Ranking the ten best Super Bowl halftime shows ever

The 2024 Super Bowl is almost upon us but as music fans, what we really care about is the halftime show. For Super Bowl LVIII, Usher will perform. Taylor Swift will likely be in the stadium rooting on her boyfriend, tight end Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, but Swift won't join Usher on stage (we do not think).

Usher has a lot to bring if he wants to end up on any list of best halftime shows ever. Obviously, sponsor Apple Music wants Usher to do well (and then have people go to iTunes and buy a lot of songs and Usher albums), and they likely have high expectations. Usher is a fantastic performer after all.

But who are the ten best halftimes performers ever? And how much better in number one on the list than number two? Here are my guesses.

The best Super Bowl halftime shows from No. 10 to the greatest

No. 10 - Paul McCartney (2005 - Super Bowl XXXIX)

Perfect Paul. He did not try to overdo anything because, well...he never does. He simply came out and played a bunch of hits with the highlight being "Live and Let Die." As great as a musician as McCartney always has been (incredibly underrated as a bassist) as well as knowing how to write a catchy tune, McCartney also has perfected the role of an understated performer. He was terrific.

No. 9 - Rolling Stones (2006 - Super Bowl XL)

The Rolling Stones were quite the opposite of the McCartney and Beatles in many ways, of course. The Beatles borrowed from pop and the Stones stole from R&B. But on stage, Mick Jagger turned into one of the best - if not the best - frontmen in rock history. Jagger and his pals did not let the crowd stop dancing.

"Start Me Up" was a perfect opener. When Jagger said before "Satisfaction" that he could have performed the song at halftime of Super Bowl I he was both speaking the truth and being funny. Plus, he danced as well in 2006 as he would have in 1965. The Stones have always been one of the best live bands in rock and they did not disappoint at the Super Bowl.