10 February 2024 , 12:00
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The Super Bowl is the most-watched event on American television, drawing millions of viewers each year thanks to its star-studded cast who regularly perform breathtaking performances during halftime.
It might seem surprising that superstars such as Rihanna, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga accept to perform in front of huge audiences for free - but there is a reason for it. This year, Usher will dominate the stage at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, February 11.
Ever since the halftime show was introduced in the 1960s, performers have not been paid for it - but despite this, the National Football League is still forking out millions for the performance. This is because the NFL still covers expense and production costs for all the artists, which can reportedly exceed $13million (£10million).
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Rihanna performs during the halftime show of Super Bowl in February 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)NFL spokesperson Joanna Hunter told Forbes in 2016: "We do not pay the artists. We cover expenses and production costs." It is estimated that when Beyoncé first performed at the Super Bowl for free in 2013, the total production costs were $600,000 (£473,000).
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But the halftime show is also an occasion for performers to promote their upcoming tours or music. In 2014, Bruno Mars' Unorthodox Jukebox soared from number 7 to number 3 on the Billboard 200 as sales spiked 92 per cent to 81,000; the year before, album sales of Beyoncé’s 4 leapt 59 per cent after her performance at the Super Bowl.
According to Billboard, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira saw a 1,013 per cent sales increase of the 14 songs they performed during their combined act in 2020. Even Maroon 5, whose 2019 halftime show was harshly criticised, saw the band's sales spike 434 per cent.
Last year's Super Bowl was the most-watched in TV history with over 118million fans tuning in when Rihanna was performing. When she signed the contract to perform, Rihanna did not know she was pregnant but the news was confirmed shortly after.
Despite being six months pregnant, the megastar was happy to be suspended 150 ft above the turf on platforms as she reeled off hit after hit. After her performance, the Barbadian singer saw a dramatic increase on streaming platforms.
After the Super Bowl, Spotify streaming for Rihanna increased by more than 640 per cent in the US (AFP via Getty Images)Spotify streaming for Rihanna increased by more than 640 per cent in the United States after her 15-minute show. The 35-year-old - who took a six-year hiatus from music before returning for the Super Bowl - sang a number of hit songs during her acclaimed performance, but she did not make any money from her appearance. After she was announced as the half-time performer back on September 25, three of Rihanna's songs - "Umbrella", "We Found Love" and "Love on The Brain" - moved beyond a billion streams on Spotify.
Following her epic performance last year, Rihanna's opening song "Bi**h Better Have My Money" went up by more than 2,600 per cent on Spotify. "Diamonds" reached over 1,400 per cent increase, streaming for "Rude Boy" shot up by 1,170 per cent and "We Found Love" jumped by 1,160 per cent.