Did Kendrick Lamar’s controversial Super Bowl halftime show break the all-time viewership record?
Kendrick Lamar headlined highly anticipated performance at the Super Bowl halftime show hit all-time high viewership record.
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Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl halftime show (image via Rolling Stone)
With the highly awaited Super Bowl, Kendrick Lamar‘s controversial halftime show also ran its course. The halftime show has been making headlines ever since its announcement, although some to the singer’s disadvantage. Nonetheless, with the amount of people invested in the artist’s appearance, it probably amassed a high viewership.
Likely, per recent reports, Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show became the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show ever. The rapper managed to beat Michael Jackson‘s 1993 record of 133.4 million viewers. On average, 127.7 million people watched the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs butt heads with each other.
However, at the time of Lamar’s performance, the views spiked up to a whopping 133.5 million. The numbers are reported taking into consideration all the digital platforms streaming the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LIX continued the trend of record-breaking viewership, achieving an all-time high for the second consecutive year. The halftime show managed to draw in more viewership than the game, with the second half watched by more people.
This follows the success of Usher’s performance in the previous Super Bowl surpassed by 3%. Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show has been heavily disputed ever since its announcement. Primarily it was due to people expecting Lil Wayne to headline the show crediting it to his connection to New Orleans and contributions to the music industry.
Just In: Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show drew 133.5 MILLION viewers, breaking the record as the most-watched halftime ever.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 11, 2025
Best half-time show of all time? pic.twitter.com/yKuljWmEoL
Beyond that, the rapper sparked interest among viewers for his extremely publicized feud with fellow rapper Drake. Many fans waited to see if he performed his viral diss track ‘Not Like Us‘ that received five Grammys a week prior.
Lamar did give his fans what they wanted however in a subtle fashion after a good tease. He also sparked several criticisms from the fans claiming that the showcase was boring although the Billboard headlining artist is known for his creative direction and storytelling.
Serena Williams opens up about Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show
Kendrick Lamar made history after being the first solo artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. However, he wasn’t alone as he had a couple of guest appearances, such as SZA who performed two songs with the artist. The 15-minute performance was opened by Samuel L. Jackson who introduced Lamar to the viewers.
Way after his ‘Not Like Us’ tease, the rapper circled back to the song by the end and brought out Drake’s alleged ex, tennis legend Serena Williams. The athlete surprised the entire audience as she crip-walked to the song. Post the event, she took to her Instagram handle to share her thoughts on the performance.
Williams shared her sheer surprise after Lamar’s team contacted her proposing her cameo. The team also referred to her iconic Olympic celebration where she crip walked, much to the public’s disapproval. However, the tennis star knew it would pay off someday and she was spot on.
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Lakshita Kalra
(378 Articles Published)