- - The Super Bowl Halftime Rock Renaissance of the 2000s

Olivia KlimekFebruary 8, 2026 at 7:42 AM

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In recent years, polarizing opinions surrounding Super Bowl halftime performers have flourished, but in the 2000s, it was a completely different story. Between 2001 and 2010, Super Bowl halftime shows were stacked with beloved rock icons, capturing a 10-year run of unity among football fans.

Let's recap this Rock Renaissance.

Super Bowl XXXV (2001): Aerosmith

The iconic 1970s hard rock band Aerosmith was the headlining act for Super Bowl XXXV. The performance featured a mashup between hit Aerosmith songs, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and "Jaded" and popular pop band NSYNC songs "Bye Bye Bye" and "It's Gonna Be Me." The groups upheld the theme of the halftime show, "The Kings of Rock & Pop," with an electrifying set filled with high-energy choreography, comedy and organized chaos. To wrap the hectic show, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige and Nelly joined Aerosmith and NSYNC onstage for a multi-artist performance of the '70s classic "Walk This Way."

Britney Spears and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith perform together during the halftime show January 28, 2001 at Super Bowl XXXV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Brian Bahr/Allsport/Newsmakers (Brian Bahr/Allsport/Newsmakers)Super Bowl XXXVI (2002): U2

Popular 1980s rock band U2 was selected to headline Super Bowl XXXVI. The 2002 performance would go down as one of the most emotional halftime shows in Super Bowl history. U2 delivered a poignant 9/11 memorial tribute. On a heart-shaped stage, the band played touching renditions of "Beautiful Day," "MLK" and "Where the Streets Have No Name" while a screen honoring the names of victims was presented behind them.

Names of the victims of the 9/11 attacks scroll up, as U2 performs during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXXVI in the Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 3, 2002. M. Caulfield/WireImage (M. Caulfield/WireImage)Super Bowl XXXIX (2005): Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney, of the massive '60s rock supergroup the Beatles, was the headliner for Super Bowl XXXIX. After the controversy surrounding the 2004 wardrobe malfunction, the NFL sought a reliable act and landed on the legendary McCartney.

McCartney delivered a four-song medley of classics from the Beatles and Wings, featuring "Drive My Car," "Get Back" and "Live and Let Die" accompanied by pyrotechnic effects. He ended the set with a stadium-wide-sing-along of "Hey Jude." The rocker's performance was critically acclaimed for being high-energy and musically focused. Its success inspired additional legacy acts in the following years.

Musician Paul McCartney performs on stage during the XXXIX Superbowl Half-Time show at Alltel Stadium on February 6, 2005 in Jacksonville, Florida. Frank Micelotta/Getty Images (Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)Super Bowl XL (2006): The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones were the headlining act for Super Bowl XL's halftime show. The rockers wowed the crowd with an invigorating performance of their hits "Start Me Up," "Rough Justice" and "Satisfaction." The set was performed on a tongue-shaped stage custom-built to replicate the band's signature logo.

Despite his age, lead singer Mick Jagger was commended for his high-energy performance, solidifying the reliability of legacy acts as Super Bowl crowd-pleasers.

The Rolling Stones perform during the "Sprint Super Bowl XL Halftime Show" at Super Bowl XL between the Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field on February 5, 2006 in Detroit, Michigan. Andy Lyons/Getty Images (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)Super Bowl XLI (2007): Prince

The 1980s love symbol Prince electrified the stage for the Super Bowl XLI halftime show. Widely considered the greatest Super Bowl halftime show of all time, Prince stunned America with a once-in-a-lifetime rock and roll performance featuring intricate pyrotechnics and beloved classics.

On a custom love-symbol-shaped stage, Prince sang "Let's Go Crazy," "Baby I'm a Star" and a legendary rendition of "Purple Rain," completing his set with an impromptu guitar solo. The show was performed in the middle of a thunderstorm, making it all the more impressive. When asked if he was okay to perform in the storm, Prince gave the iconic response:

"Can you make it rain harder?"

Prince performs during the "Pepsi Halftime Show" at Super Bowl XLI between the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears on February 4, 2007 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Donald Miralle/Getty Images (Donald Miralle/Getty Images)Super Bowl XLII (2008): Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

1970s heartland rockers Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were chosen to headline Super Bowl XLII. Petty rocked the stadium with a 12-minute set. He performed his legendary hits "American Girl," "I Won't Back Down," "Free Fallin'" and "Running Down a Dream" on a custom-built guitar-shaped stage.

Petty's engaging, high-energy performance was an instant crowd pleaser, remembered as a highly respected classic-rock show for its musical focus.

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers perform during the 'Bridgestone Halftime Show' at Super Bowl XLII between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots on February 3, 2008 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)Super Bowl XLIII (2009): Bruce Springsteen

Legendary 1980s rocker Bruce Springsteen headlined the halftime show for Super Bowl XLIII. Springsteen delivered an epic 12-minute set full of classic hits and raw rock energy. The iconic setlist consisted of "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," "Born to Run," "Working on a Dream" and "Glory Days."

While the entire performance was a success, the 2009 halftime show is commonly remembered for Springsteen's iconic move where he ran across the stage and slid on his knees directly into the camera operator.

Musician Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band perform at the Bridgestone halftime show during Super Bowl XLIII between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Jamie Squire/Getty Images (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)Super Bowl XLIV (2010): The Who

To complete the 2000s rock renaissance, the Who was chosen as the headlining act for Super Bowl XLIV. The 1970s hard rock legends delivered a raw performance stacked with fan favorites like "Pinball Wizard," "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again." The high-energy set was accompanied by stunning visuals, including iconic laser effects and elaborate lighting. The futuristic set design deviated from the classic field-crowding performances of past years, closing out the decade in style.

Musicians Pino Palladino, Simon Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Zak Starkey, Pete Townshend and John "Rabbit" Bundrick of The Who perform onstage during the Super Bowl XLIV Halftime Show at the Sun Life Stadium on February 7, 2010 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Kevin Mazur/WireImage (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Related: 1973 Classic Ranked ‘Best Rock Album’ of All Time

This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”