Who Will Headline Next Year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show?
Alicia Keys? Lady Gaga? One Direction? The betting is open
Gamblers who fancy the futures market are already turning their attention to Super Bowl XLVIII. William Hill is one of many sports books that have already listed odds for next year’s NFL championship at the Meadowlands, with the Broncos and 49ers opening as co-favorites. (Notably, the Ravens are joint eighth favorites with their Beltway brethren Redskins.)
But, honestly, where’s the fun in that?
The British oddsmaker has also listed odds for the halftime performer at next year’s Super Bowl. Here’s a look at the market in order of likelihood.
Alicia Keys (6/1)
The hometown choice wouldn’t be the first artist to springboard to the halftime show from the pre-game gig: Beyoncé sang the anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII.
@aliciakeys
Lady Gaga (7/1)
The other hometown choice has a new record on the way in 2013 and is one of the few artists in their prime with enough mass appeal and artistic cred to pull off a halftime show that everybody likes.
Nick Laham/Getty Images
Justin Bieber (8/1)
The pop star performed at the halftime of the 100th Grey Cup this year — but the boos he received on home soil don’t augur well for his chances.
Al Bello/Getty Images
Nicki Minaj (8/1)
The backlash from her association with Madonna’s panned Super Bowl XLVI halftime show won’t help the Queens-raised Pink Friday starlet.
Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Rihanna (8/1)
The good girl gone bad is a bona fide hitmaker with crossover appeal and the choice is one that will have everybody talking even if she doesn’t bring out Chris Brown for “Birthday Cake (Remix).”
@fuckyopictures
Taylor Swift (8/1)
The Red songstress would be the first country music performer to headline the halftime show in the modern era.
Jay-Z (10/1)
Few performers embody the NYC mythos more thoroughly than Hov, who is 100 percent corporate approved. No one else — certainly not art-nerd egomaniac Kanye — could plausibly bring hip-hop to the Super Bowl halftime show.
Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Katy Perry (10/1)
No stranger to spectacle, the bubbly hitmaker is the first female and only the second artist next to Michael Jackson to pump out five No. 1 singles off a single album.
Robyn Beck/Getty Images
Madonna (12/1)
Back so soon? Super Bowl halftime shows are seldom repeat engagements and there was little about Her Madgesty’s 2012 performance to invite an exception.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Billy Joel (12/1)
Another hometown choice, Mr. Long Island performed the national anthem at Super Bowl XLI.
Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images
Coldplay (12/1)
Potential dark horse. The Brit rockers are the perfect flavor for unoffensive for the NFL’s liking.
George Pimentel/WireImage/Getty Images
One Direction (12/1)
Would the red-blooded NFL dare outsource the halftime show for the league’s grandiose turn in New York? Doubtful.
Fred Duval/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Adele (14/1)
On second thought …
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Neil Diamond (14/1)
He performed the national anthem at the Rose Bowl in 1987 when the hometown Giants won their first Super Bowl title.
George Rose/Getty Images
Paul McCartney (14/1)
Macca performed during the pre-game show in 2002 and the actual halftime show in 2005. The NFL has eschewed retreads in the past, but if ever they’d make an exception …
Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
Pink (14/1)
Will Doylestown’s finest make the trip up I-95?
Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images
Rolling Stones (14/1)
The Stones will be past their 50th birthday by the time next year’s game rolls around — and they already did the halftime show once (at Super Bowl XL in the D).
Michael Zagaris/Getty Images
U2 (14/1)
Has enough time has passed since their powerful post-9/11 performance? Probably. A reasonable longshot.
KMazur/WireImage/Getty Images
Bruce Springsteen (16/1)
Outstanding value here given the locale, but he did the show in 2009.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Simon And Garfunkel (20/1)
What a reunion that would be.
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50 Cent (20/1)
Who could forget his vertical entrance at December’s Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez fight?
AP
Lionel Richie (20/1)
Is it him we’re looking for?
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See William Hill’s odds here.
Follow Bryan Armen Graham on Twitter.
How about Weird Al? Lots of crossover appeal, family friendly, well liked by a wide range of age groups.