Why Did Taylor Swift Refuse to Perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show Two Times?

Taylor Swift is perhaps the biggest pop culture sensation in the world right now. She’s at the peak of her powers, especially after dropping after her latest 1989 (Taylor’s Version) a year after dropping the highly reclaimed Midnights in 2022. She has become somewhat of a crossover celebrity too with her frequent football visits. However, despite her enormous presence, the renowned artist has turned down the opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl twice.

First, Swift was offered the gig at Super Bowl 56 in 2022. However, she rejected the proposal. Initially, fans speculated that she might have rejected the show because she had a deal with Coca-Cola, and Pepsi sponsored the show. Pepsi eventually lost sponsorship of the Super Bowl halftime show to Apple, but that didn’t change Swift’s stance.

She made this decision because she wanted to finish re-recording her first six albums, something she’s in the process of doing currently with albums Taylor Swift, Speak Now, Reputation, and 1989.

She further turned down the gig again in 2024. Swift is currently in the middle of her Eras tour and is incredibly busy with all the performances surrounding the world tour.

Further, the pop star is currently at the top of her game, and usually, artists performing at the Super Bowl are hoping to boost their careers or trend again, but Swift doesn’t need that right now.

Additionally, artists don’t make any money from performing at the big game. While the NFL does cover expenses and production costs that can total millions of dollars, Super Bowl performers know they aren’t doing it to make money. This year’s headliner is R&B artist Usher, who has announced his first album since 2019.

Usher to Headline Super Bowl 2024 Halftime Show

For an artist as big as Taylor Swift, the Super Bowl doesn’t make a lot of financial sense. Her Eras tour is netting her millions, and the Super Bowl would effectively give her nothing.

Performing all across the world, Taylor Swift has reached a far greater audience than she ever could with just a 15-minute performance in the Super Bowl. Instead, Usher is headlining the show, and it’s set to be electric given his experience in the music industry as an artist and a performer.

Usher is also looking to release his newest album, COMING HOME, as well. He dropped the track list and the release date which is set shortly before Super Bowl 58.

Usher’s peak was in the early to mid-2000s, but he’s still a great artist, and he’s sure to hype up the crowd during the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. It’ll be a peak performance in the middle of a battle between the two best teams in the NFL.