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According to Samba TV, Bad BunnyrCOs Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime
Show performance drew 26.5 million U.S. households, marking a sharp 39%
decline from the 43.4 million households that watched Kendrick LamarrCOs
show in 2025.

Samba TV measures household-level viewing directly from opted-in smart
TVs using Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology, which detects on-screen content in real time. This approach focuses on connected TV households and excludes individual viewers, phones, tablets, laptops, out-of-home viewing, or non-smart-TV sources. Samba TVrCOs methodology has remained consistent year-over-year without major changes in technique,
making its data apples-to-apples for tracking trends in household
engagement over time.

In contrast, Nielsen reported that Bad BunnyrCOs halftime show averaged
128.2 million viewers in the U.S. from 8:15rCo8:30 p.m. ET on February 8,
2026. Nielsen uses its Big Data + Panel methodology, combining
large-scale data from set-top boxes, smart TVs, and other sources with a representative household panel to estimate total individual viewers
across broadcast, streaming, and platforms, including adjustments for co-viewing and cross-device behavior.

Nielsen quarter-hour data showed a dip during the halftime slot:
viewership fell to 128.2 million, representing about a 4% decline from
Kendrick LamarrCOs prior-year halftime average and roughly a 5.7% drop
from the immediately preceding quarter-hour (and a 7% decline from the
gamerCOs second-quarter peak of 137.8rCo137.9 million viewers).

The overall Super Bowl LX telecast, featuring the Seattle SeahawksrCO less-than-scintillating 29-13 win over the New England Patriots,
averaged 124.9 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, and other platforms per Nielsen rCo down slightly (about 2%) from last yearrCOs
record, but still the second-most-watched in U.S. history. The game
peaked at 137.8 million viewers during the second quarter.

Bad BunnyrCOs set, performed largely in Spanish with a focus on Puerto
Rican culture, choreography, and a live on-air wedding segment was the most-watched Super Bowl halftime in Spanish-language history on
Telemundo (averaging 4.8 million viewers).

The Super Bowl halftime slot also featured counter-programming from
Turning Point USA (TPUSA), which streamed its rCLAll-American Halftime
ShowrCY on YouTube (featuring Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, Gabby Barrett, and others) as an alternative during the official halftime
slot. The TPUSA stream peaked at around 6.1 million concurrent viewers
on YouTube, with live viewership in the 5rCo6 million range during the head-to-head window and total views climbing to over 19rCo21 million in
the following days (including on-demand replays). It was also available
on the Christian network TBN, though specific linear TV ratings for that broadcast were not widely reported.

The selection of Bad Bunny as Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show
headliner was ultimately decided by Jay-Z through his entertainment
company, Roc Nation. Since 2019, the NFL has partnered with Roc Nation, designating it as the leaguerCOs live music entertainment strategist. This arrangement gives Roc Nation oversight of halftime show production and
the lead role in selecting the artist each year.

Multiple sources confirm Jay-ZrCOs decisive influence. Executive producer
Jesse Collins has stated plainly that rCLitrCOs a decision that Jay makesrCY and has done so every year since the partnership began. Apple MusicrCOs
Zane Lowe described Jay-Z as the one person who makes that decision,
while co-head Rachel Newman called him the rCLultimate curator,rCY noting
that even senior leadership at Apple remains unaware of the pick until
close to the announcement due to tight secrecy.

The NFL, Apple Music (title sponsor since 2023), and Roc Nation
collaborate on the process, which typically begins shortly after the
previous Super Bowl and finalizes the artist by late summer or early
fall. The league provides input to ensure alignment with the eventrCOs
audience and moment, but Roc Nation drives the choice.

Comments:

IamSherm
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 1:51 pm
What an embarrassment to the game, to the league and to the country.

What garbage passes for music these days.

https://macdailynews.com/2026/02/11/bad-bunnys-apple-music-super-bowl-lx- halftime-show-sees-39-household-viewership-drop-vs-last-year-samba-tv-dat a-shows/

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