Yes, the halftime show has grown to the point of having critics.
“From giant puppets to rousing tributes to Sept. 11, from Phil Collins to Paul McCartney, the halftime show remains as stodgy as an episode of ‘The Price is Right,’” says Robert Thompson, a Syracuse University professor and past president of the International Popular Culture Association. “Even Janet Jackson’s performance, though it caused much hand wringing, was just another pop star trotted onto the field.”
Maybe, but hundreds of millions are watching worldwide, which makes it good business for the performers. Just about every artist since 1993 has seen big jumps in record sales the following week. “It happens every year,” says Geoff Mayfield, the charts editor for Billboard magazine. “The year Michael Jackson was on, he was on a mission to resurrect his album, and that was one of the planks in his effort.”
Coldplay performed on the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” show after the 2003 game and still got a 27 percent boost.Josh Groban, who performed before the game in 2004, saw a 209 percent increase in album sales, Mayfield says. Kid Rock, who performed at halftime the same year, saw his most recent album gain a 70 percent jolt in sales and jump from No. 23 to No. 9 on the Billboard charts. The Dixie Chicks did the National Anthem in 2003 and watched their record jump from No. 4 to No. 1.
Which may be why some are upset that the Stones are headlining instead of some of the local Motown legends. As a result of the criticism, the NFL has added some 11th-hour Motown acts. Aretha Franklin (a Detroit native), Aaron Neville and Dr. John are triple-teaming the anthem. Another Detroit native, Stevie Wonder, will perform before the game, as will Joss Stone and John Legend.
“It’s big exposure,” says Steeg, who in 1988 oversaw a production featuring the Rockettes and 88 grand pianos rolled onto the field. “(Pete) Rozelle thought from the very beginning it had to be the biggest and grandest of them all. And it is.”
Source: http://www.contracostatimes.com
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