Superstars like The Weeknd, Dr. Dre and Rihanna have all rocked the Super Bowl Halftime Show over the past three years.
This year, it’s time for R&B star Usher, who has no shortage of hits to choose from at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
I highly doubt we’ll hear any 30th anniversary tunes from his self-titled debut album “Usher” (1994), which he released when he was just 16 years old, but I’ll be dancing in my seat if he plays anything from his breakthrough sophomore album “My Way” (1997), including the title track “My Way,” “Nice & Slow” and “You Make Me Wanna.”
The eight-time Grammy winner could also pull songs from his third album “8701” (2001), including “U Don’t Have to Call,” “U Remind Me,” “U Turn” and “U Got It Bad,” which proved his staying power as a pop-culture force.
Still, if there’s one album he’s guaranteed to play, it’s his fourth album “Confessions” (2004). Slower songs like “Burn” and “Confessions: Part 2” might not make the set, but “Caught Up” has real dance potential. Alicia Keys is joining him for “My Boo,” while Lil Jon and Ludacris have appeared in commercials teasing their famous hit “Yeah!”
Might Taylor Swift come down to join him? It’d be a massive surprise, but she’ll likely wait to headline next year.
This Sunday, we’re far more likely to see artists who were featured on Usher’s club bangers, be it Young Jeezy on “Love in This Club” from his fifth album “Here I Stand” (2008), will.i.am. on “OMG” from his sixth album “Raymond v. Raymond” (2010) or Pitbull on the catchy “DJ Got Us Falling in Love Again” from the “Versus EP” (2010).
Even if you haven’t kept up with his seventh and eighth albums, “Looking 4 Myself” (2012) and “Hard II Love” (2016), there are still so many songs you’ll recognize on Sunday. While other recent performances created a generational divide between Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z, I predict Usher will give a universally-beloved performance like Bruno Mars in 2014 because the dude can flat-out dance (respect to Gene Kelly).
If you like what you see on Sunday’s halftime show, feel free to pick up his ninth studio album “Coming Home” (2024), which conveniently drops this Friday, or you can grab a ticket to his recently announced “Past Present Future” concert tour, which kicks off at Capital One Arena in D.C. as its very first stop on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
Which songs do you hope he’ll play? Hit me on X at @JFrayWTOP.
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