Why Usher, Kaskade & Other Super Bowl Artists Didn’t Get Paid for Their Performances

The Super Bowl has always been one of television’s most-watched events, but the event has never paid its performers.

The Super Bowl has the largest viewership of any other event on television. With over 100 million viewers almost every year, especially these past few years, the Super Bowl provides a gigantic, undeniable platform to almost any artist. Even though the event does not pay the artists, the stage has remained a coveted position for any major artist.

While many Americans tune in to the Super Bowl to watch the best teams go head-to-head, many others are just waiting for the first two quarters to be over. The halftime slot at the Super Bowl has always been a famed position as it is reserved for some of music’s biggest acts. From acts like Michael Jackson and Prince to Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, the halftime performance is an artist’s chance to leave a part of their legacy.

While the Super Bowl halftime show can be one the biggest performances of an artist’s career, the artist does it for free. Even artists who sing the national anthem and DJ the event are not paid. It leaves you wondering, why do the artists still perform?

One of the selling points for the halftime show is the exposure an artist can get. With over 100 million views, artists can experience massive sales increases, sometimes even upwards of 500%. These increases alone can be enough to cover an artist’s booking fee.

Furthermore, the halftime show is a perfect opportunity for an artist to promote upcoming work.  For example, in 2024, Usher’s halftime show came just before the release of his first studio album in eight years. He also has a tour and a Las Vegas residency, ultimately putting more money into his pockets from a 13-minute performance.

While the Super Bowl has never paid an artist to perform, they cover travel and production expenses. To put on a Super Bowl performance can cost millions of dollars. Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s 2020 halftime show cost $13 million, and The Weeknd’s 2021 show cost $20 million after he put in an extra $7 million of his own money.

Performing at the Super Bowl has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many artists. Even if the artists do not get paid to perform, the production quality provided and the sales increase the artists see afterward have been reason enough to play.