Touchdown: The Super Bowls' Musical Statements
- Madison Shanfeld
- 1 hour ago
- 6 min read
"The only thing more powerful than hate is love"
"The revolution's about to be televised. You picked the right idea but the wrong guy"
While the messages of the two consecutive half-time shows seem to contradict one another, they work to accomplish the same goal: to fix the country they see to be broken.
Media in Politics
Starting at the beginning of the United States, media has had an effect on politics. Moving from paintings, to newspapers, to telegrams, to radio, to television, to the internet, America has been swayed by the media.
On September 26, 1960 emerged the first televised presidential debate: a showdown between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. This debate swung the tides in favor of JFK,
who was running against the sitting president at the time. Unlike Nixon, who was visibly nervous on screen, Kennedy presented himself as cool and collected. The televised debate was the first time a large portion of the country was able to see the two candidates, rather than just hear their voices. There, Nixon had refused to wear makeup, highlighting the youth and radiance of his opponent, who had approached the podium all dolled up. In that moment, the country pivoted their support from their sitting president, to his glamorous, calm, counterpart. There the country was vastly influenced by the newest media craze.
Music especially has been influencing the American public for centuries. Songs like "We Shall Overcome," "Strange Fruit," and "A Change is Gonna Come" worked to further the civil
rights movement, gracing the ears of Americans nationally. The Vietnam War was famous for the anti-war efforts of youth, accompanied by an increase in musical influence. Songs against the war effort included the anti-draft tune of "Fortunate Son," the satirical Woodstock protest song, "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag," and "For What It's Worth," the anthem of youth counterculture and anti-war movements. Even the famous song "This Land is Your Land" was written in the 1940s and has been used to influence the public in favor of the civil rights movement, working-class rights, and environmental justice. While music itself is just words set to rhythm and beat, it's message hits the ears of the American public, shifting the political tides.
2025: Kenrick Lamar's Performance
At the time of Kenrick Lamar's Super Bowl half-time performance, Donald Trump was the newly inaugurated president: much to the distaste of approximately 50.2% of Americans. A
particular upset demographic was the African American community. 2024 exit-polling suggests about 75-80% of Black Americans cast their vote against Trump in the last presidential election. In response to the new executive, African American social justice movements and appreciation of Black culture quickly gained popularity. Particularly, this boost occurred around the time of the Super Bowl, which took place at the beginning of Black History Month.
Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl half-time performance mirrored the political
climate of the time and was a bold societal critique of systematic racism in the United States. At the beginning of the show, Kendrick Lamar made of point of highlighting the negative connotation surrounding the word "ghetto" by dressing Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam and requiring him to deliver a warning to Lamar about making the show too ghetto for the American public. The entirety of the performance was stuffed with imagery of American history, prison-yard themes, and references to economic inequality. Kendrick Lamar even chose to dress his dancers in red, white, and blue in order to configure them into an American flag made of solely Black Americans.
His most famous line, "The revolution's about to be televised. You picked the right idea
but the wrong guy" is a nod to Donald Trump's recent victory as well as his community's disappointment and expectation for the four years to come. It's goal was to make a polarizing statement, which it did flawlessly. Furthermore Lamar stated, "40 acres and Mule, this is bigger than the music," as a reference to the unfulfilled post-Civil-War promises of 40 acres of land to freed families. In this line he was actively calling out the United States for its inability to fulfill promises of not only reparations, but of equality for all.
The whole show was polarizing. Those who were upset with the administration change reveled in their concerns and ideas presented on a national stage, however, those who welcomed the executive change criticized the performance harshly. Some of the conservative backlash of the rapper's show concluded the performance as "anti-white." with dismissible gibberish lyrics. This was mostly in reference to the incredibly popular song, "They're Not Like Us," which shortly became a musical symbol of Black empowerment and cultural pride. Lamar's performance was not made to be widely loved or accepted, but a message to liberals and conservatives alike. It was meant to say, "something is wrong in the United States"
2026: Bad Bunny's Performance
Modern politics is less centered around African American pride and empowerment as it was in the previous year. Focus has been switched to Latin American rights as ICE raids and
deportations have increased in frequency. The country is split and President Trump's ICE and immigration policies are causing protests in 46 states. Mirroring 2025, in reaction to the mass deportations and targeting of Latin Americans in the United States, there has been an increase in Latino cultural pride, appreciation, and social movements.
Enter Bad Bunny. Widely considered the most popular Spanish-speaking musical artist in the United States, Puerto Rican Benito
Antonio Martínez Ocasio is taking the country by storm. Days before he debut on the football field, he won the first ever entirely Spanish Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards for his album, DeBí Tirar Más Fotos. During his acceptance speech he addressed ICE directly, stating "We're not savage, we're not animals, we're not aliens—we are humans, and we are Americans." This theme of love, acceptance, and unity would carry over into his Half-Time performance.
Upon the announcement that Bad Bunny would be hosting the Super Bowl Half-Time Show, the nation fractured into two polarized opinions. Some were excited, ready to watch Benito's energetic music and diversity grace their screens; however, some were deeply upset. There were large portions of the American public who disliked the idea of a Spanish Half-Time show as well as an immigrant being the sole focus of one of the most watched American television music performances of the year. In response, another show was made on a different channel, featuring Kid Rock.
Bad Bunny's show was littered with references to Latin American culture including, the setting within a sugarcane field, or the crop dominating Puerto Rico, references to Barrio life
with a nail salon, piragua stand, and men playing dominos, as well as an homage to Latin music with the inclusion of a cuatro. By the end of the show he floods the field with various proudly displayed flags of numerous Latin American countries. Bad Bunny particularly makes a point to mention America in general, intending to reference both Latin America as well as the United States. Displayed on a massive sign shining down on the stadium are the words, "The Only Thing More Powerful Than Hate is Love." The words function as the main message of his performance; it is a call to action for the citizens and government of the United States to stop spreading hate against minorities, end mass deportations, and stop ICE. He is attempting to tell the public that the only way to stop the mutual hatred occurring across the nation, is to learn to love diverse cultures.
Bad Bunny did address the hate spewed towards his opportunity to preform by asking the audience "is this what you wanted" in Spanish before bringing out Lady Gaga to sing "Die with a Smile" in a Latin rhythm. It was a strategic way to address the negative comments; it singled out those who wanted a white American performer and gave those who disliked the idea of his show a musical segment they may prefer.
Perfect Complements
While the two half-time shows held different messages and delivery, together they create a problem vs solution dynamic. They conjoin to create a full narrative.
Kendrick Lamar focused on identifying the flaws of the American government, illuminating the "broken" pieces of the American dream and idealism. To complement this, Bad Bunny chose to propose the solution of love over hate and exhibit a vision of an inclusive, multicultural, future for the nation. When the two performances are combined, they make one cohesive argument against marginalization and discrimination against minorities. Through their vastly different strategies of performances, they ensured that this argument grasped the attention of a majority of Americans over the past two years, influencing the opinions of the public.
The performances are perfect complements, spreading the idea of an equal and un-discriminatory nation.
2027:?
In the 1776, the public was influenced by the media; the same is true in 2025 and 2026. Not everybody needs to concur with the musically delivered messages sent on the field, but whether you agree or disagree, the Super Bowl half-time show transformed into a political platform. The question is, will the trend continue in 2027?