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) US singer-songwriter Usher performs during Apple Music halftime show of Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 11, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: (L-R) Usher and Alicia Keys perform onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: (L-R) H.E.R. 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 Ethan Miller/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: (L-R) Usher, Ludacris, and Lil Jon perform onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: Singer Usher performs on the field during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) 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.
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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