In September 2025 Apple Music, the NFL and Roc Nation announced that Bad Bunny would headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show in February 2026. The partners presented the booking as a coordinated, curated choice aimed at reaching broad global and bilingual audiences. This article breaks down the official announcement and the audience data that help explain the decision, using partner statements and measurement trends to outline the commercial and cultural reasoning without overstating likely outcomes.

Apple Music, the NFL and Roc Nation made a joint announcement naming Bad Bunny the Apple Music Super Bowl LX headliner.

Record U.S. Super Bowl audiences and historic Spanish-language viewership informed the choice to expand cultural reach.

Bad Bunny's global streaming profile supports expectations of broad, cross-market engagement.

What happened and who announced it

over and under for super bowl

Timeline of the announcement

In September 2025 Apple Music, the NFL and Roc Nation issued a joint announcement naming Bad Bunny as the headline performer for the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show in February 2026, a formal statement that laid out the basic facts of the booking and the partners involved Apple Newsroom.

The joint release repeated the partners' collaborative framing and noted the scheduled date for the halftime performance, giving media and audiences an official source to track timing and promotional plans NFL announcement on NFL.com.

Quick list of primary official sources to follow for confirmation and updates

NFL press release
Apple Newsroom
Roc Nation statement

Check each source for official timing and production updates

Which organizations are involved

The announcement credited three partners for the selection and promotion of the halftime performance, naming Apple Music, the NFL and Roc Nation as the organizations coordinating the curation and production Apple Newsroom.

That joint crediting reflects an Apple Music era approach to curation where multiple entities share responsibilities for artist selection, production decisions and global promotion, as stated in the partners' communications NFL announcement on NFL.com.

Why his global reach matters to the Super Bowl

Streaming numbers and global fanbase

Bad Bunny's position among the most-streamed global artists is a central commercial reason for the booking, because a large international fanbase can raise global interest in the halftime moment and related streaming spikes Spotify Wrapped 2024.

That global reach matters to rights holders and partners who use the halftime show to drive audience attention across platforms and territories, and who expect streaming conversations to follow the live broadcast. Funded Plays

How TV audience trends shape artist choice

Super Bowl LVIII recorded a record average U.S. audience, which reinforces why the NFL has an incentive to book artists with broad, cross-market recognition to protect and expand the event's reach Nielsen report.

At the same time, historic growth in Spanish-language Super Bowl viewing on Univision shows an expanding Hispanic audience segment that a Spanish-language superstar can engage directly and visibly TelevisaUnivision press release.

How the Apple Music era picks halftime headliners

Roles of Apple Music, the NFL and Roc Nation

The Apple Music period of halftime production is characterized by shared responsibilities: Apple Music brings streaming promotion, the NFL manages broadcast logistics and audience relationships, and Roc Nation has a curatorial role that coordinates artists and creative direction Apple Newsroom.

Public statements around the booking explicitly named the three partners, which signals a collaborative decision-making process rather than a single-party selection NFL announcement on NFL.com.

Explore FundedPlays Challenges

For the clearest updates on show details, follow the official partner releases and primary press channels for timing and production notes.

View Challenges

What the public announcements reveal about the curation model

Official messaging framed the halftime choice as a curated selection intended to balance cultural relevance and broad-market appeal, a point emphasized in partner communications and industry writeups Variety coverage.

That curation model matters because it ties artist selection to both promotional strategy and a broader creative brief managed by the partners.

The commercial and cultural logic behind the booking

Commercial benefits for the NFL and Apple Music

Booking a global streaming heavyweight supports commercial goals by creating potential promotional lift for streaming platforms, and the NFL benefits from an artist who can attract viewers from multiple markets and demographics Nielsen report.

For Apple Music, a headline performance from a top-streamed artist can drive platform visibility and social buzz globally, which aligns with music platform marketing objectives.

Cultural representation and market expansion

Growth in Spanish-language Super Bowl viewing suggests the halftime lineup can be used to deepen engagement with Hispanic and bilingual audiences, making a Spanish-language superstar an effective choice for representation and market expansion TelevisaUnivision press release.

Industry commentary also highlighted the dual logic of cultural significance and commercial upside in the selection, noting that the pick both reflects broader cultural shifts and creates new promotional opportunities Variety coverage.

Common reactions and the genre fit debate

Media and fan responses

Media coverage captured both enthusiasm and critique, with commentary framed around the significance of a Spanish-language artist headlining a widely watched American sporting event Variety coverage.

Why is Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl halftime show?

Partners framed the selection as a curated decision driven by Bad Bunny's global streaming reach and the opportunity to engage growing Spanish-language and international audiences, combined with the promotional benefits Apple Music and the NFL expect from a high-profile headline act.

Why genre fit becomes a talking point

Debates about genre fit often arise when an artist whose primary catalog is in a non-English language anchors a mainstream U.S. broadcast, because audiences and critics weigh expectations of familiarity against goals of representation and programming variety.

These conversations are typical around halftime bookings and reflect wider questions about how major events balance tradition, audience expectations and changing demographics.

What to expect on game day and the potential impact

Production scale and broadcast reach

Past halftime performances show that the broadcast and production scale for the Super Bowl is designed to reach a global audience, and partners manage promotional rollouts to maximize live and post-game attention NFL announcement on NFL.com.

Given Bad Bunny's streaming profile, the halftime slot may produce strong social-media conversation and platform engagement, though official announcements do not guarantee specific outcomes for ratings or streaming numbers Spotify Wrapped 2024.

Streaming, social buzz and measurement

Historically, headline halftime acts prompt measurable spikes in streaming and social discussion, a dynamic partners anticipate when they plan promotion and post-show distribution strategies.

Industry and official communications emphasize that while a performer can drive attention, actual impact will depend on how the broadcast, setlist and promotion connect with viewers across regions.

Minimalist 2D vector showing empty living room and outdoor viewing party setups with large broadcast screen and bilingual fan pennants suggesting over and under for super bowl

The booking reflects a deliberate mix of cultural representation and commercial strategy: partners expected a high-profile artist with global streaming presence to expand reach and engage growing Spanish-language audiences Apple Newsroom.

Official partner statements repeatedly framed the decision as a curated, partnership-driven choice rather than a unilateral selection, which matters for how promotion and production will be coordinated NFL announcement on NFL.com.

Funded Plays Challenges

View Challenges

Where to look next

To track outcomes and the measurable impact, follow official partner releases, streaming platform reports and audience-measurement updates that will appear after the broadcast Nielsen report and Apple Music coverage. For methods and post-show evaluation approaches, see our evaluations guide.

Industry coverage will provide context on cultural response and commercial effects as post-show data comes in, but early indicators to watch are streaming charts and official partner statements about viewership and promotion.

When was Bad Bunny announced as the halftime performer?

The announcement was made in September 2025 by Apple Music, the NFL and Roc Nation in a joint release.

Why did the NFL choose a Spanish-language artist?

The selection reflects growing Spanish-language viewership and a desire to engage broader international and Hispanic audiences while balancing commercial goals.

Will the halftime show guarantee higher streaming numbers?

A headline performance often increases streaming attention, but official announcements do not guarantee specific streaming or ratings outcomes.

Bad Bunny's halftime booking is best read as a strategic partnership decision that balances streaming reach, representation and promotional opportunity. Watch official partner releases and measured streaming and viewership reports after the event to see which indicators align with the partners' stated goals.