Super Bowl LIII halftime show

The Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show, branded as the Pepsi Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show, was held on February 3, 2019, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Maroon 5 headlined, with guest appearances from rappers Big Boi and Travis Scott. The performance is broadly considered one of the worst in Super Bowl history, drawing criticism for being dull and lackluster, and was mired in controversy before it even began. Several musicians reportedly turned down offers to perform in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, who accused the NFL of colluding against him after his national anthem protests against police brutality. Maroon 5, Big Boi, Travis Scott, and national anthem singer Gladys Knight faced backlash from fans and critics for accepting. In response, Travis Scott agreed to perform only if the NFL donated to a social justice charity, and Maroon 5 later announced a similar donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. After the death of SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg, an online petition for a tribute based on an episode featuring a halftime show went viral, resulting in a short clip included in the performance. The show was universally panned. Critics called it boring and underwhelming, arguing the choice of Maroon 5 was a safe, uncontroversial pick amid the Kaepernick controversy. The SpongeBob clip, though cited as a highlight, was criticized for being too brief. Adam Levine’s shirtless moment also drew audience backlash, drawing comparisons to Janet Jackson’s 2004 performance. Reports as early as September 2018 indicated Maroon 5 would headline, but the NFL delayed an official announcement. In October 2018, Pink and Rihanna were reported to have declined offers—Pink due to lengthy negotiations, Rihanna in support of Kaepernick. In December, Billboard reported Travis Scott was expected to appear. In February 2019, Zac Brown Band confirmed they were the backup choice. On January 13, 2019, the NFL officially announced Maroon 5 as headliners, joined by Scott and Atlanta native Big Boi. Lead singer Adam Levine said the band aimed to bring the halftime show back to a simpler time focused on song connection. Following Stephen Hillenburg’s death on November 26, 2018, a petition emerged requesting David Glen Eisley’s song “Sweet Victory” from the “Band Geeks” episode be performed.