Super Bowl Halftime Show Organizers Lose Two Top Contenders

Justin Bieber and Harry Styles have reportedly emerged as the leading contenders to headline the Super Bowl halftime show at the Los Angeles event in February 2027.

However, both global stars are believed to be unlikely to accept the invitation if they are eventually approached about performing at one of the biggest entertainment events in the United States.

According to TMZ, Bieber and Styles sit at the top of Roc Nation’s shortlist for the February 14 show at SoFi Stadium. Neither singer has been formally contacted, with the halftime performer typically being announced around late September each year.

Jay-Z has the final say on the halftime show through Roc Nation, which partners with the NFL as its “live music and entertainment strategist.”

Despite their positions on the shortlist, both Bieber and Styles are reportedly unlikely to accept the role if Jay-Z reaches out. The Super Bowl halftime show is famously unpaid, with artists performing in exchange for the enormous global exposure it provides.

The event has featured many of the biggest names in music history, yet its performers have never received a fee. Most acts have instead been willing to take advantage of the worldwide publicity generated by the Super Bowl stage.

Last year’s Bad Bunny halftime performance, the first show not performed in English, sparked significant debate and controversy. The reaction prompted Jay-Z to discuss how performers are selected for the Super Bowl.

“I think everyone should experience music in its totality,” he told GQ. “And for a lot of years, it was only one side of music that was being represented. We got the opportunity to create a more balanced idea of what popular music is today.

“I’m not going out on a limb, this is the most famous people in the world. I didn’t pick, like, the indie artist that I really like from Portland – It’s the number one most streamed artist in the world. Him!”

Bad Bunny’s performance set global viewership and social media records, although it did not become the most-watched halftime show ever according to US television ratings.

The performance averaged 128.2 million viewers between 8:15 and 8:30 p.m. ET. That placed it fourth among halftime shows, behind Kendrick Lamar’s 133.5 million viewers in 2025, Michael Jackson’s 133.4 million in 1993 and Usher’s 129.3 million in 2024.

Kendrick Lamar’s selection the previous year had also been viewed by some as controversial. In the same interview, however, Jay-Z rejected the suggestion that Lamar had been “a hard one to get across the board.”

After explaining the decision, Jay-Z was asked about his choice for the preceding year, Kendrick Lamar, and whether selecting him had been “a hard one to get across the board.”

‘Not without conversations that was dated, you know what I mean?’ Jay-Z replied. ‘The stats show. 

‘Kendrick broke the audience record, it’s not rocket science, this is the music of our time and it should be represented on the biggest stage because – I’m not saying they’re the only artists, right, obviously, other artists would be offended – But, I think that was the right choice. 

‘I chose the guy that was having a monster year. I think it was the right choice. What do I care about them two guys battling? What’s that got to do with me? Have at it.

‘They drag everybody in it, like everyone’s part of this conspiracy to undermine Drake, I guess. But, it’s like, what the f***? I’m f***ing Jay-Z! All due respect to him. I’m f***ing Hov.

‘Respectfully. It doesn’t make any sense. It couldn’t be that these guys just don’t like each other. I think this has been brewing, just like me and Nas was brewing. 

‘It didn’t happen at the Summer Jam – that happened with ‘Lex with TV sets, the minimum.’ It was a whole bunch of stuff leading up to that point. I actually regret that because I really like Nas. He’s a really nice guy.’