8 Artists Who Declined The Super Bowl Halftime Show
Twelve minutes, one stage, and the kind of pressure that turns pop stars into pop history.
Even so, a handful of major artists saw the Super Bowl halftime spotlight and confidently said no. Creative control, personal principles, or perfectly timed exits all played a role.
Saying no to the biggest platform in live pop might be the most memorable move of all.
8. Taylor Swift
Rumors circulated that Swift passed on halftime talk while focusing on her re-recording project.
She later clarified that no formal offer was ever made. In later comments, she framed the idea differently once her relationship with Travis Kelce put her in the weekly-game mindset.
“Can you imagine if he’s out there, every single week, doing this very dangerous, very high-pressure, very high-intensity sport and I’m like: ‘I wonder what my choreography should be?'” That’s personal perspective over production planning.
7. JAY-Z
League executives floated a Super Bowl halftime idea, but the offer came with strings attached from the National Football League.
The proposed setup reportedly required performing “Run This Town” with Rihanna and Kanye West, making the opportunity feel contingent. Pushback came quickly from JAY-Z, who rejected the premise outright.
Walking away felt preferable to accepting terms that dictated collaborators, a stance summed up by his refusal to treat the halftime stage as a bargaining chip for someone else’s conditions.
6. Adele
Adele shut down halftime chatter quickly in 2016.
She dismissed the idea publicly, saying the show ‘is not about music’ and noting she doesn’t dance.
Dancing also landed off the table, removing any temptation to join a show built around movement and flash. The NFL and sponsor Pepsi said no formal offer had been made.
Position already felt settled, leaving no doubt where she stood long before speculation could grow legs.
5. Dolly Parton
Over the years, Dolly Parton has received multiple invitations to take the Super Bowl halftime stage.
Each offer met the same gracious response, delivered with a polite decline. Speaking in a 2023 interview, she explained that the sheer scale of the production felt overwhelming.
She’s said she has turned it down many times because she didn’t feel comfortable taking on a production that big.
Hearing that hesitation lands with a smile, since few performers loom larger in music history than Dolly herself.
4. Cardi B
Cardi B said she declined a Super Bowl LIII performance opportunity.
Solidarity drove that decision, tied directly to Colin Kaepernick and his protest against racial injustice during the national anthem.
She acknowledged the financial tradeoff in turning it down. Perspective shifted once the focus landed on someone who lost a career while standing on principle.
Choosing values over visibility sent a clear message that certain lines matter more than any stage tied to the National Football League.
3. P!nk
After singing the national anthem at Super Bowl LII, P!nk said she was approached about halftime and passed. Why?
“Everybody that does it gets so heavily scrutinized,” she explained.
The Kaepernick debate was still active, and she didn’t want the spotlight that comes with it. Sometimes opting out is the clearest choice.
2. Backstreet Boys
Nick Carter has said the Backstreet Boys were offered the 2001 halftime slot and chose the national anthem instead.
That invitation didn’t stick, with the group choosing instead to deliver the national anthem, a smaller slot that still carried weight. Later confirmation came from Nick Carter, who acknowledged the decision to pass on the bigger stage.
Maybe timing played a role, since halftime glory brings choreography demands that not every group is ready to shoulder all at once.
1. André 3000 (OutKast)
Creative control stalled a Super Bowl halftime approach once OutKast entered the conversation.
André 3000 reportedly wasn’t interested in cutting songs down to broadcast-length medleys.
Clarity came later when Big Boi explained that full performances mattered more than medleys built for speed. For an artist who treats every note and lyric as essential, halftime spectacle simply didn’t make the cut.
Disclaimer: This list reflects reported accounts and public comments about halftime show discussions, which can range from informal outreach to confirmed offers, and details may differ by source or evolve over time.
