Highlights
- Usher is not being paid for his Super Bowl halftime show, which is a normal practice in the NFL.
- Halftime performers receive no payment, but the NFL covers all production costs, which can exceed $13 million.
- Usher hopes to pay tribute to his loved ones during his performance and provide a healing experience for viewers.
News of Usher's Super Bowl LVIII Halftime show caused a lot of excitement. However, the eight-time Grammy Award winner is paid absolutely nothing for his big performance. Fans may be surprised to learn the R&B superstar's salary for performing at the Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers 2024 Super Bowl is not in the millions, but in the NFL, this is normal practice - with even a pregnant Rihanna getting paid $0 for her 2023 Super Bowl halftime show.
While NFL covers all production costs, which have been known to exceed $13 million, they don't pay their halftime show performers. With millions of people tuning in for the sport, adverts, and spectacle, the halftime performers put in the effort to make a big impact.
Although Usher has kept details of his performance under wraps, he told Vogue he hopes people who only watch the Super Bowl for football see his show and have a "healing" experience.
Usher has explained that he hopes to pay tribute to his loved ones during the upcoming show and how they inspired his three-decade-long career. "I didn't start where I am now, and I didn't get there by myself," he revealed during a Good Morning America interview. We can also expect costume changes, guest appearances, and even rollerskating!
"So, everybody that has been a part of it, I'm carrying them with me. All of my fans, my loved ones — the people who may have felt like they have been forgotten, they haven't. I'm carrying you right with me when I walk on that stage that night."
This is not Usher's first time at the Superbowl, the singer appeared with Will.i.am in 2011 but it is his first solo halftime show performance. “I’d be a fool to say no. If things line up the way we would all hope, one day that moment would happen. I’ve had the opportunity to grace the stage in support of 'OMG' and Will.i.am but that was one moment.”
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Usher's Super Bowl Halftime Pay Check
Usher is earning literally $0.00 for his 13-minute Super Bowl halftime performance.
The Super Bowl has a long history of not offering any payment for its halftime performers. As one NFL spokesperson told Forbes several years ago, “We do not pay the artists," However, the NFL covers “all costs associated with the show and does pay the halftime performers’ union scale."
Many artists are happy to perform for free because of the boost in streaming afterward and the international coverage of the show. The Super Bowl is the most-watched event on television, drawing millions of viewers each year. In 2023, 118.7 million fans tuned in for Rihanna's halftime show, where she announced her second pregnancy.
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Spotify reported that Jennifer Lopez's streams spiked by 335% after she appeared during the 2020 Super Bowl, while Shakira’s went up by 230% the same year. Rihanna's Spotify streams increased by more than 640% across the U.S. after her halftime appearance, as well as boosting sales of her Fenty makeup and Savage X Fenty lingerie line.
Justin Timberlake's 2018 performance secured his fourth Billboard No.1 album, Man of the Woods. Even Maroon 5, whose 2019 halftime show was almost universally panned, saw the band's sales spike 434%.
Usher has already seen a boost in sales, just by being announced as the halftime performance. When the 'OMG' singer was announced in September, Billboard reported a boost in streaming within the US.
How Usher's Net Worth Became $180 Million
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Usher is worth $180 million and that's not including several million in real estate. According to the RIAA, Usher has 23.5 million certified units in album sales and 9.5 million certified units in digital singles. He released his first album in 1994, at the age of 15. His 2004 album Confessions sold more than 1 million copies in its first week and led to three Grammy Awards.
Usher's Truth Tour was one of the highest-earning in North America, grossing $29.1 million. Meanwhile, the OMG Tour grossed just under $75 million, helping the singer earn $46 million in one year.
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Usher is not just a successful singer; he is also a businessman and entrepreneur. The 'My Boo' singer has had endorsement deals with Belvedere Vodka, Samsung, Microsoft, Pepsi, and Remy Martin. Usher joined the fourth season of The Voice as a coach and was reportedly offered $7 million for appearing on the singing competition. He appeared again in season 6.
Usher is also the co-founder of RBMG Records. He and Scooter Braun discovered Justin Bieber. Although he is the only singer signed to the label, Bieber's records have gone platinum multiple times over, leading to great success for his record company.
How Much Does Usher Earn For His Las Vegas Residency?
Usher began his stint in Las Vegas with a residency at Caesars Palace in 2021. He reportedly grossed $12.9 million in just 14 shows, totaling an average of over $2 million each night. He's since began another residency at Park MGM.
Joining the ranks of Celine Dion, Elton John, Cher, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, and many other successful music acts, Usher has made a significant income from his Las Vegas residencies.
Usher's Las Vegas show is designed to please his female fanbase.“I really wanted to give women something to look forward to, something to come here to Las Vegas with their friends for,” he says.
“They’ve been saving up all year and were able to manage to get away from their kids or get away from their problems.”
“They come out and really enjoy themselves for the entire weekend. They want to be able to really get away and have an experience," the singer added.
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