10 Rock Acts We Wanted To See Play The Super Bowl Halftime Show

Feature Photo: Licensed from Shutterstock

Historical Note: This article was originally written after Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show in February 2025 as a rock-and-roll wish list for a future halftime show. Super Bowl LX has since taken place, with Bad Bunny headlining on February 8, 2026. The list below now stands as a snapshot of the rock acts we wanted to see take over the Super Bowl stage at that moment.

At the time, we felt it would be fun to see rock and roll return to the kind of halftime-show spotlight once given to artists such as Paul McCartney, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen, and The Who. We never had a problem with younger generations having their own music. This was simply our rock-and-roll wish list.

Some choices were realistic, some required reunions, and some were long shots. That was part of the fun. These were the bands and solo artists we thought could put on a fantastic Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Our Rock Picks For A Future Super Bowl Halftime Show

# 10 – The Doobie Brothers

When this list was first written, The Doobie Brothers were preparing a new album that reunited Michael McDonald with Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons, and John McFee. That album, Walk This Road, was released on June 6, 2025. The reunion was exactly why we thought the Doobie Brothers would have been such a strong halftime choice. Their catalog is loaded with songs people know, and a Super Bowl stage would have introduced that music to another generation.

# 9 – Heart

Heart felt like an obvious choice. Younger generations still know songs like “Barracuda,” and Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson built a catalog that could fill a halftime set without wasting a second. Our fantasy ending was Jimmy Page joining them for a roaring Led Zeppelin number, echoing the unforgettable performance Heart gave at the Kennedy Center Honors. That would have been one serious rock and roll finish.

Read More: 20 Most Classic Heart Songs

# 8 – Southern Rock All-Star Jam

We imagined an all-star Southern rock jam featuring Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Marshall Tucker Band, and The Outlaws. Think about the songs those bands could have played together or individually during a Super Bowl Halftime Show. Then, for the grand finale, bring everyone back for “Free Bird.” Were we getting carried away? Probably. But this was a wish list, and that would have been one hell of a finish.

# 7 – Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes

We knew Led Zeppelin was never going to reunite for a Super Bowl Halftime Show. Jimmy Page with The Black Crowes felt like a more interesting possibility because that collaboration had already proved itself onstage. Their performances together were phenomenal, and the expanded 25th anniversary edition of Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes: Live at the Greek was released in March 2025 with previously unreleased material from the original 1999 performances. That history made this one of the most exciting ideas on the list.

# 6 – Sammy Hagar & The Best of All Worlds Band

Sammy Hagar’s Best of All Worlds project made this one easy to imagine. Hagar and Michael Anthony were already revisiting the Van Halen catalog with Joe Satriani, so the basic idea was there. Our real fantasy was taking it one step further by adding Alex Van Halen and maybe even David Lee Roth for a celebration of Eddie Van Halen’s life and music. That kind of moment in front of the biggest television audience of the year could have been both a party and an emotional tribute.

# 5 – The Eagles

The Eagles were an easy pick because they had already proved they could command enormous venues. Of course, it was not the same without Glenn Frey, but the band still had one of the deepest catalogs in American rock history. A tightly built halftime set filled with Eagles classics would have been an easy sell to a huge television audience.

# 4 – Rod Stewart

Who doesn’t love Rod Stewart? If there was one rocker who could charm an audience spanning multiple generations while still bringing enough energy for a giant stadium show, Rod Stewart belonged in the conversation. His catalog alone would have made choosing a short halftime set almost impossible.

# 3 – The Police

Sting had already appeared at the Super Bowl XXXVII Halftime Show in 2003, performing “Message in a Bottle” with Gwen Stefani, but The Police had never appeared there as a band. Their 2007 and 2008 reunion tour had already shown how powerful that catalog could still sound on a huge stage. This was always one of the longest shots on our list, but that was no reason not to dream. Are you listening, Gordon?

# 2 – Fleetwood Mac

This was always one of the biggest long shots, especially after the death of Christine McVie. Still, the wish-list version was easy to picture: Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks back onstage with Fleetwood Mac, opening with “Tusk” and closing with “Go Your Own Way.” Anyone who has seen the live “Tusk” performance knows exactly why the idea was so appealing. Holy smokes, that could have been something.

# 1 – Elton John And Billy Joel

Our top choice was a joint halftime performance from Elton John and Billy Joel. They toured together many times over the years, and few solo artists built catalogs with that much cross-generational recognition. Either one could have handled the show alone, but putting them together would have turned the halftime show into a genuine event. These are two stadium-sized artists and two genuine legends.