Bob Dylan, Smashing Pumpkins, MC Hammer and the Super Bowl’s Other Big Musical Moments
Last night’s Super Bowl had so many more musical moments than just Bruce Springsteen slamming his “hungry heart” into a helpless cameraman. (Debate the E Street Band’s four-song set here.) After you clean up your fogged glasses from his halftime performance, check out these other musical highlights.
1. Smashing Pumpkins premiere new track in a Hyundai ad
For the new Smashing Pumpkins track “F.O.L.,” Billy Corgan invited fans to “feel our love” … and feel the roomy interior of the new Hyundai Genesis Coupe!
2. Will.i.am and Bob Dylan get it started together
The voice of a generation and the voice of “Don’t Phunk With My Heart” joined forces in a Pepsi ad. Dylan’s “Forever Young” was given a hip-hop makeover and a Will.i.am verse over a bevy of trans-generational stock footage. Here’s hoping for a folk revision of “My Humps.”
3. High Decibels score a Bud Light Lime ad
Oakland’s high-energy hip-hop duo High Decibels replaced Santogold as the voice of Bud Light Lime for this sunny commercial. Two MCs rapping over crunchy blues-rock riffs … Were these guys invented for beer ads?
4. MC Hammer digs for gold
Cash-strapped former superstars MC Hammer and Ed McMahon joined forces for a funny (yet ultimately depressing) advertisement, imploring their fellow cash-strapped Americans to sell any gold they have lying around. In a recession, everyone’s a prospector!
5. Jennifer Hudson makes bombs burst in air
Jennifer Hudson hasn’t appeared in public since her mother, brother and nephew were murdered in October, and so her explosive, soaring, awe-inspiring performance of the National Anthem was carrying more than a bit of extra emotional weight. There was a little bit of blogger hubbub about the fact that she lip-synced, but show producer Ricky Minor insisted she sing to a track since “the slightest glitch would devastate the performance.”
6. Journey makes Cardinals fans, karaoke enthusiasts believe
Arnel Pineda introduced himself to the millions of Americans who might not have realized Journey is now fronted by a 41-year-old Filipino vocalist discovered on YouTube.
Follow our ongoing Super Bowl weekend coverage, and check out the best from our archives in our Super Bowl hub.
Related Stories:
• Photos: Bruce Springsteen’s Super Bowl Party
• Photos: U2, Prince, The Rolling Stones and More Memorable Super Bowl Halftime Performances
• Video: A Short History of Rock Stars in Super Bowl Commercials