Rihanna sees meteoric Spotify stream rise after Super Bowl LVII half-time show

15 February 2023 , 22:35

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Rihanna saw a dramatic increase in streaming on Spotify after her anticipated performance in the Super Bowl LVII half-time show.

Rihanna ’s epic half-time show was watched by 118.7 million people - which was more than the 113 million who tuned in for the NFL finale. The 34-year-old went viral as a result and saw her popularity on streaming services remarkably spike in the game’s aftermath.

Spotify streaming for Rihanna increased by more than 640% in the United States after her 15-minute show. The 34-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.

According to the league’s policy, the NFL covers all costs related to the production of the halftime show - including travel expenses - but the artist does not make any money. The artists may not get paid as the exposure and publicity makes a Super Bowl half-time performance absolutely worth it.

After she was announced as the half-time performer back on September 25, three of Rihanna’s songs moved beyond a billion streams on Spotify. These were Umbrella’, ‘We Found Love’ and ‘Love on The Brain’.

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Following her epic performance on Sunday, Rihanna’s opening song ‘Bi**h Better Have My Money’ went up by more than 2,600 percent on Spotify. ‘Diamonds’ reached over 1,400 percent increase, streaming for ‘Rude Boy’ shot up by 1,170 percent and ‘We Found Love’ jumped by 1,160 percent.

Rihanna performed a spectacular half-time show at Super Bowl LVII on Sunday night in Arizona (Matt Slocum/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

Traditionally, acts at the Super Bowl half-time show bring at least one mystery guest to surprise fans amid their performance. However, Rihanna flexed her work by performing 12 songs in 13 minutes without feeling the need for anyone to come out and join her.

When she signed the contract to perform, Rihanna didn’t 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.

It is unsurprising that Rihanna’s music has seen a surge in popularity. After Lady Gaga played the Super Bowl half-time show in 2018, her music sales spiked 1000% while Justin Timberlake saw a 534% increase in musical downloads that very same day.

Either side of the half-time show, fans were treated to a spectacular contest in Super Bowl LVII as the Kansas City Chiefs secured a dramatic 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in a game which will go down as an all-time classic. Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes - who won his second ring in Arizona - threw for 182 yards and three touchdowns as the win was secured by a late field goal from kicker Harrison Butker with just eight seconds remaining.

Andrew Gamble

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American football, Super Bowl, NFL, Spotify, Rihanna