Feb 20, 2025
Grammy Award-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar headlined the NFL’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show on Feb. 9, an event that drew over 100 million viewers and continues to serve as one of the most coveted performance slots in the industry.
But despite the months of preparation and massive production costs, Lamar didn’t cash in the way you might expect. In fact, he wasn’t paid much at all.
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That’s because Super Bowl halftime show performers don’t receive the type of paycheck they’re used to earning. In a statement to The Independent, an NFL representative confirmed that the league “covers all costs associated with the show” while ensuring performers get paid “union scale.”
According to Forbes, this amounts to “a fraction of the six- and seven-figure sums” these headlining artists typically bank.
So, why do artists like Lamar — and those before him — continue to take on such a high-profile gig with little financial incentive?
Marketing campaign of a lifetime
While Lamar didn’t receive a big paycheck from the NFL, the Super Bowl stage offers another kind of payout — exposure. It gives musicians the opportunity to put their discography on display in front of a global audience.
Given the viewership numbers, the real financial gain often comes from the surge in song streams, album sales and brand deals that follow the performance.
Case in point, in the hours following Lamar’s showcase, streams for the rapper’s hit “Not Like Us” shot up 430% on Spotify, according to Variety. There was also a 300% spike in streams for “HUMBLE.” and a 290% increase for “All The Stars,” which he performed on stage with artist SZA.
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It’s not always about the music, either. Rihanna’s performance in 2023 was a masterclass in turning halftime into a business opportunity. Mid-show, she casually touched up her makeup using a product from her cosmetic brand Fenty Beauty and strategically debuted a new shade of her liquid lipstick.
For artists, performing at the Super Bowl halftime show is a once-in-a-lifetime marketing opportunity.
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But does it really come at no cost?
While the NFL covers production expenses for the Super Bowl halftime show, the idea that performing comes with no cost isn’t exactly true. For many artists, the true price isn’t just financial — it’s creative and emotional. Some performers are perfectionists with a vision that can outpace the budget provided.
In 2021, The Weeknd reportedly spent $7 million of his own money on his show to bring his vision to life. Forbes reports a source informed the publication Dr. Dre also spent $7 million in 2022 to bring together his West Coast hip-hop showcase.
But beyond the dollars, there’s a toll of squeezing an entire legacy into just over a dozen minutes. Ahead of her 2023 performance, Rihanna told reporters: “You’re trying to cram 17 years of work into 13 minutes. It’s difficult.”
As fans reflect on Kendrick Lamar’s performance, the focus isn’t just on what the audience sees — it’s also on what it took to get there.
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Victoria Vesovski is a Toronto-based Staff Reporter at Moneywise, where she covers the intersection of personal finance, lifestyle and trending news. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, a postgraduate certificate in Publishing from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Master’s degree in American Journalism from New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. Her work has been featured in publications including Apple News, Yahoo Finance, MSN Money, Her Campus Media and The Click.
