Maroon 5 has had "extensive talks about performing during halftime" of Super Bowl 50, according to Baker Machado of E! NEWS. A source said that the NFL has also discussed Coldplay and Bruno Mars "at one point," but Maroon 5 is the "current front-runner for the gig." Mars last month reportedly was "invited back to 'curate' the performance with multiple talents" (EONLINE.com, 10/21). BILLBOARD's Colin Stutz noted the last two halftime performers, Katy Perry and Mars, each performed in the "most watched Super Bowls ever," and with "big names coming up in conversation for the half-century celebration, it seems likely this year's Super Bowl will be the annual extravaganza's biggest stage to date" (BILLBOARD.com, 10/21). GQ's Rohan Nadkarni writes the NFL "seems set on having a contemporary (if not necessarily hip) halftime act for the biggest Super Bowl yet." Perry and Mars were "pretty inspired choices, especially considering the geriatrics the NFL threw at us in the wake of the Janet Jackson nip-slip heard 'round the country" (GQ.com, 10/22).
