With Bad Bunny already booked for the Super Bowl LX halftime show, the NFL has now announced the pregame performers for February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth will sing the national anthem, while Brandi Carlile handles ‘America the Beautiful’ and actress-singer Coco Jones does ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing.’
‘These artists bring a distinct voice to the moment, helping set the tone for a day that will captivate fans around the world,’ Jon Barker, the NFL’s senior vice president of global event production, said in Sunday’s statement.
The selections of Puth, Carlile and Jones weren’t met with the same uproar that faced Bad Bunny, a Spanish-language performer who has been critical of President Donald Trump and his controversial anti-immigration crackdown.
A product of Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, Puth is a Golden Globe winner and has four Grammy nominations to his name. Carlile, meanwhile is an 11-time Grammy winner while Jones – an R&B star engaged to Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell – currently plays the role of Hilary Banks on Peacock’s ‘Bel-Air.’
The pregame performances will air on NBC, Telemundo and Peacock.
American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth will perform the national anthem at Levi’s Stadium
Singer/actress CoCo Jones attends a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Atlanta Hawks on November 28. Her fiancé, NBA star Donovan Mitchell, plays for the Cavs
Brandi Carlile, an 11-time Grammy Award winner, will perform ‘America the Beautiful’
‘Charlie, Brandi, and Coco are generational talents, and we are honored to have them — alongside our extraordinary deaf performers — on Super Bowl LX’s world stage,’ said Desiree Perez, CEO of Roc Nation, which produces the pregame show. ‘This moment embodies the very best of culture, live performance and our country.’
The decision to name Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny as the musical act for this season’s football showpiece has proved fiercely controversial, with a number of MAGA commentators furious at the prospect of the anti- Trump artist headlining at halftime.
Real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Bad Bunny’s well-known disdain for Trump’s immigration policies has irked conservatives most, although his Spanish lyrics have also irked POTUS’ supporters.
But NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has insisted the NFL is happy with the call, which was made with in conjunction with Roc Nation.
‘He’s one of the leading and most popular in the world. That’s what we try to achieve,’ he said at the NFL’s league meetings in New York on Wednesday.
‘It’s an important stage for us, an important element to the entertainment value. It’s carefully thought through. I think it’s going to be an exciting and a united moment.’
‘I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you literally have millions of people who are watching.
‘But we’re confident it’s going to be a great show. He understands the platform that he’s on. The show will evolve from here. I’m not saying there won’t be additional talent but that’s always the way it works.’
Bad Bunny is one of the most popular artists in the world with over 77 million monthly listeners on Spotify. In fact, he was that website’s most-streamed artist in 2020, 2021 and 2022
House Speaker Mike Johnson , for one, called for Grammy Award-winning country singer Lee Greenwood to perform his 1984 hit, ‘God Bless The USA,’ while other conservatives have named country legend George Strait as a good choice for Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara.
Some critics went so far as to launch a petition demanding Strait replace Bad Bunny , whom they criticized for his gender-bending on-stage antics.
‘The Super Bowl halftime show should unite our country, honor American culture, and remain family-friendly, not be turned into a political stunt,’ read the petition.
‘Bad Bunny represents none of these values; his drag performances and style are the opposite of what families expect on football’s biggest stage.
‘Again, George Strait embodies unity, tradition, and the timeless American music that truly deserves the 2026 Super Bowl spotlight.’
Roger Goodell has made an impassioned defense of Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl
The petition names the NFL, Goodell and Roc Nation as the key ‘decision makers’ on the halftime show.
Roc Nation, the brand famously launched by rapper Jay-Z, has produced the Super Bowl halftime show since the 2019 season and is primarily responsible for choosing the performers.
In fact, Roc Nation added Bad Bunny to the Super Bowl lineup in February of 2022 behind headliners Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, although that decision garnered much less criticism at the time.
Bad Bunny is considered one of the most popular artists in the world with over 77 million monthly listeners on Spotify. In fact, he was that website’s most-streamed artist in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
For comparison, Straight has over 8.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, although he has sold 120 million records worldwide since the mid-1970s – slightly more than the 111 million in sales Bad Bunny is credited with since 2013.
