Everyone familiar with the Super Bowl knows that the Super Bowl halftime show in 2024 will be a key part of the festivities and part of the game’s appeal. Every year, the halftime show is a big reason why the Super Bowl attracts such a massive audience. This year, recording artist Usher will have the honor of headlining the Super Bowl halftime show.
What to Expect From Super Bowl 2024 Halftime Show
But aside from Usher being the Super Bowl halftime performer this year, what else is there to know?
Are we about to witness one of the greatest halftime shows ever?
Let’s walk you through everything you need to know and may want to know about the Super Bowl halftime show in 2024.
Who is Usher?
Just in case you didn’t already know, Usher is one of the great pop stars of the 21st century. He’s had a long string of R&B hits dating back to his debut album, which was released in 1994 when he was just 16 years old.
In other words, the guy is a natural entertainer who is still at the peak of his singing and dancing abilities. Throughout his career, Usher has two dozen Grammy nominations and eight wins, among countless other awards. You may also recognize him as an actor with a long list of TV and movie credits.
How Long is the Super Bowl Halftime Show?
During the regular season, halftime of NFL games is just 12 minutes. But during the Super Bowl, halftime lasts between 20 and 30 minutes to accommodate the elaborate halftime show.
Part of that time is spent setting up and tearing down the stage, which typically sits in the middle of the field. With that in mind, Usher’s performance will likely last between 12 and 15 minutes.
What Songs Will Be Performed?
It’s anybody’s guess what songs Usher will perform at halftime. The setlist for the Super Bowl halftime show is rarely released to the public beforehand. This ensures that the audience is surprised while allowing prop bets to be placed on what songs will be performed.
Keep in mind that full-length songs are rarely performed during Super Bowl halftime shows. Usher will most likely perform a verse or two of several songs, allowing him to incorporate at least half a dozen songs into the performance.
Usher also has a huge catalogue of songs, so there are a lot of good options. His biggest hit “Yeah!” is likely to be on the setlist since it’s well-known and perfect for the occasion. There is also a good chance his new single “Good Good” will be a part of the performance, especially since he’s releasing his new album just two days before the Super Bowl. However, the songs Usher performs could depend largely on who he chooses as guest performances, as Usher has a long history of collaborating with a wide array of other artists.
Will There be Guest Appearances?
There are always guest appearances during the Super Bowl halftime show that aren’t announced beforehand. In fact, Usher was a guest performer during Super Bowl XLV.
If Usher performs “Yeah,” Ludacris and Lil Jon are two possible guest stars. Usher has also had multiple hits with Alicia Keys, who is another potential guest star. Also, Usher’s latest hit is a collaboration with 21 Savage and Summer Walker, who are also distinct possibilities to show up at the Super Bowl. Much like the setlist, we won’t know the guest stars until we see them on stage.
The Elephant in the Room
Other than the outcome of the game, the biggest question ahead of the game is whether will we see Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl. Her boyfriend Travis Kelce is playing in the game for the Chiefs, but with Swift having a show in Japan the night before, it’s unclear if she’ll make it to Las Vegas in time to watch.
Unfortunately, it’s been reported that even if she’s present for the game, Swift won’t join Usher during the halftime show. If those reports end up being wrong, it would surely break the Internet. However, it appears that if Swift makes it to the Super Bowl, she will be nothing more than a spectator like the rest of us, even during the halftime show.