Hey Justin Timberlake, How About Putting Chris Stapleton on Your Super Bowl Halftime Show?
Earlier this week, Mr. Suave himself Justin Timberlake was officially announced as the halftime performer for Super Bowl LII being held February 4th, 2018 in Minneapolis. Though many are using the announcement to relive the moment in 2004 when Timberlake instigated a national controversy and made the term “wardrobe malfunction” part of the American lexicon by exposing Janet Jackson’s breast, the next pertinent question should be who Timberlake will invite to perform with him.
It’s a shame that country performers never seem to even be considered for the Super Bowl halftime sweepstakes. Despite the ridiculous overproduction and pageantry of the annual performance, the simple fact is the Super Bowl is one of the biggest musical events all year and can create an incredible boost for an artist’s career. We saw that last year with Lady Gaga, who despite her already large name recognition, found a second wind for her career due to a well-received performance.
We can dream about someone like Sturgill Simpson being asked to perform with some nautical-themed spectacle to dovetail with his most recent album A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, or even some hard country hero like Cody Jinks or Whitey Morgan taking the stage at the 50 yard line, but that’s very unlikely. Miranda Lambert or Carrie Underwood would be more practical names that could be considered, and not be as polarizing as the Bro-Country contenders like Luke Bryan or Florida Georgia Line. But for some reason, country music never seems to be in the running for the halftime performance.
However with Justin Timberlake performing this year, perhaps a country performer could slip in the back door. Just in case you’ve been living on Mars, Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton are good buddies, and it was their collaboration on “Tennessee Whiskey” at the 2015 CMA Awards that sent Stapleton on his meteoric rise that he is still benefiting from. The duo performed together again this year in late September at the Pilgrimage Festival in Franklin, TN. Chris Stapleton would be just about perfect as a guest performer as part of Timberlake’s Super Bowl bonanza since the two have worked together so well in the past. How about a Petty tribute, since Stapleton can sing Tom as good as any?
So give it some thought Timberlake, if the wheels aren’t already in motion. Give the fans of true country and good music in general a reason to tune into the Super Bowl halftime show in 2018, even if it’s just for a few minutes. That’d be much more entertaining that a few seconds in the audience of a nipple tassel.
seak05
October 24, 2017 @ 6:41 pm
I had the thought about Chris, and I’d like to see him get the nod..or Carrie TBH. But the person I really want to see is actually Janet Jackson. The fallout she received from the wardrobe malfunction was ridiculous, and took way more of a toll on her career than Justin’s.
Bear
October 25, 2017 @ 10:35 pm
I want him to ask her to do it and for her to give the middle finger. He totally threw her under a bus and his career went on fine and he did NOTHING or said NOTHING to you help Janet (not that she needs money). And I’m not even much of a Janet fan musically after her early 90s stuff but I do think it was her downfall as such in public mainstream was simply the music business wanting tot take down a powerful women in the industry and restore order to male dominance.
I feel it was really no different than the take down of the Dixie Chicks, music execs taking down the most powerful in the business.
Biscuit
October 24, 2017 @ 6:46 pm
Having seen them play together at Pilgrimage, there appears to be a friendship and respect between the two. They did three songs together and it was great. Doing this again for the Super Bowl would seem to be an ideal setting.
Tony Gunter
October 24, 2017 @ 6:52 pm
Don’t waste your time Chris you won’t get paid and no one will be watching! LMAO
james
October 24, 2017 @ 8:09 pm
no one in their right mind still watches the nfl!
Brad
October 25, 2017 @ 12:25 pm
Yea I’m sure the Super Bowl is going to have a yuuuge decline in viewership. Maybe all the way down in the hundreds of millions worldwide. Who would want to be seen by sure few people.
Jim McGuinness
October 25, 2017 @ 4:58 pm
Quite a few bigots have stopped watching.
RD
October 25, 2017 @ 7:30 pm
Don’t forget all the racists and homophobes who stopped watching, too. Were you at the original Woodstock, Jim?
Marc
October 24, 2017 @ 7:20 pm
If anything I would hope for Sturgil or Cody because pretty sure we will see a lot of Stapleton clones on America’s Got Talent or the new American Idol.
witness
October 24, 2017 @ 8:27 pm
Trig, is JT still recording a country album? If he is, I could see it maybe happening
Trigger
October 24, 2017 @ 9:50 pm
That’s what the story was last time we heard about new music from him. His producer Timbaland said as much, and he was trying to book time at Studio ‘A’ in Nashville. Haven’t heard anything recently, but this may just be the calm before the storm. Who knows, maybe the Super Bowl will be the launching party.
Cilla
October 24, 2017 @ 8:52 pm
He owes Janet Jackson…..he gets invited,but Janet Jackson ? Seriously, JT is getting a lot of shit thrown at him now.
Raymond
October 24, 2017 @ 9:01 pm
Justin Timberlake is so talented. I figured he’d be back sooner than later to perform. I’m actually excited for this as Justin Timberlake is an artist I respect a lot and I feel like he has a lot of respect for music as a whole.
Bear
October 25, 2017 @ 10:39 pm
Except for the whole throw Janet under the bus thing and just skate on to even more success. Unless you were being sarcastic.
And I’m not even a SJW but when it comes to women in music I do get riled up about stuff because I LOVE music so much it is just shameful how much shit she got and he didn’t even miss beat, heck he recorded a song for a kids movie that was a hit.
Ulysses McCaskill
October 24, 2017 @ 11:49 pm
He should invite Chris, get off the stage, and let him sing Outlaw State of Mind.
BanditDarville
October 25, 2017 @ 2:25 am
The 1994 halftime show was Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, and The Judds.
It was the first Super Bowl to be played in the recently opened Georgia Dome, so the powers at be went with a country theme.
Johnnyboy Gomez
October 25, 2017 @ 3:51 am
Not sure I’m ready for Stapleton’s nipple. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Gabe
October 25, 2017 @ 5:38 am
I doubt JT will bring Chris to perform, contenders for me are *NSYNC & Janet…
Barstool Hero
October 25, 2017 @ 5:46 am
Why has Garth Brooks, one of the greatest entertainers ever, never played an SB HT show???
Barstool Hero
October 25, 2017 @ 5:51 am
And hell, throw in Eric Church, Miranda, and Stapleton for the greatest SB HT ever!
scott
October 25, 2017 @ 6:18 am
Did you not hear Church play during halftime at a Cowboys game last year? My one ear is still bleeding a little.
Joe
October 25, 2017 @ 7:00 am
Timberlake had Garth appear at his Nashville show a couple years ago, so I wouldn’t rule out Garth as a guest for the halftime. If you want a country flair to a big production, there really is no better choice than Garth. If either he or Stapleton make the cut I’ll be happy.
AT
October 25, 2017 @ 8:00 am
Garth was invited to perform the national anthem in the early 90s, but it didn’t happen without controversy. Trigger has an excellent article on all of it: https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/garth-brooks-the-super-bowls-lip-sync-legacy/
Isaac
October 25, 2017 @ 6:22 am
Barstool kinda hit on it before I could, but I could see Garth being asked to guest as well, or maybe even more so than Stapleton. Brooks was who JT invited (and got) as a guest at his Nashville arena show a few years back, and would definitely get more pre-game buzz going than CS.
RD
October 25, 2017 @ 6:25 am
I’m sick of the “Justin Timberlake is so talented” swoon from so many. His music is mostly awful garbage, and I’m not qualified to tell you if he is technically a good singer, but, to me, he has a weak, effeminate voice. If you’re looking for a guy who sings, acts, is a good musician, and could possibly put out good country music, why not look toward Harry Connick, Jr.?
Bear
October 25, 2017 @ 10:42 pm
Harry would put on a helluva halftime show for many but he doesn’t do fireworks and spectacle and halftime shows are now more about topping last years theatrics than the music.
Chris
October 25, 2017 @ 6:29 am
Like I need another reason to never, ever watch a NFL game.
JT doesn’t perform my type of music, but I respect his craftsmanship.
Mo Crawford
October 25, 2017 @ 7:56 am
Eric Church shit the bed when did the Cowboys halftime show last year so, no to him.. Stapleton doesn’t have enough upbeat material which is usually needed for the Pepsi Halftime Show..remember it’s a world event some hillbilly thing
Trigger
October 25, 2017 @ 10:22 am
Eric Church is one of the better mainstream acts right now, especially live. But yeah, he shit the bed on that one. The overproduction of a halftime show just doesn’t suit him.
Bill
October 25, 2017 @ 8:08 am
“It’s a shame that country performers never seem to even be considered for the Super Bowl halftime sweepstakes.” That is true. However, my fear is they would book FGL, Sam Hunt, Jason Aldean, Kelsey Ballerini, Luke Bryan and/or any of the other “country star” on terrestrial radio. But I agree with some of the others…there appears to be a true friendship and admiration between Justin and Chris and would not be surprised to see it happen.
Stringbuzz
October 25, 2017 @ 9:25 am
Have to remember the stage here.. Superbowl is a huge audience.. Some of the biggest country stars in the world don’t register with most of the general public.
CountryCharm
October 25, 2017 @ 9:46 am
If Chris came up and they did a rock song with Justin I think it will go over well. The super bowl is a global event no way they’re going to send out country unknowns to perform. Carrie could do it with co performer but Miranda and Sturgill? Come on now. It’s a half time show not a half time snooze. Eric couldn’t even handle the Cowboys half time.
Bear
October 25, 2017 @ 10:44 pm
I think the only country performer who could make half time pop worldwide is Dolly Parton or MAYBE Garth Brooks but Dolly is a world wide treasure. And who doesn’t know 9 to 5.
RD
October 25, 2017 @ 10:29 am
If they’re interested in capturing the Millennial crowd, they should have a dj out there with his laptop making obnoxious electronic noise while the Kardashian coven writhes around on stage. They could have some assorted rappers yelling “what, what” over the “music.” That is what the foosball crowd deserves.
Bear
October 25, 2017 @ 10:49 pm
I totally agree. And the could fill the field with kids filming the show on their phones instead of you know dancing or watching it live. And throw in a few youtube “baes” to get the teenage girl set paying attention.
Frankly, I think they ONLY care about millennials because they are the ones who amass like sheep at the latest trends. Or maybe they care about their parents depending on age because the parents on the one’s with the money to buy the crap they flock like sheep to get. I have never seen a halftime show of recent note that targeted an “older” crowd. 18-25 is where the money is, baby!
you talka like-a da mickey mouse
October 26, 2017 @ 1:55 pm
(Insert generic hip-hop beat found in most “country” radio hits today), and chant Whoa Oh Oh Oh Whoa Oh Oh, bruh
Jon
October 25, 2017 @ 7:14 pm
It’s hilarious how butthurt some of you are about the NFL.
Safe spaces, and such.
kapam
October 25, 2017 @ 8:02 pm
I’m not a Timberlake fan I’m afraid. While I will probably be watching the SuperBowl, the half-time extravaganza is when I will likely go to the fridge for another drink. I guess the only thing that could keep me watching over half-time would be rumours of Stapleton or Garth appearing.