Bruce Springsteen to play Super Bowl; no 'Nipplegate' expected

The right man for the job? For the first half of this decade, the pop music lineup for the Super Bowl halftime show was an even-handed mix of the sexes: for every Phil Collins, there was a Christina Aguilera; for every Aerosmith, a Britney; and for every Justin Timberlake, there was a Janet Jackson. Oh, right. Janet Jackson.

Ever since Jackson's infamous wardrobe malfunction at Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston in 2004, it's been all men, all the time -- and not a spring rooster among them: the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Prince and Tom Petty.

Come Feb. 1,  Bruce Springsteen will add his name to the roster of classic-rock stars who have performed during the halftime break with his appearance at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.

Springsteen and the E Street Band follow all those other Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees who've taken the stage at the Super Bowl, which last year drew 148 million viewers.

The band closed its 2008 tour on Aug. 30 with a show in Milwaukee that marked the 105th anniversary of Harley-Davidson. In honor of the occasion, Springsteen opened with “Gypsy Biker” and concluded his 31-song set with “Born to Be Wild,” the first time he’d played it on this tour.

The Springsteen canon is deep and wide, so anything’s possible for a Super Bowl set, but it’s hard to imagine him not including such gridiron-ready numbers as “Tougher Than the Rest,” “Glory Days” and the slam-dunk choice, “Born to Run.” Or forget the action on the field: in mind of Jackson's faux pas, the show's producers undoubtedly will insist he play "Cover Me."

— Randy Lewis

Photo: Springsteen at the Giants Stadium in July. Credit: Bill Kostroun / Associated Press

Comments

[mashia6]

I just want to say as a 29 year old female how annoyed I've been with the half time's shows since the infamous nipple exposure. First of all, a boob would not be such a big deal if people hadn't reacted the way they did. It all happened so fast. Now we are being subjected to aging boomer rockers that frankly have been pretty unimpressive. Don't get me wrong, I love all of the recent perfomers and respect their place in music but seeing them surrounded by a bunch of people who weren't even born when they were at their peak is just weird. I wish the boomer generation would chill out (like when they were teens in the 60's) and let todays top artists perform at the SuperBowl.

[Luvs dem Brest]

I am brazilian and what is the big deal with people their private parts here in this country..

I am beginning to think that this country is run by nuns and priest!!!

[Jesse]

Don't blame the 'boomers'. Blame the apparently sexist NFS or whoever runs the Half Time show. I mean -- where are all the aging women performers exactly? It seems like they and this article uniformly blame Janet Jackson by pure assumption. What about Timberlake(and his biggest album consisted of was what ahem)? Not to mention Prince... Do they have any idea how controversial up some of his work is?

I'm no knee jerk feminist here.

[DJ]

BRUCE WAS GOOD BACK IN THE 70'S,
With HD it is really pitiful seeing these old guys trying to be hip.

Time to retire guys.

[jim]

Might as well let the boomer bands play, the boomers are the ones buying most of the Super Bowl tickets anyway. Besides, last time they let a "new" band play, wasn't it Creed? Im pretty sure I threw up a little in my mouth during that one. Better ideas: Wilco? Prince? Spoon? M.I.A.? White Stripes?

[T J Byrd]

Having Bruce Springsteen sing at the Super Bowl is like having Osama Bin Laden speak at a 4th of July Event in USA. What a travesty!

[JD]

It's good to see these artists at the Super Bowl. I was getting tired of seeing the latest fad lip sync at the Super Bowl every year. The Super Bowl halftime show was beginning to seem like a mini Music awards crap show. These artist have been famous as long as the others will even be remembered. Watch MTV if you want to see that bs.

[supa66358]

I don't see what's so bad about "old" musicians playing. I personally would much rather listen to Springsteen, Stones, Paul McCartney, and Tom Petty than whatever rap/pop **** that would be playing otherwise. (You know, "Today's top artists") So if it's good music,
why does it matter how old the musicians are?

[Erik]

Dear NFL - I am sick and tired of these aging male rock stars. I don't even watch the half time show anymore. Give me some Rhianna or Akon or don't even put on a halftime show, got it? Thank you.

[s.h.]

Give me a break already! That thing was four years ago, and jerks like the writer of this article just keep bringing it up. GET OVER IT! You people act as if Janet's nipple was the worst thing that ever came across a tv screen. NEWSFLASH-it's not. The situation is old. Leave it alone. The FCC case was thrown out of court because of its ridiculousness, and people are still bringing it up. I think anyone who brings it up in the media again should be sued, starting with Mr. Lewis

[Dan]

I for one am glad to see another quality act. Just went to a Bruce concert this summer and he's still pretty damn good. Give the guy a chance.

Of course, I may be biased since he's my favorite artist, but seriously, I'm 22 and don't get most of my generation's obsession with lame pop music like Rhiana and JT. I'll take a quality rock act any day.

[Anthony]

If you want to listen to Akon or Rihanna or Fall Out Boy or any of your other main stream popular artists, then watch MTV or some other garbage music network... but I for one, along with so many others, are glad to see real musical performances with artists that have longevity, talent, and the merit to be on a world stage. Good for the NFL for not caving into the fads.

[chris]

Since the Janet Jackson incident, I have never understood why she has been blamed for the wardrob malfunction. Yea she was named the halftime act, but if I can recall correctly, it was JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE WHO RIPPED OFF HER SHIRT!!!

[dee]

It has been FIVE years since the Janet superbowl nipple slip. Why are we still taking about it?

[Jay]

Why is Janet Jackson still being mentioned 5 almost 6 years later after the Super Bowl? I believe it was simply because this reporter needed someone to read their article. So I will just say this Uhhh Janet who has a sold out concert tour world wide from a newest album which did make it to the #1 spot this year has moved on, the public has moved on, CBS moved on, Mtv moved on, Justin the bra ripping culprit who got no blame for the incident but everyone kissed his butt by snatching his cd off the shelf and handing him multiple sexy back grammy awards has moved on. I say all of that to simply say to the reporter of this article MOVE ON!!!! Since Janets performance Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have performed, Prince, and Now Springstein. I love that half time is for Superstars and I think everyone should be given their fair share of attention instead of always returning back to Janet Jackson. Face it if Madonna were to perform the same routine Janet did she'd be called a genius. So MOVE ON!!!

[Sam]

Forget Janet Jackson's boob, I'm excited that Springsteen is playing the Super Bowl. And, for the record, I'm 17.

[D-lott]

I agree with Jay and Mashia6 on their assessments. If Madonna had performed the same routine with Justin and if there had've been a waldrop malfunction: America would have let her slide. Justin himself should've had second thoughts before and during the performance because, although young, he has been in the entertainment industry long enough to think for himself. He has been trained on what to do on stage when problems occur: teleprompter difficulties, sound errors, missing chrographed steps, etc....and then he had the nerve to diss Janet on Timbaland's song, "Give it to me" with Nelly Fertado. The media either missed this diss song or they've let him slide again. Either way, all parties involved need to move on!

[vinny]

bruce has talent and hell never loose it let him play ... hes great i went in saw him in 2007 in columbus after magic was realeased he was awsome and hip so sorry but the newer artist suck

[Julia-Mary Schmidt]

Yeah Man everybody needs to relax about these "old bands". This man and his band still sell out stadiums, not 2,000 seat venues. If you don't like him, change the chanel for those 15 min's. But if you want to experience something Good and Real, keep the half time show on. I promise you, you'll raise your eyebrows. But as humans we have the tendincy to want to watch people we hate, so if your a Bruce hater, I bet you tune in for a song or two, which by that time you will have seen a glimps of what the man and his music is about. I'm sure the ratings will be thru the roof. It's Bruce and the Band, you'll have to watch it. I'm at 15 shows and counting, closed out the Magic tour in Milwaukee---------absolutley incredible. No-one beets him live and I have seen atleast 20 other bands live in my 40 years, it's not even close and no-one ever will be for me. To the haters----BBRRUUCCEE, To the lovers see ya on the next tour. Julia from Jersey