The Super Bowl is one of the most highly-anticipated sporting events of the year. The game itself is the main event but — like the players on the field — how you prepare ahead of time is critical.
A good Super Bowl party makes the game much more memorable... and no party is complete without a bangin' playlist. To save you the time and trouble of piecing together a playlist for your pre-game party, we've created the Ultimate Super Bowl playlist — 59 songs (for Super Bowl 59) that covers all the biggest themes of this year's Big Game, includes hits from past Super Bowl halftime shows, and some recommendations from Covers' NFL analysts!
You can jump right to the playlist, download and listen to it on Spotify, or read on to learn some fun tidbits about the songs we chose... to make you look oh-so-smart in front of your friends on Super Bowl Sunday.
Jump to:
Kendrick Lamar | Taylor Swift
Philadelphia theme | Louisiana theme
Previous halftime hits | Covers' staff picks
The playlist
Kendrick Lamar songs
He's the Super Bowl halftime performer. He won a high-profile rap beef with Drake — then doubled down on his victory at the Grammys. Of course some songs from the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper that has taken the torch as the face of the West Coast.
- Not Like Us
Umm, obviously. The Drake-diss-turned-club-hit that won all five Grammys it was nominated for... including Record of the Year. - HUMBLE.
- All the Stars
Also features his tour mate SZA, who is also confirmed to appear during the halftime show - tv off
MUSTARRRRRRRRRRRRRD! - Like That
- Drake - Back to Back
A beef with Drake is what pushed Kendrick to mainstream superstardom... so we had to have a Drake song. The Chiefs have already gone back to back, so maybe it would be better if the song was called "Back to back... to back?"
Kansas City-themed Taylor Swift songs
No offense to Puddle of Mudd, Tech N9ne, and Burt Bacharach, but when you talk about Kansas City... you talk about Taylor Swift. Arguably the biggest musician in the world right now, Swift has not shortage of Super Bowl-appropriate bangers — and the layers of her connections to boyfriend (and Chiefs star) Travis Kelce make her even more fitting for inclusion.
- Bad Blood
Not only is it an upbeat song... but it also features Kendrick. Perfect! - Look What You Made Me Do
- Karma
Tay-tay made waves during her Eras Tour show in Buenos Aires when she changed the lyrics to "Karma is the guy on the Chiefs." - ...Ready For It?
- I Can Do It With a Broken Heart
Another Eras Tour callback - during one of her London shows, Travis surprised guests on stage during this song. - 22
- Blank Space
It's Travi's fave, so it definitely makes the list
Philly specials
A bit of flavor featuring artists from the City of Brotherly Love, featuring fan favorites and some former Super Bowl halftime show songs as well.
- Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams (Come True)
- Boyz II Men - Motownphilly
Performed during the 1998 Super Bowl halftime show. - Meek Mill - Going Bad
Featuring — you guessed it — Drake! (You thought I was going to say Kendrick, didn't you?) - Will Smith - Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
- Will Smith - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Nostalgia aside, just listen to the first three words of the song. - The Roots - The Seed 2.0
- Patti LaBelle - New Attitude
Performed during the 1995 Super Bowl halftime show.
New Orleans/Louisiana flavor
Everyone will be in NOLA for the Super Bowl... so add a few songs from local talent to make it feel like your party is just off Bourbon Street! Louisana covers a wide range of genres, so there's a little bit of everything (for everyone) here.
- The Neville Brothers - Fly Like an Eagle
Yes, it's a cover of a song from the Steve Miller Band, but you can see its relevance here. If you want to use the Seal cover instead... I wouldn't hold it against you. - Lil Wayne - 6 Foot 7 Foot
- Jon Batiste - FREEDOM
Batiste is also performing the Super Bowl National Anthem this year. - Tim McGraw - Back When
- Hank Williams Jr. - All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight
Sound familiar? This was adapted to be the opening theme song for Monday Night Football from 1989-2011 (and again from 2017-2019). - Mystikal - Shake Ya Ass
- Britney Spears - Toxic
It's Britney bish. - JUVENILE - Back That Azz Up
The refs' response following every offensive holding penalty.
Previous Super Bowl halftime show hits
The list of previous Super Bowl halftime performers is a star-studded one, and we've picked the biggest hit (or best party song) from each of their halftime show sets to be included.
- Usher - Yeah! (2024)
- Rihanna - Diamonds (2023)
- Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg - Still D.R.E. (2022)
- The Weeknd - Blinding Lights (2021)
- Shakira - Whenever, Wherever (2020)
- Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger (2019)
- Justin Timberlake - CAN'T STOP THE FEELING! (2018)
- Lady Gaga - Bad Romance (2017)
- Katy Perry - Teenage Dream (2015)
#LeftShark forever - Bruno Mars - Treasure (2014)
- Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) (2013)
- Madonna - Like a Prayer (2012)
- Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling (2011)
- Prince - Let's Go Crazy (2007)
Considered by many as the GOAT of Super Bowl halftime shows. Don't believe me? Watch for yourself. - Janet Jackson - All For You (2004)
- Justin Timberlake - Rock Your Body (2004)
The song that gave birth to wardrobe malfunctions. - U2 - Beautiful Day (2002)
- Aerosmith - Walk This Way (2001)
- *NSYNC - Bye Bye Bye (2001)
Another incredible combo with Aerosmith (plus Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and Nelly) - Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke (1999)
- Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (1993)
Playlist picks from Covers' NFL experts
We had to add a little Covers' touch to this playlist! We polled our top NFL minds for their favorite songs to be added to a Super Bowl playlist — adding a little bit of seemingly every genre to the mix.
Jason Logan - Senior Betting Analyst
- Cam'ron - Let Me Know
Hmm, that opening sample sure sounds familiar... - Queen - Tear It Up
Joe Osborne - Senior Betting Analyst
- Avicii - Levels
- Guns N' Roses - Welcome To The Jungle
Josh Inglis - Betting Analyst
- Lenny Kravitz - It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over
Says anyone who's ever seen Patrick Mahomes trailing in the fourth quarter... - Bonnie Tyler - Holding Out for a Hero
Rohit Ponnaiya - Betting Analyst
- M.O.P. - Ante Up
- The Game, Lil Wayne - Red Nation
Weezy's NOLA connection + the color of one of the teams? Makes perfect sense to us.
Neil Parker - Betting Analyst
- Start Me Up - The Rolling Stones
- Glory Days - Bruce Springsteen
Also known to the rest of the NFL as "when Patrick Mahomes wasn't in every Super Bowl."
The Covers ultimate Super Bowl playlist
Here is the full playlist, where you can play all 59 songs right here in your web browser (if you don't want to open the Spotify app). We recommend just throwing it on random and seeing what comes next, but the songs have been added in the same order as this article.
