Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show sparked conversation among fans and critics as he performed a mix of old and new hits. His 12- to 13-minute set had everyone trying to decode his hidden messages and cemented his place in history, breaking Michael Jackson’s 1993 record for the most-watched halftime performance.
Super Bowl LIX increases halftime show viewership
On Tuesday, Roc Nation shared the milestone in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, showing the increase in viewership.
“We’ve broken the record again! The most watched Apple Music Halftime show EVER, with 133.5 Million viewers,” the entertainment company wrote, emphasizing how the performance was up +3% from last year.
We’ve broken the record again! The most watched Apple Music Halftime show EVER, with 133.5 Million viewers. pic.twitter.com/CfRQGUuG31
— Roc Nation (@RocNation) February 11, 2025
K.Dot’s halftime show performance also attracted more viewers than the actual football game, which drew 126 million viewers, per Fox Sports.
The underdog takes the victory
Heading into Sunday’s game, the Kansas City Chiefs were favored to win. They had their sights on achieving three-peat status, as they were the two-time defending champions. But the Philadelphia Eagles entered as underdogs and redeemed themselves with a 40-22 victory after their Super Bowl LVII loss in 2023.
The Super Bowl brings people together for different reasons, but according to reports, most viewers tuned in to watch the Compton rapper take the stage. While his performance garnered significant buzz on social media, K.Dot’s set surpassed the King of Pop’s performance by only a slim margin.
Vibe reported that MJ’s 1993 performance drew 133.4 million viewers, and the 37-year-old rapper beat this number by about 100,000 people. The past few years have included some unforgettable halftime shows, including Eminem alongside Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige; Usher; and this year’s with K.Dot. The sets displayed a variety of Black music royalty.
In his set, K.Dot had legendary actor Samuel L. Jackson play the Black “Uncle Sam.” The show also featured 60 dancers displayed as the American flag with him at the center on the track “Humble” as well as Tennis great Serena Williams crip-walking to “Not Like Us.” It was a Black History Month moment for the books.
