Super Bowl Halftime History: 30 Star-Studded Photos

No matter that the Dallas Cowboys were slaughtering the Buffalo Bills 28-10 at the half during Super Bowl XXVII. The only thing that really mattered was this iconic shot of MJ.

LMFAO gave Madonna a lift during her headlining halftime performance last year.

The nip slip that changed television forever. Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" at Super Bowl XXXVIII. TV censors still haven't calmed down.

Almost as if Prince had weather-controlling abilities, he ended his seven-song medley with the classic track in torrential downpour at Super Bowl XLI.

Black Eyed Peas performed at Super Bowl XLV looking like true beings from the year 3008.

Mary J. Blige, *NSYNC, Aerosmith, Britney Spears and Nelly came together for a rendition of the "Hallelujah" chorus at Super Bowl XXXV. It was lauded as the performance of the millennium. Just kidding. What do you think putting a rock group, boy band, pop star, rapper and R&B diva on one song sounded like?

In the first halftime show following 9/11, the Irish-born Bono showed his American pride, revealing an U.S. flag stitched inside his jacket.

Nelly AND Diddy (then known as P. Diddy) made a rare hip-hop appearance at Super Bowl XXXVIII.

New KIDS On The Block performed with 3,500 local KIDS of different ethnic backgrounds for a KID-friendly performance at Super Bowl XXV.

Perhaps in an attempt to upstage the Queen of Controversy, M.I.A. gave the camera the middle finger when she joined Madonna.

To celebrate the huge show, Gwen Stefani ad-libbed the lined "I'm just a girl at the Super Bowl!" during No Doubt's "I'm Just A Girl."

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed at Super Bowl XLIII. The Boss proved to over 100 million people that he could move just as well in his 60s as in his 20s. Rock on daddy-o!

Looking back at their performance at Super Bowl XXXIV, Christina Aguilera and Enrique Iglesias look like completely different people now. (And for the ongoing fan wars, Xtina performed a year before Britney. Sorry, Brit fans.)

Prince realizes mid-guitar riff that rain isn't purple at Super Bowl XLI.

"Oh my! Here comes my ride!," Diana Ross yelled before being whisked away in a helicopter at Super Bowl XXX. Appropriate with the theme "Take Me Higher: A Celebration of 30 years of the Super Bowl."

What happens when your halftime performer accidentally flashed over a hundred million people live? You grab Paul McCartney, a member of one of the most-loved bands of all time, the next year. Macca performed some of The Beatles' biggest tracks, upsetting approximately zero people.

Madonna needed a duet partner to match her sequined robe at Super Bowl XLV. Luckily, Cee Lo Green was available. The duo rocked a gospel rendition of "Like A Prayer."

Who would've thought that Gloria Estefan and Stevie Wonder would get together for a performance? Super Bowl XXXIII made it happen.

Pre-nipplegate Janet Jackson was hitting all the right moves with her clown/punk/mime hybrid backup dancers.

The Who paired their unwavering high energy with an impressive light show at Super Bowl XLIV.

Usher came out to join will.i.am to perform "OMG." Yet, when you compared Usher's Michael Jackson-esque moves to will.i.am's standing there, you wondered who really should have been the headliner.

Not even the bored security guard on the right could bring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band down at their Super Bowl XLIII performance.

Just two years after the Janet/Justin "wardrobe malfunction," the only thing controversial was the tightness of Mick's pants.

No Doubt and Sting (?) were all smiles after their performance of The Police's "Message in a Bottle" at Super Bowl XXXVII.

Slash joined Fergie during the Black Eyed Peas' halftime performance, giving a "Fergalicious" rendition of Guns N' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine."

It's fun to imagine what was going through M.I.A.'s head (pre-bird flip) when she entered the stage with Nicki Minaj at Madonna's performance.

Soft-spoken Tony Bennett and a big-voiced Patti LaBelle combined forces for a duet of the Disney ballad "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." Possibly one of the strangest pairings in musical history—only at the Super Bowl!

The *NSYNC members celebrated their Super Bowl XXXV performance with their favorite gang signs. Everyone else looked around confused.

Super Bowl XXXI was a meeting of the brothers. The Blues Brothers (a.k.a. Dan Aykroyd and James Belushi) and Soul Brother No. 1 (James Brown), that is. Oh, and there's ZZ Top.

If it wasn't clear from this gallery, it's common practice to have a bevy of special guests perform at halftime shows. But not Michael Jackson. The King of Pop performed Super Bowl XXVII solo.