Following this year&rsquo;s unforgettable halftime show courtesy of Kendrick Lamar, the next headliner has some seriously big shoes to fill.

It feels like it was just yesterday that <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/kendrick-lamar-chanel-ambassador-sunglasses-campaign">Kendrick Lamar</a> delivered one of the most talked-about Super Bowl halftime shows in history. The references to America&rsquo;s political divide just weeks after President Trump&rsquo;s inauguration. Continual jabs at Drake for his alleged pedophilia in his performance of &ldquo;Not Like Us.&rdquo; Samuel L. Jackson&rsquo;s cameo as Uncle Sam critiquing the show as &ldquo;too loud, too reckless, too ghetto&rdquo;&mdash;a pointed commentary on how Black artists are expected to appear &ldquo;civilized&rdquo; in the music industry and beyond. It was a <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/kendrick-lamar-halftime-show-references-easter-eggs-rap-beef">set tightly wound with symbolism and social commentary</a> in an unprecedented cultural moment filled with uncertainty.&nbsp;
Of course, it was hardly surprising that the Pulitzer Prize-winning artist&mdash;whose 2018 album Damn offered an unflinching critique of African American life&mdash;would take the opportunity to make a statement in front of millions. After all, the Super Bowl is among the most-watched TV events in the U.S. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/celebrities-super-bowl-lix-taylor-swift-ice-spice-2025">Even non-sports fans tune in</a> just for the halftime spectacle (remember Rihanna promoting Fenty Beauty mid-performance, or The Weeknd navigating pandemic restrictions?).&nbsp;
As unforgettable as Lamar&rsquo;s moment was, the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show headliner announcement is almost upon us. The NFL, in partnership with Roc Nation and Apple Music, typically reveals the performer in late summer or early fall of the preceding year&mdash;Lamar&rsquo;s name dropped in September last year. Naturally, the speculation is heating up once again, and we&rsquo;re on the constant lookout for the official announcement.&nbsp;
Following such a culturally charged and widely praised performance, the next act will have big shoes to fill. So who, exactly, will headline the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show? Right now, all signs point to <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/beyonce-jay-z-louis-vuitton-mens-spring-summer-2026-show">Jay-Z</a> as the frontrunner. And while there&rsquo;s no official word just yet, even credible prediction markets like <a href="https://kalshi.com/markets/kxsuperbowlheadline/who-will-headline-super-bowl-lx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kalshi</a> think so.&nbsp;
But Jay-Z is far from the only name being floated. Ahead, L&rsquo;OFFICIEL breaks down every artist in the running for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, set on February 8, 2026, at Levi&rsquo;s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.&nbsp;

Jay-Z. Getty Images.

As early as February, betting markets were already placing odds on who would headline next year&rsquo;s Super Bowl halftime show&mdash;and Jay-Z shot straight to the top, a position he&rsquo;s now held for months. To some, it might seem puzzling; his last studio album, EVERYTHING IS LOVE, a collaboration with <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/beyonce-jay-z-louis-vuitton-mens-spring-summer-2026-show">Beyonc&eacute;</a>, came out in 2019, and he&rsquo;s largely stepped back from releasing his own music since then.&nbsp;
What many don&rsquo;t realize&mdash;unless they follow the music industry's inner workings closely&mdash;is that Jay-Z founded Roc Nation, the entertainment company that has served as the NFL&rsquo;s official entertainment partner since 2020. Roc Nation represents artists like Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Uzi Vert, and A$AP Rocky. And notably, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/rihanna-pregnancy-style-fashion-asap-rocky">Rihanna</a> headlined the 2023 halftime show, while Keys performed as a special guest during <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/men/usher-new-face-of-ralph-lauren-fragrances-brand-ambassador">Usher&rsquo;s</a> 2024 set.&nbsp;
That said, Jay-Z&rsquo;s behind-the-scenes role in curating some of the most talked-about halftime shows of the last decade, paired, of course, with his own legendary music career, has helped position him as the frontrunner. As of now, Kalshi puts his odds at 24 percent to headline the 2026 show, ahead of dozens of other contenders.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Post Malone</h2>

Post Malone. Getty Images.

Next in line to Jay-Z is Post Malone. Like Jay-Z, speculation about his potential halftime performance has been circulating since February. His recent album, F-1 Trillion, showcases a multi-genre approach, blending country influences with his earlier R&amp;B and hip-hop roots, highlighting his versatility and growth as an artist. Malone wouldn&rsquo;t be a stranger to the Super Bowl stage: in 2024, he performed &ldquo;America the Beautiful&rdquo; before kickoff, and earlier this year, he headlined the Super Bowl LIX YouTube Tailgate concert. As of now, he holds a 23 percent chance of headlining the 2026 halftime show, according to Kalshi.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Miley Cyrus</h2>

Miley Cyrus performs onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards. Getty Images.

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/miley-cyrus-something-beautiful-film-album-press-looks-naked-sheer-dress">Miley Cyrus</a> is also climbing the ranks for potentially headlining the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, currently holding a 22 percent chance, per Kalshi. You might be wondering why the former Disney darling is back in the headlines. Much to her fans&rsquo; disappointment, she has no plans to tour in support of her recently released album, Something Beautiful. Last month, however, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/hannah-montana-20th-anniversary-tour-celebration-miley-cyrus">Cyrus teased a possible project celebrating the 20th anniversary of </a><a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/hannah-montana-20th-anniversary-tour-celebration-miley-cyrus">Hannah Montana</a>.
In an interview with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt8kMerIHuk&amp;t=386s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SiriusXM</a>, she said, &ldquo;I want to design something really, really special for it because it really was the beginning of all of this. Without Hannah, there wouldn&rsquo;t really be this me.&rdquo;
She added, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s crazy to think that I started as a character that I thought was going to be impossible to shed, and now that&rsquo;s something that, when I walk into a space, is seen as a sense of nostalgia&hellip; something you carry from your childhood. So that&rsquo;s exciting to get to celebrate that.&rdquo;
For OG Hannah Montana fans, it&rsquo;s a dream come true. And given the recent wave of nostalgia-driven reboots and sequels in entertainment&mdash;Freakier Friday, The Devil Wears Prada 2, and And Just Like That, to name a few&mdash;a Hannah Montana-centered renaissance isn&rsquo;t far-fetched.
This recent news likely contributed to Cyrus shooting to the top of the headline contenders. Whether that means a full halftime performance, a cameo, or a continuation of her Tina Turner&ndash;inspired flapper-era persona, one thing is clear: she&rsquo;s back in the conversation&mdash;and making waves.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Metallica</h2>

Metallica. Getty Images.

Perhaps the most surprising contender is Metallica. Last week, band founder and drummer Lars Ulrich expressed interest in headlining next year&rsquo;s halftime show during a SiriusXM interview. Next year is particularly special for the band, he explained, due to their deep ties to San Francisco.
&ldquo;F*** yeah, of course we would,&rdquo; Ulrich said. &ldquo;To do it in San Francisco would be a dream come true and would be the right fit. Certainly, as somebody who&rsquo;s represented San Francisco all over the world and shouted for decades about San Francisco and our love for the Bay Area,&rdquo; he explained.&nbsp;
If it happened, it would mark a first in Super Bowl halftime history&mdash;no metal band has ever headlined, as the NFL typically favors mainstream pop and rap acts. But if there were ever a band to break that mold, and next year at that, it would be Metallica. The band even now holds a 15 percent chance, per Kalshi.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Taylor Swift</h2>

Taylor Swift. Getty Images.

If there&rsquo;s one thing we know for sure, it&rsquo;s that Taylor Swift isn&rsquo;t going anywhere. She&rsquo;s captured the hearts of anyone who grew up in the late aughts and early-to-mid 2010s with her gut-wrenching ballads, and she&rsquo;s kept fans hooked with her near-yearly releases and high-profile partnerships. Most recently, her two-year Eras Tour, which concluded last December, was a major milestone in her career and a nostalgic trip for longtime fans.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s also been quite a big year for Swift. Last May, she finally regained ownership of the master recordings for her first six albums, ending a long-standing dispute with music executive Scooter Braun. Building on the momentum she gained since reclaiming her catalog in 2021 through re-recordings, Swift is keeping fans excited: her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, is set to be released on October 3, adding another chapter to her ever-expanding legacy.&nbsp;
That said, Taylor Swift is climbing the ranks as a top contender for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, with Kalshi currently giving her a 13 percent chance to headline.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Morgan Wallen</h2>

Morgan Wallen. Getty Images.

Then there&rsquo;s perhaps the most controversial one: Morgan Wallen. Country-infused halftime shows aren&rsquo;t unheard of&mdash;past performances include Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, and The Judds at the 1994 Super Bowl&mdash;but they remain rare. Wallen, however, has seen his popularity surge over the past year, and while it might seem far-fetched given that he hasn&rsquo;t yet reached the mainstream level of other contenders, a country act headlining isn&rsquo;t impossible in Super Bowl history. As of now, Kalshi gives him a 12 percent chance to headline, just one percentage point behind Taylor Swift.

Dua Lipa. Getty Images.

Earlier in her musical career, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/shopping/dua-lipa-best-bikini-looks-swimsuits">Dua Lipa</a> often faced criticism&mdash;not for her singing, but for her dancing. That perception has changed dramatically in recent years as her performances have evolved. So who would&rsquo;ve thought she&rsquo;d now be considered a top contender to headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show?
Though her Instagram might make it seem like she&rsquo;s always on vacation (which, let&rsquo;s be honest, we&rsquo;re all a little jealous of), the English-Albanian singer has been touring in support of her third studio album, Future Nostalgia, since November of last year. The tour wraps up this December, giving her ample time to prepare for a potential Super Bowl performance. While some fans on social media are eager to see her headline the tour itself, others argue she&rsquo;s still solidifying her position in the mainstream spotlight&mdash;but a halftime show could be the perfect next step.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Ariana Grande</h2>

Ariana Grande. Getty Images.

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/music/ariana-grande-eternal-sunshine-deluxe-album-release-brighter-days">Ariana Grande</a> is fully immersed in her Wicked era as Glinda. Over the past few years, she&rsquo;s taken a major step back from her status as a pop powerhouse to focus on her longtime dream role, transforming from chart-topping artist to full-fledged actress. To many, it&rsquo;s felt like her pop icon days are over&mdash;or at least on a long hiatus. And while Arianators are thrilled she&rsquo;s living out her childhood dream, they equally miss the era when she dominated the charts with her distinct vocal range.&nbsp;
Since landing the role in 2021, Grande has thrown herself into all things Wicked: training, filming, and press tours. So when she surprise-released her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, in March last year, fans were equal parts shocked and ecstatic. Then she performed &ldquo;We Can&rsquo;t Be Friends&rdquo; and other classic hits like &ldquo;Seven Rings&rdquo; at last year&rsquo;s Met Gala. Was she finally making a full-scale music comeback? As it turns out, the return was short-lived; she&rsquo;s now fully back in Wicked mode, with the second film set to premiere this November.&nbsp;
But just last month, Grande addressed the music-hiatus rumors head-on, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMLOW1ms28x/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posting a clip</a> of herself singing &ldquo;Into You&rdquo; at the 2024 Met Gala.&nbsp;
&ldquo;very silly of you all to assume that just because I have my hands full with many things that i plan to abandon singing &amp; music &hellip; !!! it is and has always been my lifeline. there will need to be room made for all of it,&rdquo; Grande captioned the post. &ldquo;it may not look exactly like it did before but i much prefer how it looks in my head&hellip; so i&rsquo;m working on a plan to sing for you all next year. even if it&rsquo;s just for a little. i love you.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Will next year&rsquo;s Super Bowl be part of that long-awaited return? Only time will tell&mdash;but with the game falling just months after Wicked: For Good hits theaters, it&rsquo;s certainly within the realm of possibility.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Other Rumored Headliners: Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Bad Bunny</h2>

Sabrina Carpenter. Getty Images.

Other potential, albeit less likely, contenders for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show include heavy-hitters like Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Bad Bunny&mdash;names you&rsquo;d be hard-pressed to find anyone in America unfamiliar with.&nbsp;
Take <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/music/sabrina-carpenter-mans-best-friend-tracklist-songs-release-date">Sabrina Carpenter</a>. The last two years have been nothing short of transformative for her career. While she&rsquo;s been in the industry since her Disney days, quietly releasing studio albums and extended plays since 2014, it was her latest record, Short n&rsquo; Sweet, that propelled her into true pop culture ubiquity. Campaigns with Skims and Versace soon followed, along with a coveted opening slot on Taylor Swift&rsquo;s cult-level Eras Tour. Her staying power seems to be just getting started. Still on tour for Short n&rsquo; Sweet, Carpenter recently announced her seventh studio album, Man&rsquo;s Best Friend, set for release on August 29. With major moves stacking up and her current viral momentum, a Super Bowl halftime show may feel like a leap&mdash;but it&rsquo;s hardly out of reach.&nbsp;

Justin Bieber. Getty Images.

Then there&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/justin-bieber-new-album-hailey-bieber-lyrics">Justin Bieber</a>, a fixture in the music industry for more than half his life and often dubbed the &ldquo;Prince of Pop.&rdquo; The 2010s saw his teen-idol era reach fever pitch&mdash;fans chasing him down streets, camping outside hotels, and hits like &ldquo;Baby&rdquo; and &ldquo;Sorry&rdquo; dominating airwaves. But after abruptly canceling his Justice Tour in 2022 due to health concerns, Bieber retreated from music and much of public life, save for the occasional Coachella cameo or two. Other than that, his rare appearances came when supporting his wife, Hailey, at <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/rhode-skin-hailey-bieber-summer-pocket-blush-launch">Rhode Skin</a> events&mdash;flipping the script in that she was the one rightfully making <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/hailey-bieber-sells-rhode-to-elf-beauty-in-1-billion-deal">headlines for her own career</a>. For a while, it seemed he&rsquo;d traded the spotlight for private life, a slower pace, and a focus on fatherhood.&nbsp;
That changed last month with the surprise release of his seventh studio album, Swag, and the launch of his fashion brand, Skylrk. Since then, tracks like &ldquo;Daisies&rdquo; and &ldquo;Walking Away&rdquo; have been unavoidable on social feeds, paired with intimate music videos for &ldquo;Yukon&rdquo; and &ldquo;First Place.&rdquo; Rumors are already swirling about an eighth album arriving later this year or early next. With a full-fledged comeback underway and his already cemented legacy, Bieber is firmly in the running for a Super Bowl spot come February, or perhaps a Coachella headline.

Bad Bunny. Getty Images.

Last but not least is the &ldquo;King of Latin Trap,&rdquo; <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/music/bad-bunny-puerto-rico-residency-setlist-tour-2025">Bad Bunny</a>. He's currently performing a 30-night sold-out residency in his native Puerto Rico, which wraps in September. He&rsquo;s gearing up for a massive all-stadium world tour for his latest album, Deb&iacute; Tirar M&aacute;s Fotos (DtMF), kicking off in November&mdash;one that notably skips the U.S. altogether. It&rsquo;s a bold move for an artist who has already shattered streaming records, headlined Coachella, and made history as the first Spanish-language artist to top the Billboard 200 with an all-Spanish album. 
Beyond music, Bad Bunny has cemented himself as both a cultural force and a commercial juggernaut&mdash;blending reggaeton with trap, fronting a Calvin Klein campaign, and co-chairing the 2024 Met Gala. With his global reach, fervent fanbase, and an unmatched ability to turn every performance into an event, he&rsquo;s more than capable of commanding the world&rsquo;s biggest stage come Super Bowl Sunday (though he'd have to quickly fly in from his show in Santiago, Chile then head to Buenos Aires, Argentina). After all, he&rsquo;s no stranger to it: he&rsquo;s already guest performed at the Super Bowl 2020 halftime show alongside Jennifer Lopez and Shakira.

Who Will Headline the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show?

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