Super Bowl Commercials

[TooLiveBrew]

The Roots would be an excellent choice

[MJLiverock]

Appealing to a vast demographic is hard, I can tell you I hated Paul McCartney as a choice, too old, not upbeat enough and given my utter disdain for U2 they didn't rate highly for me. Coldplay is another band that has no appeal to me and I can't figure out why anyone likes them or would want mellow rock for a Super Bowl halftime - - Sting and Norah Jones not available?

 

The Foo Fighters are an interesting choice but they probably don't have the name recognition to get a shot, even if they did play Nirvana songs.

 

The best bet is probably a headliner and a song or snippet or two from other bands/performers who appeal to different demographics.

[Patrick425]

I know some eyes will roll at this, but I can't believe Bon Jovi has not been one of the half time shows. I think they would be a "popular" and safe choice. I don't really like or hate them (never purchased any of their CDs or songs), but I believe they were the top grossing concert performers of 2010.

[pitchleague]

A couple of things:

 

1) Would the NFL consider Springsteen again in 2014 when the SB is in New Jersey? Seems a bit soon to have a repeat act but he's, obviously, a shoo-in for most obvious performer for that SB.

 

2) If not Springsteen, what performing group is willingly going to WANT to perform in New Jersey, where it could, potentially be freezing cold, snowing/sleeting, and not really all that much fun. Not to mention the dangers of slipping and falling while "dancing" or moving around a wet, slick, frozen stage?

 

3) What about "Up With People"? It worked for most of the first 10 or so Super Bowls.

[Principessa21]

I always thought Gnarls Barkley would be a great choice for the halftime.

[GAME05]

i can't figure why anybody wouldn't want to perform in a halftime show. it's the biggest audience in the world and has the potential to interest millions of people to your music who might not have otherwise have heard you (despite his popularity, no doubt millions of people haven't heard Springsteen before). plus if you have a new-ish album out, you'd get to play a song off of that.

they could make the stage non-slippery, and it would only be 15 minutes of performing in cold weather, which a person can deal with.

 

no halftime show has ever really caught my interest. even this year, that's when i got up to get food and use the bathroom, since i wouldn't otherwise leave to risk missing a single play. even for stadium performers like U2 or the Stones, the show is still so much different and less intimate than regular performances, and the only stage value the Superbowl really offers are the regular groups of dancers on the field. yawn. it all just seems so odd to see during a football game. whichever drum corps/marching band team that wins the yearly contest would be my choice to perform in the Superbowl and would be completely football-appropriate, but it's almost too bad that the Superbowl has become such a spectacle that they have to bring in some big-time singer in to do a show. but i suppose the SB ratings would decline if they didn't have a big singer to perform.

 

i'll vote for Maya Angelou to appear at halftime and read a few poems.

[logan82]

The neighbors and I always play cricket at halftime. Sometimes into the second half if we don't care about the game. Honestly since Tom Petty got blasted a couple years back I don't think anybody would be an acceptable halftime show.

[danzig6767]

If the Black Keys did the halftime show I would cry. Mostly because I love them so much and dont want to see them subjected SB halftime.

 

It absolutely devastated me that 'Girl Is On My Mind' was used by a diamond jewelry company over the holidays. It always got my attention because, hey, its the Black Keys awesome! but then I would get depressed because I am one of those annoying music snobs who wants everyone to know I listen to awesome music but gets pissed when everyone starts listening to it as well.

Why?

 

The Black Keys are a fabulous band and i think it would have been great to see them doing the halftime show last Sunday. Not only would it have been nice to see them get huge attention like they deserve, it also would be refreshing to me at least to simply see high quality music win out during a massive spectacle like the Super Bowl instead of flash and no substance as was the case with that crap put on involving the Black Eyed Peas.

 

One thing that bothers me sometimes is bands that may have started out as a socalled "underground band" and then if that band gets pretty popular, suddenly a bunch of their fans will start calling that band sellouts and/or criticize the band if they use that higher appeal to cash in some financially.

 

In the mid/later 80's, i got pretty into the punk scene and bands would often get called sellouts if they got any level of popularity beyond playing in clubs holding 1000 or less people even though those bands often had to live dogs just to keep together. I remember reading Get In the Van by Henry Rollins along with reading interviews where he said few thing bugged him more than supposed fans of Black Flag or fans of him throwing out the sellot word when fans weren't the ones who lived life for years and traveled everywhere in a hunk of crap van.

 

Plus, it also bugs me that so many stations play crappy packaged music, while a great group like the Black Keys can have a tough time getting their music out exposed to the masses. Playing the Super Bowl would be huge for their career, but of course it never would happen.

[Patrick425]

I thought letterman had a pretty good recap of the commercials on his show Monday night:

 

[drezdn]

I've been trying to think of a group that has the catalog and following to play the Half Time show. The only choice that pops out would be Metallica. They can fill arenas, they have plenty of hits and could string an inoffensive medley together.

[Invader3K]

I would think Metallica would be a bit too "heavy" for the audience they're trying to appeal to.

 

Why not a more modern rock band like the Strokes, Killers, or White Stripes (if they're still together)?

[bjkrautk]

or White Stripes (if they're still together)?

 

...interesting choice of words (if you didn't already know).

[GAME05]

if Metallica played, would we not be allowed to TiVo the Superbowl?

[Invader3K]

or White Stripes (if they're still together)?

 

...interesting choice of words (if you didn't already know).

Did not know they made it "official", but they've been on and off again for a while now, it seemed. Jack White always has some project going so maybe something in the future with him might be possible.

[rwa12]

The Super Bowl tries to avoid "fad" bands, or so it seems. They don't want to appear dated in replay, like an SNL episode with a One Hit Wonder. BEP like them or not, has been established for some time now, and are very popular in the mainstream. Their music is all but made for NBA timeouts, and cheerleader routines. They were a logical choice. I think the Foo Fighters have more than enough hits to play it, I will be surprised if they don't in the next 5 years. You're telling me the NFL can't play up "The Best of Me"? I don't think Metallica is too heavy, but would guess that their setlist would have to be almost all Black album and forward, to appeal to the masses. Was surprised Bon Jovi hasn't played it, they seem like a no-brainer for the formula. Nickelback will almost certainly play one in the next few years. If I could choose? I would love to see Incubus play the show.

[danzig6767]

or White Stripes (if they're still together)?

 

...interesting choice of words (if you didn't already know).

Did not know they made it "official", but they've been on and off again for a while now, it seemed. Jack White always has some project going so maybe something in the future with him might be possible.

The Dead Weather and it's good stuff

 

[bucks2281]

I talked to a couple people who were at the game, and they said the halftime show was mind-blowing. There's probably a vast difference between the show in-person and at television.

 

As for the future, I think we're going to see the Foo Fighters/Red Hot Chili Peppers/Taylor Swift/Katy Perry ... in some order.

[Patrick425]

My son's best friend went to the game with his dad and also said the half time show was unbelievable. Of course, my son's best friend is 12, but like bucks stated, I'm sure if you were there it was much better than seeing it on TV.

[Godspeed]

It may have looked amazing, but you can't polish a turd... That's a terrible group that's the embodiment of pretty much everything that's wrong with the modern record industry. But whatever, I'd watch the games and commercials regardless, so clearly I'm not in their target demographic.

[Point Beer Is Best]

2) If not Springsteen, what performing group is willingly going to WANT

to perform in New Jersey, where it could, potentially be freezing cold,

snowing/sleeting, and not really all that much fun. Not to mention the

dangers of slipping and falling while "dancing" or moving around a wet,

slick, frozen stage?

 

Bon Jovi is from Jersey. I certainly wouldn't get pumped up for that, but that's probably in the vein of what they are looking for. Maybe they'll have Zach Braff and Snooki host the red carpet events, ensuring that I will have zero interest in anything other than the game.

[TooLiveBrew]

It may have looked amazing, but you can't polish a turd... That's a terrible group that's the embodiment of pretty much everything that's wrong with the modern record industry. But whatever, I'd watch the games and commercials regardless, so clearly I'm not in their target demographic.

http://i.min.us/ijfVtK.jpg

[DSFastball55]

I think the Stray Cats might be a good choice, especially for New York. I believe they still play together on occasion.

Also Aerosmith hasn't done one yet I believe.

Billy Joel / Elton John

Pearl Jam

Soundgarden

Dave Matthews Band

somebody country, maybe Taylor Swift or the Dixie Chicks

[mtrebs]

...

Also Aerosmith hasn't done one yet I believe.

...

Didn't Aerosmith (or at least Steven Tyler) perform that one year with Britney Spears?

[Patrick425]

What about Rush?

[RightFieldCoder]

Aerosmith did it in 2001 (along with Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, 'N Sync, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and Nelly). "Rock Band Aerosmith" was the story of Aerosmith rising from a small band to headlining the "Big Game".