Maroon 5 Set To Perform Halftime Show For Super Bowl LIII
Sources have confirmed that Maroon 5 will perform at the 2019 Super Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia, in early February, reported Variety.
The National Football League (NFL) halftime show, sponsored by Pepsi, has traditionally featured sophisticated pyrotechnics and light shows. Previous performances have boasted superstars such as Paul McCartney, Beyonce, The Who, Prince, and Lady Gaga.
This year will be no exception.
Maroon 5 is a band of seven from Los Angeles, California. Headed by occasional solo lead singer, Adam Levine, members also include James Valentine, Jesse Carmichael, PJ Morton, Sam Farrar, Matt Flynn, and Mickey Madden.
They have received three Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, and four Billboard Music Awards.
The band has been topping the Billboard chart since 2002 with their debut album, Songs About Jane. They are currently on tour in support of their most recent album, Red Pill Blues, released in late 2017, reports CBS.
Maroon 5, who recently collaborated with Cardi B, Future, SZA, and Kendrick Lamar, have made it to YouTube’s top viewed songs for the summer, according to Variety. It’s possible that one of their collaborators may share the stage with them, as is typical at halftime shows, but there are no confirmations of such as yet.
While the football game — and halftime show — will air on CBS and stream on CBS All Access, Adam Levine controversially stars on rival channel NBC’s The Voice, reported Rolling Stone.
The Super Bowl halftime show has frequently featured moments of controversy, such as in 2004 — when Janet Jackson suffered from an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction performing with Justin Timberlake — or M.I.A’s infamous middle finger gesture during the 2012 proceedings.
The halftime show in 2018 took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It featured a return to the stage for Justin Timberlake, and included a tribute for recently deceased Minnesota-native Prince.
It was speculated that Jay-Z would be making an appearance, though the rapper turned down the offer due to the NFL’s treatment of protesting football players, such as Colin Kaepernick, according to Variety.
“I said no to the Super Bowl. You need me, I don’t need you,” Jay Z said in a recent song, apparently confirming the rumors.
The NFL has been widely scrutinized in the last year, both politically and economically.
President Donald Trump revoked an invitation to the White House for the 2018 Super Bowl champions — the Philadelphia Eagles — after several players publicly stated a refusal to go. Television ratings have also declined, with many blaming the national anthem controversy, according to the Washington Post.
“I think they’re trying to help their communities out,” Tony Dungy told the Washington Post. The former Indiana Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach is currently a studio analyst for NBC.
The Super Bowl is scheduled to take place at the newly opened Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It will be the first Super Bowl hosted there, and the third in Atlanta, reported CBS Sports.
The most likely teams to return are predicted to be the Patriots, the Steelers, and the Eagles.
Whether the controversy surrounding the NFL will affect halftime show ratings remains to be seen.
