So yes — Bad Bunny is officially set to headline this year’s Super Bowl halftime show.
The NFL announced that the global superstar, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, will take the stage during the most-watched music performance of the year. If you’re a country fan, there’s a decent chance his catalog isn’t exactly in your rotation. While he’s responsible for massive hits like “Dákiti” and “Titi Me Preguntó,” many country listeners know the name more than the music.
That doesn’t mean the performance won’t be entertaining. It could be great. It might even win over new fans. But for those hoping this would finally be the year a country artist got the halftime spotlight, the announcement felt like another missed opportunity.
Halftime performers are selected through a partnership between the National Football League, Roc Nation, and the host city — which helps explain why country music has been consistently overlooked. With Roc Nation led by Jay-Z, it’s not hard to see why pop, hip-hop, and R&B artists continue to dominate the slot.
Still, that logic feels increasingly outdated. Country music is currently more mainstream than it’s been in decades, driven by artists who dominate streaming platforms, sell out stadiums, and consistently top the charts. Acts like Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan have pushed the genre into cultural spaces it hasn’t occupied since the 1990s.
And yet, the last true country headliner at the Super Bowl halftime show was Shania Twain in 2003. Since then, country artists have mostly been limited to performing the national anthem — an honor, sure, but hardly the same cultural moment.
From a business standpoint, the NFL wants a globally recognizable name with proven crossover appeal. But that argument ignores just how large country’s footprint has become, especially in the U.S., which remains the league’s primary audience.
There are several country artists who would make sense on the Super Bowl stage:
Morgan Wallen: One of the biggest artists in the world, with massive crossover appeal — though past controversies likely keep him off the NFL’s shortlist.
Luke Combs: Stadium-tested, widely respected, and packed with football-ready anthems.
Lainey Wilson: A strong performer with personality and visual flair, even if she’d benefit from sharing the stage.
George Strait: A long shot, but a legendary one — proof that spectacle isn’t the only way to command a stadium.
Post Malone: Perhaps the most realistic option, given his success in pop, hip-hop, and now country. His range, popularity, and collaborations make him tailor-made for a modern halftime show.
A combination of artists — especially someone like Post Malone joined by Wallen, Combs, or Lainey Wilson — could easily match the NFL’s desire for scale and surprise while finally giving country music its moment back on the biggest stage in sports.
At the end of the day, football and country music have always gone hand in hand. The fact that the Super Bowl hasn’t reflected that in over two decades feels less like coincidence and more like an overdue correction waiting to happen.
