Readers’ Poll: Who Should Play the Super Bowl Next Year?
Last weekend Madonna joined the ranks of an elite group of superstars, including Michael Jackson, U2, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Diana Ross and Tom Petty, who have performed at the Super Bowl halftime show. There are still plenty of major acts who have yet to play the big game, so we asked you tell us who you think should perform next year. Click through to find out who you picked.
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10. Phish
With all due respect to Phish and their legion of fans, it is kind of hilarious to think of the band taking the stage at the Super Bowl to jam endlessly on a song that the vast majority of the audience has never heard. While the band would probably step up to the challenge if they ever had the opportunity, it's a lot more amusing to imagine some aimless, stoner noodling.
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9. Coldplay
As one of the few arena-packing, consistently popular rock acts of their generation, it seems like Coldplay has a lock on playing the Super Bowl at some point in their career. It may as well be next year: They're at a phase in their career where they are established enough to be a household name, but still fresh enough to seem like a bold choice.
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8. Lady Gaga
Madonna proved this year that you can do a dance-heavy, aggressively homoerotic halftime show and manage to get better ratings than the game itself. Lady Gaga is, of course, a natural choice to follow in her footsteps. She's no stranger to spectacle and would obviously relish the opportunity to play dress-up in front of one of the world's largest audiences.
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7. Rush
Prog-rock legends Rush are a bit of a long shot for the Super Bowl, but if they had the chance, there's no doubt the Canadian rockers would deliver a full-on stadium spectacle with crowd pleasers like "Tom Sawyer" and "Spirit of the Radio."
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6. Metallica
It's only a matter of time before Metallica make it to the Super Bowl. It's a no-brainer, really: They're one of the biggest bands in the world, experts at large-scale spectacle and willing to collaborate with other famous rockers.
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5. AC/DC
Madonna and the Black Eyed Peas have attracted strong ratings for the halftime show in recent years, but it's unlikely many hardcore football fans were excited about their shows. AC/DC, on the other hand, would be guaranteed to get a majority of sports fans fired up. This is another no-brainer; it should definitely happen.
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4. The Black Keys
The Black Keys have been around for a decade, but they have only recently hit the big time, so it may be a bit premature to have them playing the Super Bowl. That said, it would be interesting to see how they'd translate their primal riff-rock to such a large stage.
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3. Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam are one of the biggest rock bands in the world, so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to find them rocking out at the Super Bowl. Still, the group consistently rejects spectacle, so it's easy to imagine them just playing in front of a plain backdrop and boring a huge number of viewers. If they did get the gig, they would hopefully bring in some of their famous friends – Neil Young, perhaps? – and the camera would stay focused on Eddie Vedder, who never fails to be a compelling presence on stage.
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2. Van Halen
It's well within the realm of possibility that Van Halen could be asked to perform the Super Bowl next year, and while that would certainly be cool, it's heartbreaking to think of what the guys could've done on that stage in their early Eighties prime. Sure, this video of the band performing at a small club in Manhattan last month is fun, but it's missing that spark of youthful enthusiasm.
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1. Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters won this poll by an overwhelming margin. They're another no-brainer choice – hugely popular, a deep well of hits, and the kind of band that would attract viewers and please football fans. The band might be a bit lacking in spectacle, but they always deliver in terms of raw rock power.