Worst Super Bowl Halftime Shows This Century: Remember When They Were Disney-Themed?

The last few years have featured some of the best Super Bowl halftime show in recent memory, with Kendrick Lamar (last year), Rihanna (2023), and the combination of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick providing some of the event's highlights.

However, there have been some real-deal stinkers, too, as the NFL spent many years not knowing exactly what worked during the halftime show. We're going to focus on those lowlights with our look at the worst Super Bowl halftime shows this century.

This list isn't ranked by order but rather listed by year starting with the earliest date. They're all bad, so No. 1 or 5, it doesn't really matter.

😬 Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000

Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, Phil Collins, and Toni Braxton ("Tapestry of Nations" theme)

This was the final installment of the Disney-produced and themed Super Bowl halftime shows, and it was a genuine disaster.

The only well-known song that was performed was Phil Collins' "Two Worlds" from the Tarzan soundtrack. In what was essentially a commercial for the Tapestry of Nations parade at Epcot, fans were left confused by this bizarre show. Some of the biggest artists in the world performing songs you've never heard of ... woof.

As you'd expect, too, something this silly has aged horribly, especially when you consider the collection of talent that was assembled and how good this could have been.

🙈 Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004

Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, P. Diddy, Nelly, Kid Rock, and Jessica Simpson

Performance-wise, this might not be the worst. However, look at that lineup. Do you really want to share this one with your kids? 

Additionally, the most talented artist of the entire bunch, Janet Jackson, essentially had her career ruined by the infamous wardrobe malfunction, while Justin Timberlake walked away completely unscathed.

This one makes the list less so for how it felt in the moment, and more so for how it's aged.

🥱 Super Bowl XLIV in 2010

The Who

The Who have bangers, and they absolutely could have killed this performance. Unfortunately, we've never seen any act care less about performing at the Super Bowl halftime show than a group of mid-60s guys from London.

Roger Daltrey absolutely did not want to be there, and this was the final attempt by the NFL to book "safe" rock acts following the 2004 controversy. The Who performed five songs and said peace out. The NFL went in a very different direction the following year, cutting ties with production group White Cherry Entertainment in the process.

🤮 Super Bowl XLV in 2011

Black Eyed Peas with Usher, Slash (from Guns N' Roses)

I said the NFL went in a different direction, but I didn't say that direction was good.

To be honest, this one made you miss The Who. How did we let the Black Eyed Peas get this famous? 

Between technical issues, Usher looking like he wanted to escape the stage as soon as saw what was unfolding, and the Black Eyed Peas just generally not being all that talented, this was a complete and utter disaster.

💀 Super Bowl LIII in 2019

Maroon 5 with Travis Scott, Big Boi

And then there's this, which really challenges the previous inclusion as the worst of the bunch.

Super Bowl LIII took place in Atlanta, and despite pleas from fans for the NFL to book an Atlanta-based artist, it went with ... Maroon 5. Now, I really liked Maroon 5 when they were good, which was about five years before this performance.

In fairness to the NFL, reports have since come out that a ton of artists turned down the gig due to the treatment of Colin Kaepernick, so maybe this was a bit of a last resort? The band brought out Travis Scott (not from Atlanta) and Big Boi, who at least represented the host city.

It didn't help matters, though, as the lasting image of this one is a shirtless Adam Levine, which no one asked for.

🐇 Bad Bunny halftime show 2026

I wouldn't expect this year's performance to make an appearance on many of these lists in the future (well, based on the genuine quality of it), as Bad Bunny looks poised to provide NFL fans - and just music fans who tune in specifically for the halftime show - with an absolute banger.

We've explored his performance more with our Super Bowl halftime show prop predictions and Super Bowl halftime show first song odds at prediction markets. 

Additionally, it's never too early to look ahead to next season, which we've done with our 2027 Super Bowl halftime show performer odds.