I was thinking about the Super Bowl halftime show. It seems they're finally appealing to a 1990s and 2000s audience. I don't think we could get a pure country show. The days when Clint Black or Shania would be selected for the Super Bowl Halftime Show are long gone, but hear me out for a possibility.
Here is what I am thinking. This was inspired mostly by the Super Bowl show a couple years ago, which featured Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z and highlighted the living legends of 1990s hip-hop. There was commentary on the Internet about how finally the Super Bowl is catching up to the times, and that came along with the realization that Gen X is now replacing the Boomers. Similar to the 2000s, when acts like The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and Prince were manning the halftime show in an attempt to appeal to the baby boomer demographic, now the current Gen-X and older Millennial generations are viewed in that same way. This generation grew up on less rock then previous generations so naturally a pivot to classic hip-hop was the savvy move. That all makes sense. With the shifting in generations, perhaps now would be a moment where the commercial realities of country music in the 1990s can still flex its capital on the biggest of stages.
Garth Brooks was one of the most popular singers of the 1990s, and still is a touring behemoth. I figure he would be the perfect headliner. He does stadiums. He is one of the most popular touring and selling acts in all genres and honestly you couldn’t not have Garth Brooks.
I think you need the game to be in a region of the country which is notable for its country music fandom. Texas obviously works. Florida as well.
Moving onto singers, I don’t think having a pure country honky-tonk performance would make sense. The singers need name recognition. Taylor Swift would obviously be a massive show, but that would dominate everything else and she is far removed from her country days. I think it would be a mismatch. Given Garth as the headliner, I would pair him with artists that have appeal to different demographics. The two people that I would choose would be Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett.
Now why Kenny Chesney? Well, Kenny Chesney is one of the largest touring artists in country music. His shows are massive. He sells out stadiums consistently, and he has crossover appeal to other segments. Perhaps not as much as genuine crossover artists, but nonetheless, he will be more attractive for younger fans in a way that Garth may not. That takes care of Gen X and Millennial fans. What about the boomers? They have money and when trying to make a show that appeals to the broadest demographic possible, you can't count them out.
This is precisely where Jimmy Buffett comes in. Aside from having a couple recorded duets with Kenny Chesney, Buffett has tremendous touring success in his own right. The boomers that are classic rock fans, and looking for a last hurrah on a big stage will enjoy one of their own performing. I am sure that him and Kenny Chesney in 70 degree Florida in the winter when most of the country is cold and snowy, singing Cheeseburger in Paradise or MargaritaVille would be an absolute hit.
I think that you really need to have one more piece. Something to make it more universal. Not necessarily a pop or hip-hop act, but someone that everyone can get on board with. After this year‘s national anthem performance by Chris Stapleton, I really think there’s no other better choice than bringing Chris Stapleton on as a surprise guest to sing Tennessee Whiskey. Tennessee Whiskey is most probably the closest thing to Friends in Low Places. It has more than transcended country. It has become an iconic cultural touchstone, heck it has become the gateway drug to modern country music. For so many people, this is a song that makes them say even though I don’t like country music, this song is amazing and this Stapleton guy rocks.
Generally speaking, the Super Bowl halftime show runs roughly a half hour allotted between halves. With a quick set up and clean up that takes a few minutes on either side, you end up with 25 minutes for music. You can probably do about 10 songs in that time. Some people might do a medley were they can squeeze a few more songs in, but with the multiple artist featured in this potential halftime show, we want to give a couple more minutes to each person. Let's aim for 10 songs in 25 minutes. We'll try to strike a balance between the hits and some diversity in style on stage.
Here's my made up 2024 Jacksonville super bowl hypothetical set list:
Garth starts things off:
Ain't Going Down- figure a good uptempo number to start things off.
Callin Baton Rouge- let's assume the Saints are playing.
The Dance- slower tempo change up. Gotta get the women teary eyed, and all the men who'd never admit it.
Brings on Jimmy Buffett:
Margaritaville- gotta give the classic rock fans something to cheer for.
Kenny joins in for a duet:
Cheeseburger in Paradise- it's iconic and the boomers in box seats love this kinda thing.
Kenny then does a solo medley of his own:
Young- Because it's hype.
Flora-Bama- because it's in Florida.
Boys of Fall- Because football.
Announce Chris Stapleton as the surprise guest:
Tennessee Whiskey- Because every non country fan knows this song.
And finally everyone rejoins the stage for an ensemble finish:
Friends in Low Places- Because it's the ultimate sing along anthem.
I think that would be great fun. Who knows, maybe one day it'll happen. If you think other artists should be featured, lmk in the comments or at Todayiheardblog@gmail.com. I wish I put a female artist on the list, but other then Shania (who already had a Super Bowl performance 20 year ago), I'm not sure who would fit. Carrie maybe? Not sure.
Hope you liked this little thought experiment. It's later than I wanted it, but work kept me busy so this is going up a week or so later than I wanted it. Well, at least XFL is giving it another run.
Thanks for reading,
Joe
Here's a playlist for the set list. Gonna have to live with the Brooks Jefferson versions. Garth still thinks he can beat streaming.