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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - DeSantis's reign of terror on education is Trump's model
If Americans want a glimpse of Trump-style education policy in action, they should look to Florida. Over the last six years, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has turned the state into a laboratory for a hard-right agenda, disguised as 'parental rights' but aimed at systematically dismantling public education. Under the banner of culture wars, Florida has censored classroom discussions, politicized school boards and driven teachers out of the profession, undermining not just what students learn but whether they learn at all. It's a blueprint for control, not for education. Start with book-banning. Florida leads the country in book-banning, with 4,561 books banned in schools in 33 of the state's 67 school districts. Banned books, including award-winning authors like Maya Angelou, Saul Bellow and Toni Morrison, classics from Proust to Ovid, bestselling authors like Patricia Cornwell and James Patterson, and left-leaning social commentators like Jon Stewart. This wave of book-bans aligns with broader efforts in Florida to reshape school curricula. The state's new educational standards include language suggesting that enslaved people may have developed skills that 'could be applied for their personal benefit.' The state also placed limits on African American studies programs, claiming an Advanced Placement African American Studies course lacked educational value and violated state law. Gay and transgender students and educators have come under increased scrutiny. Legislation and administrative rules have imposed restrictions on which bathrooms transgender students may use and have limited how gender identity and sexual orientation can be discussed in classrooms. Under laws signed by DeSantis, teachers face legal risks for using the preferred pronouns of transgender students without explicit parental consent. One notable case occurred in Brevard County, where a beloved veteran teacher's contract was not renewed because she referred to a student by a name chosen several years prior to the adoption of the rule. Meanwhile, new laws require parental consent for basic services like nurses' visits, accessing library books and watching PG films like 'Frosty the Snowman.' Because of these rules, tens of thousands of Florida students lose out because their parents have not filled out consent forms. School nurses risk losing their jobs for something as simple as putting a bandage on a scraped knee without prior parental consent. The burden falls heavily on parents, who must navigate a maze of new forms, and on school staff, who are overwhelmed by the surge in paperwork. Many frontline educators and support workers live in fear of backlash from activist groups like Moms for Liberty, whose influence has turned everyday decisions into political flashpoints. DeSantis has also gone to war with higher education, including the takeover of the New College of Florida. High-ranking administrators were fired and diversity programs eliminated. Scores of faculty have quit. DeSantis's hostility toward public education knows no limits. His state ranks dead last in teacher pay, Florida just posted the worst national test scores in more than 20 years and Florida has a universal school voucher program that disproportionately benefits higher-income students. None of this has escaped the attention of Trump, whose executive orders explicitly encourage states to turn federal block grants into voucher programs. His latest proposed budget also slashes $4.5 billion in support for low-income students, undermining programs that help with high school completion, college access and work-study opportunities. He proposes cutting teacher quality initiatives, funding for Howard University, the Office for Civil Rights and bilingual student programs. His proposed budget explicitly prohibits funding for progressive nonprofits and DEI programs. Will Republicans in Congress realize that Trump's assault on education hurts the very institutions their communities rely on? Schools and universities aren't just economic drivers in their districts, they're centers of local pride, identity and opportunity. In places like Brevard County, where we recently held a town hall, hope is being replaced by fear. Parents, educators, students and community leaders all expressed shame and fury at the actions of their local school board and state policymakers. Trump and DeSantis have taken the bullying approach to governing to new extremes. There is no honest debate, no give and take, no compromise. It is a relentless drive to push, divide and control. Cruelty is the point, and the negative consequences of children, families and educators aren't a side effect — it's a strategy. Forty-two years ago, Republican President Ronald Reagan sounded the alarm on the state of American education by releasing 'A Nation at Risk.' Today, that title applies to much more than our schools: our economy, our democracy, our environment, our global standing and our moral compass. But no one is more vulnerable than 50 million American school children living under an immoral, unethical and criminal president. They cannot vote. They have no lobby. They are counting on us to fight back. Jennifer Jenkins is a former Brevard County School Board member and chairwoman of Educated We Stand, a nonprofit committed to resisting right-wing extremism in Florida schools. Arne Duncan is a former U. S. Secretary of Education. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
DeSantis's reign of terror on education is Trump's model
If Americans want a glimpse of Trump-style education policy in action, they should look to Florida. Over the last six years, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has turned the state into a laboratory for a hard-right agenda, disguised as 'parental rights' but aimed at systematically dismantling public education. Under the banner of culture wars, Florida has censored classroom discussions, politicized school boards and driven teachers out of the profession, undermining not just what students learn but whether they learn at all. It's a blueprint for control, not for education. Start with book-banning. Florida leads the country in book-banning, with 4,561 books banned in schools in 33 of the state's 67 school districts. Banned books, including award-winning authors like Maya Angelou, Saul Bellow and Toni Morrison, classics from Proust to Ovid, bestselling authors like Patricia Cornwell and James Patterson, and left-leaning social commentators like Jon Stewart. This wave of book-bans aligns with broader efforts in Florida to reshape school curricula. The state's new educational standards include language suggesting that enslaved people may have developed skills that 'could be applied for their personal benefit.' The state also placed limits on African American studies programs, claiming an Advanced Placement African American Studies course lacked educational value and violated state law. Gay and transgender students and educators have come under increased scrutiny. Legislation and administrative rules have imposed restrictions on which bathrooms transgender students may use and have limited how gender identity and sexual orientation can be discussed in classrooms. Under laws signed by DeSantis, teachers face legal risks for using the preferred pronouns of transgender students without explicit parental consent. One notable case occurred in Brevard County, where a beloved veteran teacher's contract was not renewed because she referred to a student by a name chosen several years prior to the adoption of the rule. Meanwhile, new laws require parental consent for basic services like nurses' visits, accessing library books and watching PG films like 'Frosty the Snowman.' Because of these rules, tens of thousands of Florida students lose out because their parents have not filled out consent forms. School nurses risk losing their jobs for something as simple as putting a bandage on a scraped knee without prior parental consent. The burden falls heavily on parents, who must navigate a maze of new forms, and on school staff, who are overwhelmed by the surge in paperwork. Many frontline educators and support workers live in fear of backlash from activist groups like Moms for Liberty, whose influence has turned everyday decisions into political flashpoints. DeSantis has also gone to war with higher education, including the takeover of the New College of Florida. High-ranking administrators were fired and diversity programs eliminated. Scores of faculty have quit. DeSantis's hostility toward public education knows no limits. His state ranks dead last in teacher pay, Florida just posted the worst national test scores in more than 20 years and Florida has a universal school voucher program that disproportionately benefits higher-income students. None of this has escaped the attention of Trump, whose executive orders explicitly encourage states to turn federal block grants into voucher programs. His latest proposed budget also slashes $4.5 billion in support for low-income students, undermining programs that help with high school completion, college access and work-study opportunities. He proposes cutting teacher quality initiatives, funding for Howard University, the Office for Civil Rights and bilingual student programs. His proposed budget explicitly prohibits funding for progressive nonprofits and DEI programs. Will Republicans in Congress realize that Trump's assault on education hurts the very institutions their communities rely on? Schools and universities aren't just economic drivers in their districts, they're centers of local pride, identity and opportunity. In places like Brevard County, where we recently held a town hall, hope is being replaced by fear. Parents, educators, students and community leaders all expressed shame and fury at the actions of their local school board and state policymakers. Trump and DeSantis have taken the bullying approach to governing to new extremes. There is no honest debate, no give and take, no compromise. It is a relentless drive to push, divide and control. Cruelty is the point, and the negative consequences of children, families and educators aren't a side effect — it's a strategy. Forty-two years ago, Republican President Ronald Reagan sounded the alarm on the state of American education by releasing 'A Nation at Risk.' Today, that title applies to much more than our schools: our economy, our democracy, our environment, our global standing and our moral compass. But no one is more vulnerable than 50 million American school children living under an immoral, unethical and criminal president. They cannot vote. They have no lobby. They are counting on us to fight back. Jennifer Jenkins is a former Brevard County School Board member and chairwoman of Educated We Stand, a nonprofit committed to resisting right-wing extremism in Florida schools. Arne Duncan is a former U. S. Secretary of Education.
Wall Street Journal
02-03-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Forget McDonald's. This Chinese Fast-Food Chain Is Now the World's Biggest.
SINGAPORE—It sells ice cream and sugary drinks for under $1. Its mascot looks like the love child of Frosty the Snowman and the Michelin Man. And its stores relentlessly blare a jingle set to the tune of 'Oh! Susanna.' This recipe helped Mixue Ice Cream and Tea become the world's biggest food-and-beverage chain by number of locations, topping McDonald's and Starbucks.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Must-Have Winter Car Upgrade: Best Heated Seats Covers of 2025
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Most newer vehicles come with heated seats, but if yours doesn't offer them, there's an easy and affordable way to defrost your derrière when driving in the colder months. Many drivers look to aftermarket heated seat covers for that extra warmth. They fit easily into your vehicle and plug into your 12-volt power port; some even offer other functions like ventilation and massaging action. Most important, they'll ensure you have a toasty tuchus all through the winter. To find out which heated seat covers are the best, we gathered five of the most popular on the market to test. Focusing on acquiring a variety of styles and features, we then mounted them all in a Toyota Grand Highlander and drove up to Northern Michigan in late January to test them out. Frosty the Snowman would've been quite comfortable in the frozen tundra; we, however, were freezing our butts off, making it the perfect environment to find the best heated car seat covers. More Winter Gear: Best Floor Mats | Best Car Covers | Best Snow Brushes and Ice Scrapers We picked the as our Best Overall because it hit all the marks for a cross-functional, well-built, and good-looking product. The Cozy Winters Deluxe worked well and fit great, but the design left us underwhelmed. Overall, we were especially disappointed that we couldn't find a premium heated seat cover on the aftermarket that prioritized aesthetic appeal; color choices are extremely limited, and patterns and designs practically nonexistent. As with many aftermarket products, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the variety of brands and styles available. If you're in the market to upgrade your cockpit warmth with heated seat covers, there are a few things you need to think about first. Before purchasing a heated seat cover, you should know your car seat type. Most fall into two categories: bucket seats and bench seats. Bucket seats are single-person seats with a bottom and backrest. They can be divided further into performance bucket seats and standard bucket seats. Performance bucket seats often have pronounced bolsters and fixed headrests, making them snug for the rider. Standard bucket seats typically prioritize comfort, with less bolstering and adjustable headrests. Each type will require a different fit for your seat covers, so check the measurements and features closely to ensure compatibility. Bench seats span the width of the vehicle and are designed to accommodate multiple passengers. They used to be far more popular in cars than they are today, so it's harder to find heated seat covers to fit them; the available ones are mainly designed for back or second-row seats. Most heated seats need to be plugged into your car's 12-volt power outlet. Make sure your outlet is available and in working order. A simple fuse replacement may solve the issue if it's not functional. Look for heated covers with built-in safety features such as automatic shut-off to prevent overheating or battery depletion. When installing the cover, consider how it attaches to the seat. Does it require a headrest with an anchor for proper installation? Will it wrap fully around the seat, or is it designed only for specific areas like the seat bed or back? These questions should be cross-checked with your seat style to ensure a snug and safe fit. Many covers have adjustable heat settings, allowing you to customize the temperature. Some even offer cooling or fan options, making them useful year-round. If you live and drive in an environment where you experience extreme heat and cold, consider opting for a model with cooling features. Most heated seat covers are made of polyester, making them easy to clean with a damp cloth and mild soap. You may also want to think about whether or not you want additional padding for added comfort—but remember, premium materials come at a higher you're looking for a seat cover that does it all, we recommend the Paffenery Luxury Heated and Cooling Car Seat Cover. Visually, this cover is a definite upgrade from standard fabric upholstery and holds its own against genuine leather seats. The Paffenery secures to the seat using two anchor discs that slide between the seat bottom and backrest, along with a strap for the headrest. It stayed in place reasonably well during testing, with minimal shifting while getting in and out of the seat. We didn't love the wing panels, meant to nestle against the side bolsters; they didn't conform to the Grand Highlander's seat very well but might work better in other vehicles' seats. Paffenery seat covers have many features, which make them more functional than simple heated covers. The Cooling function is better labeled "ventilation"—effectively, it's just a fan. We couldn't get meaningful temperature readings with a thermal camera, but we could feel the airflow in our butts and backs. The massaging function is better termed "vibrating;" a simple on/off setting that activates vibration in the center of the backrest. The heating option is properly named, though; the cover got up to a spicy 109.4 degrees Fahrenheit. In our testing, the Paffenery hit all the marks for a cross-functional, well-built, and good-looking product. $99.99 at only a simple on/off switch, the Paffenery lacks settings for customizable heat, but it gets rather hot; check out the max reading from our thermal camera. The ventilation fans are positioned in the lumbar area, at the bottom of the seat you're bundled up in thick winter layers, the last thing you want is your seat cover shifting beneath you, and in terms of staying in place, the Cozy Winters Deluxe Heated Seat Cover scores a solid 10 out of 10. It wraps around the backrest like a T-shirt and cinches tightly around the bottom cushion with elastic anchors. The appearance is pretty basic, though, lacking cushions, quilting, or any real aesthetic appeal. The heating element gets hot—and fast. Two heating zones, on the backrest (mid and upper back) and another on the seat cushion, reached a recorded temperature of 108.1 degrees Fahrenheit. That's plenty to keep you warm on frigid mornings. These covers may not be pretty, but they fit well and are effective. Cozy Winters is a retailer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that sells directly from its website rather than on retail sites like Amazon. It started out specializing in heated ski gear and pet products and now offers heated car seats and home products, too. $89.95 at heating elements are in the center of the backrest, with two separate points at the middle and upper back. A third heating element covers the entire width of the bottom cushion. It may be plain-looking, but it sure is effective and fits Carshion Massage Seat Cushion seat cover aims to do it all—offering 12-volt car and 120-volt home power compatibility, multiple massage settings, and heating functionality. However, in our experience, it fell short in execution. The biggest selling point is its versatility, particularly the ability to use it indoors. But in practice, it struggled as a car seat heater. One major frustration was the lack of meaningful anchors to keep it securely in place. During testing—where we frequently climbed in and out of cars in deep snow while bundled up in heavy layers—the cover constantly shifted out of position. Another letdown was its heating. Unlike dedicated seat warmers, it has only a basic on/off heater switch, and the heat is limited to the lumbar area. Worse, heating performance struggled significantly compared to other covers we tested—check the numbers on our Spec Sheet below—and decreased even further when its massage feature was activated. The massage function can be controlled individually by location and strength, and it's pretty powerful in its top setting. We should note it's a vibrating massage, so don't expect a kneading or shiatsu massage. You need a Mercedes for that sort of luxury. The package says the Carshion is a "massage seat cushion with heated seat back," and that's pretty accurate. It tries to do everything, but doesn't excel at anything. If you're looking for a heated seat cover to warm you up on cold mornings, this probably isn't it. $49.99 at heating elements are focused in the lumbar region for this heated seat cover. As you can see at upper left, their performance is not competitive with other heat-specific seat covers we tested. The vibrating massage is nice, appreciated the Sunny Color for its simple yet effective quilted design. Finally, a heated seat cover with a (rather meager) sense of style! The quilted diamond pattern tries to add a touch of elegance, making it feel more elevated than the others we tested. Performance-wise, this cover offered the most comfortable heat output, getting warm without moving into searing territory. To this humble tester, the high setting on the Sunny Color is the Goldilocks temperature—just right. Despite its elevated looks, it's an overly simple product, with a simple high/low switch and no automatic shutoff feature, which risks draining your battery. As someone who's tested plenty of products that appear nice but don't perform up to standards, I can't ignore a small red flag like this. The anchor system is straightforward: two elastic bands at the junction of the seat bottom and backrest, another around the headrest, and front anchor hooks to keep the bottom portion secure. A grippy material on the underside further helps hold it in place. If you want a heated car seat cover that looks better than most and keeps you comfortably warm, this one delivers. However, I'm curious to see how well it holds up over time and I wonder if its electrical components are a potential weakness. $54.99 at is decent coverage for heating, covering most of the back and bottom rest. The max temp is a comfy 91.1 degrees Fahrenheit, but the lack of auto-shutoff is you've got kids or pets and are looking to heat the rear bench seat of your vehicle, XUKEY is one of the few options we found. It relies on a minimal anchoring system that isn't particularly effective, with discs that slide between the backrest and seat bottom. Quick-release buckles on elastic straps provide additional hold. Overall, this anchoring setup is decent but not great. The heat gets pleasantly warm but not hot, with the highest recorded temp of 82.8 degrees Fahrenheit. But it's also got a sketchy high/off/low controller; the lack of an automatic-shutoff feature leaves us suspicious of the quality of the build. We're also concerned with the comparatively high power drain of 32 watts for such a straightforward, no-frills heated seat cover. This could be an excellent option for a dog who loves a cozy spot on long rides, or a family looking for a simple way to add extra warmth under their child's car seats in winter. If that's all you need, this cover will do the job. $19.99 at should be noted that the heating elements are contained to the passenger's- and driver's-side seats, meaning if you're stuffed in the middle, you aren't getting the benefit of a warm the Gear Team, we aim to provide thorough, hands-on reviews of automotive products to help you make informed decisions. Based in Ann Arbor, our small team sees a steady stream of products, giving us plenty of experience in evaluating performance, usability, and overall value. Our review process starts with identifying a product category to test. We then conduct extensive research—scouring Reddit discussions, customer reviews, and deep Google searches—to find top-rated options that people genuinely recommend. Once we've selected our lineup, we order the products and assess them in our garage, taking initial impressions before hands-on testing. During this initial evaluation, the team had a collective realization: While we had selected what we believed to be the top-rated, best-performing heated car seat covers, none of these devices genuinely impressed us. Overall, their looks were rather plain, their anchorage systems seemed dicey, and their durability was questionable at best. Now, most of us drive older cars without factory-heated seats, and we understand the appeal of aftermarket heated car seat covers, especially in harsh winter weather. These seat covers will keep you warm as intended. But in terms of design and overall quality? We found them to be lacking in style and innovation. We can't help thinking there's room in the aftermarket for high-quality, good-looking, technologically advanced heated car seat covers. These covers will get the job done if you're set on staying warm through winter. But we advise managing expectations regarding durability and advanced heated seat covers was straightforward. They must fit securely on the seat and effectively provide warmth, and our approach focused on evaluating both of these key aspects in real-world conditions. We also noted additional features like cooling, massage functions, and adjustable controllers. During a trip to Northern Michigan, we tested these seat covers on deep backwoods roads. To evaluate fit, we installed each cover on a Toyota Grand Highlander's driver's or passenger's seat. During installation, we evaluated factors such as anchor points, how well the cover stayed in place during entry and exit, and the overall look and feel of the material. To test performance, we set each cover to its highest heat setting and sat on it for 10 minutes. If the seat had massaging functions, we explored those, but since comfort is subjective, we primarily focused on heating performance. After 10 minutes, we used a thermal imaging camera to measure peak temperature and visualize heat distribution. This allowed us to see where the heating elements were concentrated, helping us understand the seat covers' hottest areas and overall effectiveness. Finally, back at the office, we measured each seat cover's power consumption by plugging it into a 12-volt port via a power bank and recording its wattage they do, similar to factory-heated seats. They'll take a minute to heat up and will likely have some adjustability for the heat levels. As they are still seat covers, they can also help protect your vehicle's interior. Yes, as long as they are used properly. Look for ones with an automatic-shutoff feature, and be sure to read the instructions for all manufacturer's safety guidelines. Additionally, because they can get quite warm, they may cause irritation, especially on exposed skin. Most heated seat covers are designed for use on fabric and leather, but it's wise to check the manufacturer's recommendation before using one. As long as your car is running, heated seat covers shouldn't drain your battery. If the engine isn't on, it's probably best to unplug the device or at least turn it off. Many covers turn off automatically, but you'll have to make sure yours is equipped with that feature. The majority of heated seat covers are designed to not interfere with safety devices, but you should confirm this before making a purchase. Various options are available, and although many products claim to be "universal," you should opt for a cover designed specifically for your vehicle. The recommendation for replacing seat covers is every couple of years, and you should maintain them by vacuuming them and spot-cleaning as needed. Due to the electrical components, it is not advisable to machine-wash a heated seat cover. However, you can spot-clean with a damp cloth, mild detergent, and leather or fabric cleaner. Consult the manufacturer's instructions for specific Autos combines the talent, resources, and expertise of three of the largest, most influential automotive publications in the world. The Gear Team has tested a wide variety of automotive products, parts, accessories, and gear, such as tire inflators, dog seat covers, and traction boards. We get our hands on each and every product we test. Most are purchased; some are supplied by manufacturers. The Gear Team doesn't need to game algorithms for traffic or promote lousy products for clicks. We're more concerned with our reputation and the trust that our readers have in Autoweek, Car and Driver, and Road & Track to deliver honest opinions and expert evaluations. Our product picks and recommendations are based on knowledge and experience, not hype.
New York Times
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Super Bowl halftime shows: Where does Kendrick Lamar rank with Prince and the greats?
The Athletic has live coverage of Chiefs vs. Eagles in Super Bowl LIX and Kendrick Lamar's halftime performance. (Editor's note: The Athletic baseball writer Levi Weaver is an accomplished singer, songwriter and musician who has played roughly 1,000 shows in 43 states and 10 countries.) For all the things the Super Bowl halftime show does well, something it hasn't done consistently is getting the biggest star in music at the peak of his or her popularity. Strike while the iron is hot, so to speak. Advertisement This year, the show did that. Kendrick Lamar has long been among the best and most respected rappers in the world, but when he capped off a nuclear rap beef with Drake by dropping the catchiest — and most vicious — song of 2024, 'Not Like Us,' Lamar transcended the genre to become a household name. But with high expectations comes high risk. Did Lamar live up to the halftime show anticipation? Here's the full ranking of every Super Bowl halftime show from 1991 to Sunday's performance. I used this rubric to rank each show — the most a show can score is 50 points. Music (1-10): Instrumentation, vocal performance Staging (1-10): Combination lighting/stage presentation and choreography Set list (1-5): Were the hits played? Was the energy high? Memorable (1-10): Ten points means we're still talking about it; one point means the same thing but for all the wrong reasons. Vibes (1-12): The most important (and least tangible) element … did it work? Geographic relevance (1-3): Was a local act incorporated? Or, did the locale contribute to the performance at all? In 1992, organizers had yet to learn that the Super Bowl could have much better production value. This one was so bad that it prompted organizers to shake things up the following year — bringing in Michael Jackson and changing the halftime show forever. Gloria Estefan's performance was fine, but she didn't even appear until late in the 13-minute show, after a snowflake army's rendition of something called 'Winter Magic,' followed by children rapping about Frosty the Snowman. I now believe that this is the video they show performers when asking, 'Are you sure you don't want to lip-sync it?' The 'Indiana Jones'-themed set looked very expensive, and the costumes certainly were more involved than anything we'd seen before. But there was far too much bad acting: A faux Indiana Jones (not Harrison Ford) steals the Super Bowl trophy, and there is a fight scene, replete with movie sound bites playing. The whole thing felt like a half-baked promo put together by studio execs. Advertisement Patti LaBelle and Tony Bennett deserved better, but both felt very shoehorned in, as if the organizers would have preferred not to include musical guests at all. They wrapped with 'Can You Feel The Love Tonight' from 'The Lion King.' Mercifully, that was the end. The halftime show sponsored by House of Blues. We could have had Wynton Marsalis, Dr. John, The Meters, Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint or the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Instead, this show kicked off with another marketing scheme for an upcoming movie about a blues band (from Chicago). James Brown was good (albeit lip-synced, as evidenced here and elsewhere). ZZ Top was solid. Good choices, but sullied by the blues headliners. It should have worked. The halftime show was emerging from the apologize-for-2004-by-booking-older-acts era, and the presentation was decidedly modern — futuristic, even. All it lacked was an act that could sing on pitch. Fergie's mic was cut for the first few seconds, but in retrospect, I'm not sure turning it on was the best remedy. This performance sounded like a group of college friends on a fun night out at a karaoke bar. Slash did fine in his cameo, and Usher was … well, he did the splits, so that was something. But aside from a flashy stage presentation, it was largely only memorable for unfortunate reasons. I hated this show in real-time. I did my best to watch it with fresh eyes for this list. I still hate it. From the intro where Bruce Springsteen barks at us to 'put the chicken fingers dowwwwn' to having a referee throw a delay of game flag just before Steven Van Zandt hollers, 'It's Boss tiiiiiiime!' … it's just all so very cringe. Bruce Springsteen "Tenth Avennue Frezee Out" 🎸🎶🎷 (Super Bowl Halftime Show, 2009)#brucespringsteen #theboss #superbowl #brucespringsteenradio — Bruce Springsteen Radio (@roberto_ma16804) December 8, 2024 The E Street Band is made up of some brilliant musicians, and Springsteen is a great songwriter. That should boost them higher on this list, but for me, none of that was able to shine through the cheesiness of the presentation. It's honestly remarkable how many of these feel like an attempt to correct a mistake made the year before. A year after the 'Indiana Jones' debacle, organizers went back to a more traditional on-field setup: marching band members in formation as Diana Ross blasted through a medley of her numerous hits from a bare-bones stage. Advertisement It was very straightforward, inoffensive and a reasonable marriage of old-style choreography with a big star at the center. But none of it felt very inventive or up to the scope of the event. The exit via helicopter was a nice touch, I guess. Sorry for getting in the music production weeds here, but I think I have a theory for why this set fell flat. They mixed a rock and roll band like a pop act: The vocals were way too prominent over the instrumentation. Given how much effort it took Pete Townshend to hit the high notes on 'Baba O'Riley' and how half-baked Roger Daltrey's harmonica solo sounded, it was a particularly egregious decision. At their best, The Who were at the forefront of the rock and roll revolution. Here, they come off as an anachronism on a futuristic light-show stage. The idea — celebrating 40 years of Motown — was solid. Mixing artists from the heyday of Motown (The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Martha and the Vandellas) with current artists (Queen Latifah, Boyz II Men), I was interested. I like all of these acts. It was like seeing a living museum of the Motown era, with a modern wing for the kids. There's value in that! But was it entertainment value? Not to the level you'd expect from a Super Bowl halftime show. This one scores high in stage presentation. The set looked closer to an Olympics opening ceremony than anything previously seen at a Super Bowl. Throw in the Disney orchestra, and the whole thing felt very grandiose. Unfortunately, once the artists took the stage, it started to feel very not-so-grandiose. The Super Bowl halftime show should be a party, not an emotional final scene of an inspirational film. When Edward James Olmos' narration starts — he even used the phrase 'the tapestry of magic'— it's apparent: They want us to feel things. Advertisement Just play the hits! Do the drum thing from 'In The Air Tonight.' It's so simple! A much better set list, but somehow, the sum was less than the parts. I can't knock Shania Twain's performance at all. Gwen Stefani was a bit pitchy from all the running around and dancing, but it was still pretty good. The Police should have gotten a longer set, and Sting's attempt to replicate Nelly's half-jersey from a few years prior wasn't great. Overall, it lacked elements that would have made it memorable. I tried to rank on the merits of performance alone. Starting the show in a small club atmosphere below the stadium was a nice touch. But then, Justin Timberlake goes into 'Rock Your Body' (the offending song from 2004 … more on that later), omitting the final line with a 'hold up, stop.' And later in the set, 'Cry Me a River' — written about Britney Spears — also hits differently, knowing what we know now. It's a shame because devoid of context, this was an objectively brilliant performance. There was even a tribute to Prince, with a shot of Minneapolis lit up in purple! This is murky, and again, I tried to rank on the merits of the performance — even though I know full well what everyone remembers. I think this was an objectively better halftime show than the Rolling Stones … but the metrics are the metrics, and everyone talked about this for the wrong reasons. Even before the 'incident,' this halftime show already had a different vibe than any we'd seen before. We even got our first curse word in albeit a fairly tame 'ass is bodacious' line by Nelly. In retrospect, hearing 'I am getting so hot; I'm gonna take my clothes off' feels more like an omen than a singalong. Kid Rock even references 'topless dancers' and 'methadone clinics' in 'Bawitdaba.' Advertisement It was a modern, slightly more tawdry halftime show! And then … It's a shame that the show as a whole is more or less forgotten thanks to controversy. Janet Jackson deserved better. This was the second year of the 'vintage acts' era. It's nowhere near 'Winter Magic' bad, but after 2004's controversy scuttled a blossoming trend of multiple megastars on stage at once, it was a bit of a letdown to see a shorter version of a standard show from a band whose peak was 25 or so years prior — even if they are one of the all-time great touring acts. As Mick Jagger said before launching into 'Satisfaction': 'This one, we coulda done at Super Bowl I.' If they had, it would be much higher on this list. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is a good example of how a band doesn't have to be the biggest act in the world to succeed on a large stage. Swing music was going through a renaissance around this time, and they kicked off the show with a fun (if a bit dated) vibe. But what I want to talk about is this: Stevie Wonder was driving a car. (Let's throw it to Shaquille O'Neal for conspiracy theory story time.) Wonder's set was uncharacteristically shaky — some echo issues that were out of his control and one botched high note — but still good. It was Estefan who stuck the landing. The Latin-infused set was a perfect fit for Miami. Overall, pretty good for the era! Adam Levine's vocals are a big part of what makes Maroon 5 such a good band, so it was a bit disappointing for them to be just OK in the first half of the show. The falsetto in 'She Will Be Loved' and 'Moves Like Jagger' was strong — less so in 'Sugar.' I can't decide how I feel about the 'SpongeBob SquarePants' introduction of Travis Scott. My gut says 'bad,' but my heart tells me to stop being old and grumpy. My bigger issue was if you're going to have to bleep out half of Scott's performance, maybe just go with someone else? Advertisement Points for getting Big Boi for an Atlanta Super Bowl, but otherwise (beyond Levine taking off his shirt) this was a fairly forgettable show. It was a pretty good show by a great artist. Very few bells and whistles, just the hits. Get in, get out, passing grade, on to the next. Prince and Tom Petty played in back-to-back halftime shows. Following Prince probably hurts Petty's ranking here. Not his fault, just a tough draw. A Beatle? Playing The Beatles songs? On a stage that took some effort to construct? Big pyrotechnics? Seems like a winning combination. I'm almost inclined to forgive an emotional ballad here, since an entire Super Bowl crowd singing along to 'Hey Jude' is a moment that those in attendance surely haven't forgotten. Unfortunately, it is painfully obvious that 2005 marked the beginning of a seven-year era of halftime shows that seemed designed to apologize to the public for the controversy of 2004. The goal appeared less to take the halftime show to new heights and more to simply avoid an international incident. Mission accomplished, but in context, it was a little boring compared to what it could have been. Country music was having a moment in 1994, and this lineup worked great for a southern Super Bowl in Atlanta. Clint Black had bigger hits, but going with 'Tuckered Out' before handing it off to the inimitable Tanya Tucker was a pun I can appreciate. The Judds had broken up four years prior, so it was cool to see Naomi join her daughter Wynonna on stage for 'Love Can Build a Bridge' (though 'Rockin' With the Rhythm of the Rain' would have been better, in my opinion). While the music was solid, the production value was pretty mid for the first three performers, until the younger Judd took the stage to a sea of sword-length glow sticks that emphasized the stadium-show feel. I'm not sure they could have done much more, though. Too many bells and whistles would have felt inauthentic. Advertisement The 2001 show marked a sea change between safe and middle-of-the-road to finding the biggest stars of the day — and then adding some more big stars. Great in theory, but going back and forth between NSYNC and Aerosmith for the first half was vibes whiplash. Fortunately, it improved when the collaboration got started with 'Walk This Way.' I would have loved to have seen Run-DMC here, but Britney Spears and Mary J. Blige filled in brilliantly. Nelly's half-Ravens/half-Giants jersey was something we'll all remember. It was at this point I realized that I prefer it when the Super Bowl is not on the West Coast. We get a nighttime show instead of a mid-afternoon festival feel. Organizers did a good job employing a lot of bright colors and flowers into the staging, but it didn't feel like a real party while the sun was up. I mean no offense to Coldplay when I say this: Their performance was exactly a Coldplay show, and they're one of the biggest bands of this millennium. But when Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars hit the stage, the energy level soared. Mars was suited for this stage. So was Beyoncé, and the dance-off mashup between the two was the sort of pairing the halftime show should strive for. The choice to pair 'God Bless America' and 'This Land is Your Land' as an opener was not only low-energy, but a weird pairing. I get why one might have felt we needed some healing and unity in January 2017, but this felt forced and ill-advised. But then, the jump — followed by the descent to the stage while Lady Gaga kicked her legs like a frog mad about being picked up — lives rent-free in my head at least a half-dozen times a year. Had the show started around the 1:20 mark, it would have ranked higher, as the rest of the show was vintage Lady Gaga. Bold stage choices with art-school aesthetics, massive hits, good vocal performance … and even a keytar! The show even finished with Gaga jumping off something else, this time catching a ball in the process. I could have lived without slowing the show down with 'Million Reasons,' but I'd be beating a dead horse about keeping the set list peppy. Advertisement For as excellent as the second half of this show was, it will be easy to forget in a few years that it started pretty shaky. Usher's vocals sounded uncharacteristically wobbly for the first couple of songs, as did Alicia Keys'. It made me wonder if there was a problem with the in-ear monitors. But after a quick page from the Maroon 5 playbook (vocals struggling? Take off your shirt!) the vibes pulled a 180-degree turn. While H.E.R. owned the moment with a killer guitar solo, Usher pulled off a quick costume change that included roller skates (points for unique props). By the time Lil Jon and Ludacris showed up for 'Yeah!,' it was a full-blown party. If they'd been able to bring that energy from the beginning, this could have ranked higher. The performance that launched a million memes. I'm a big fan of mixing in some modern artists who don't have the decades-long cache of hits to choose from. Performance-wise, it was good! His lower vocal register was a bit shaky, but my goodness did he blast out the high notes. Unfortunately (in direct contrast to The Who), the vocals were mixed too low. I feel like I can hear the drum cymbals above everything else for the first half of the show. But this show was more about the spectacle than the performance, and on that front, it delivered. Even the fact he spent so long in that lit-up corridor with the masked dancers was delightfully weird. At this point in halftime show history, the stages had been getting bigger and more elaborate. I thought this would be the apex, but the following year raised the bar even further (more on that later). This is The Weeknd's meme-generator predecessor. We still remember Left Shark a decade later. Also, remember Katy Perry riding in on that big robotic-looking, Transformer/Mufasa thing? Advertisement I'm not sure the second half of the show — with all the cartoonish, beach-ball mascot dancers and palm trees — would have worked for a halftime show had the shark on the left not forgotten the bulk of the dance routine. It was such a phenomenon that people tend to forget that Missy Elliott also put on a great performance of 'Get Ur Freak On' and 'Lose Control.' Some important context: Rihanna hadn't played a show in five years. It was later revealed she also was pregnant with her second child. And yet, there she was, suspended high above the field at State Farm Stadium. If context benefits, it can also take away. If we could time-travel Rihanna back to 2006, it would have been among the most iconic performances of all time, on any stage. Floating stages. The dancers and the choreography. The number of certified bangers. The level of creativity and spectacle would have broken our collective psyche. But in 2023? The best show in the history of the world (circa 2006) was just a good halftime show. It was good! I have no nitpicks. But was it special? Well, it cracked this top 10, so … a little bit? Finally, the Material Girl arrived at the centerpiece of American excess. It was everything you'd expect from a Madonna show: hit after hit, slightly tawdry choreography, a gospel choir, centurions. Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. still were early in their careers but held their own as guest stars, as did CeeLo Green. A great halftime show, but I'd be remiss not to point out that M.I.A. flipped off the camera as she delivered the line 'I don't give a s—,' which caused the NFL to make the next move. This is by far the most, uh, 'sensual' halftime show we've ever seen. From Shakira belly dancing with a rope to Jennifer Lopez's pole routine above a writhing mass of backing dancers, it was definitely pushing envelopes. Advertisement But it wasn't all hip shaking and pelvic thrusts. The six-piece brass ensemble serving as Shakira's backing dancers was a nice touch, and her vocal performance was one of the best we've seen. J-Lo's vocal performance absolutely exceeded my expectations, as well, going full-throated rasp at times and staying on pitch. And then Shakira hopped on a drum kit and played it well? Dang! From a talent standpoint, I can't deduct any points at all. The Latin-influenced dance finale was a perfect ending to a set that felt very Miami. As far as the general sexiness of it all, it wasn't obscene, but it definitely pushed the boundaries of what we could expect from a halftime show. I had been saying for a while at this point that the Super Bowl needed a halftime show of Bruno Mars and Janelle Monáe. This show granted half of my request, and I felt vindicated. After a short intro with Mars playing a drum solo, it was time to party. Pedal down, start to finish. Mars' persona and catalog are uniquely and perfectly suited for this occasion. The goal of his career seems to be getting everyone on the dance floor and having the night of their lives. It's a true talent to be on the world's biggest stage and still make the audience feel like the experience is about them. No offense to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who are consummate performers and did nothing wrong, but I would have been fine to let Mars do the whole thing. Still, the chaotic mashup of the two acts was a spectacle and deserves credit for working well as a one-off. Imagine that the only halftime shows you've ever seen involved marching bands or children rapping about snowmen. And then, one of the most transformative artists of all time starts his performance by defiantly posing on the stage in silence — for a minute and a half. It's incredibly rare for something from 1993 to hold up more than 30 years later, but this performance does. The production value (by 1993 standards, anyway), the musicianship (bonus points for guitarist Jennifer Batten's glam-rock hairstyle adding to the message that this was something different) … it absolutely changed the Super Bowl halftime show forever. And even though it's clearly dated, it holds up. Advertisement The only real deduction comes from shifting gears to an overwrought rendition of 'We Are the World' when 'Thriller,' 'Bad' and others were right there for the taking. I'm going to get roasted for putting this ahead of Michael Jackson, but with points for stage presentation and set list, that's how it shakes out. Beyoncé's vocals were flawless, and the stage and lighting were immaculate, with video screens allowing Beyoncé to serve as her own backing dancer(s). Oh, and Destiny's Child reunited after a seven-year (!) hiatus. From beginning to end, this was a flawless halftime show: a megastar, a reunion, a high-energy set and a beautiful stage. Also, it wasn't until Beyoncé asked the crowd to put their hands together that I realized there hadn't been much crowd participation in these shows. It's a small thing, but it played well. This one had it all, with one exception: a moment that transcended the performance and elevated beyond greatness and into magic. One of the biggest questions leading up to Lamar's performance was the 'will he/won't he' surrounding 'Not Like Us.' After all, it was such an effective diss track that Drake has filed defamation lawsuits. (Spoiler: Lamar did not use the offending word, but he did grin as he looked directly into the camera to deliver his 'Hey, Drake' line. And then, the entire Caesars Superdome crowd obliged for the sledgehammer line: 'Tryin' to strike a chord, but it's probably A minorrrrr!' (Lamar also wore a chain with a lowercase 'a.') But the show wasn't just a one-trick moment. From the get-go, it was evident that this was not going to be a watered-down performance. 'The revolution 'bout to be televised,' he said just before performing 'Squabble Up.' During 'Humble,' the backing dancers — dressed in red, white and blue and forming an American Flag as they surrounded the rapper — recreated the head-nod dance from the music video to brilliant effect. The set was video game-themed, and the performance was interspersed with Samuel L. Jackson as the recurring character Uncle Sam (get it?) advising Lamar on what it was that America did and didn't want from him. Lamar teased 'Not Like Us,' saying, 'I wanna play their favorite song, but you know they love to sue.' Lamar took a minute to slow it down with 'Luther' and 'All the Stars' with SZA before giving the crowd what they wanted. 'Not Like Us' featured tennis great Serena Williams — who, like Lamar, has Compton, Calif., roots. The set wrapped with 'TV Off,' replete with the yelled line of 'Mustarrrrrrd!' as final guest DJ Mustard joined Lamar on stage. As the lights went down, the lights in the crowd spelled out 'GAME OVER.' Advertisement There were no guest stars for this one, which felt exactly right. I'm hard-pressed to think of any other band that could handle the emotional gravitas of a Super Bowl that came less than six months after 9/11. U2 managed to pull off the impossible — performing a touching tribute to a moment that was, at the time, still too big and too new to fully process … but doing so without sacrificing an ounce of showmanship or delving into jingoism. The band opened with 'Beautiful Day' before going into 'MLK' as a large banner featuring the names of those who died in the attacks rose behind them to the top of the stadium. They wrapped with 'Where the Streets Have No Name.' I remember audibly gasping as the banner fell at the end. It was the one halftime show where it was perfectly fine to be emotional. This lineup, in Los Angeles, had Dr. Dre kicking off proceedings sitting behind an all-white mixing board as a hat tip to the number of hits he has produced. It had a stage that was a map of the city, replete with vintage cars and houses with rooms. It had Anderson .Paak and band members playing along with the tracks. It had dancers. This is the greatest stage design in halftime show history, hands down. But a great stage is nothing without a performance to match, and among these legends, there were more than enough hits to make a set list that featured no weak spots. The spectacle was surreal perfection. Kendrick Lamar delivered a sharp performance with memorable choreography that contributed to organizers booking him as the headliner in 2025. The staging and upside-down 50 Cent were the most tweetable images of the night, but Lamar's performance was underrated. Finish it with Dr. Dre playing the piano on 'Still D.R.E.,' and it's the second-best Super Bowl halftime show of all time. '(The stage) was slippery to begin with, and when it rained on it, it was treacherous.' The deluge began about 30 seconds before Prince took the stage, and organizers asked Prince if he wanted to cancel the performance due to safety concerns. Prince, per Super Bowl halftime show producer Don Mischer, answered the question with a question: 'Can you make it rain harder?' When he launched into the guitar solo of 'Purple Rain' as the heavens poured forth, it was one of those moments that nobody ever could have planned. Not just an all-time halftime show, but an all-time rock and roll performance. It was transcendent, and it's a halftime show many have watched on multiple occasions since.
