Music Reigns Supreme at Super Bowl LX 2026

What's Good Y'all! Happy Black History Month! Now this post may not be about Black History, but history was indeed made with this past Sunday's 60th Super Bowl.

This year's main performance came from Bad Bunny, but he was not the only performer of the night, and I really want to highlight all the amazing talent that graced Super Bowl LX this year!

What I didn't hear enough about is how much Green Day KILLED IT! As the Opening Performers for Super Bowl LX, Green Day showed up and showed out! Not only did they look great, but they still sound AMAZING! Performing classic hits like Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, and American Idiot. All three tracks come from their iconic album 'American Idiot.' Released in 2004, this album was a protest. During this time, Bush Jr. was in office, telling the country that Iraq and Afghanistan are our biggest problems and that they have "weapons of mass destruction." Many of us were not ok with going to war, even after 9/11. None of it made sense, then Green Day came along with an album many millennials related to and played faithfully. This was straight-up nostalgia and a reminder that Green Day is forever!

Next up, Charlie Puth gave a beautiful, Christmas-y rendition of The National Anthem. With a live band and chorus, he took his time, steadied his nerves, and gave a version of the anthem that was completely his own. I do not know many Charlie Puth songs, besides the hook he did for Wiz Khalifa's 'See You Again.' But this performance made me a fan and also made me want to check out his music. While Black people may not fully accept the National Anthem, we are all SUPER judgey when it comes to who sings it. I mean, if we HAVE to hear it, it better be good! And this boy was good, y'all lol.

Brandy Carlile was also new to me. Dabbling In folk, rock and alternative country, this Washington native gave a beautiful performance of 'America the Beautiful'. I not only appreciated the two Black woman who accompanied her on such a big stage to play string Instruments, but I also enjoyed her vocal ability to really make me believe the words of that song in such a tumultuous time in our country.

Last but certainly not least, my girl Coco Jones made her second Superbowl appearance, singing the African American National Anthem, 'Lift Every Voice.' At first I was mad they added this anthem to their agenda a few years back. It was only a way for the NFL to pacify their Black audience after how they treated Colin Kapernick. It wouldn't be until this year, with Coco on the mic, that I was all in! I shed a tear watching my girl beautifully donne a rendition (created by Black designer Karl Kani) of Whitney Houston's Superbowl XXV outfit. Along with the homage, that beautiful arrangement delivered from her chorus and string ensemble and that AMAZING voice, how could you not love it?!

Bad Bunny was the talk of the night. Which, we knew he would be right? Now this was not the first time songs in Spanish were sung at the Super Bowl, however, this past Sunday Bad Bunny made history becoming the first Latin American artist to perform at the Super bowl primarily in Spanish. We knew it was coming well before the show, but for some reason people did not believe it and were still shocked and appalled lol. If you are a Bad Bunny Fan, the setlist was familiar as six of the songs performed were from his latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Including LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii”, performed by THEEE Ricky Martin, this song serves as a warning about the gentrification and the consequences the island would go through IF they receive permanent statehood from the United States.

Ricky Martin wasn't the only guest appearance during the performance. It was quick, but we saw cameos from Pedro Pascal (Chilean), Cardi B (Dominican), Jessica Alba (Mexican), and Karol G (Colombian), further showcasing the diversity and unity of Latin America while also paying homage to Puerto Rican house party culture. And then there was Mother Monster! This was not Lady Gaga's first Super Bowl experience, headlining Super Bowl LI in 2017. This time as a guest, Stefani performed a Latin remix of "Die With A Smile," her 2024 hit with Bruno Mars, and the ONLY English-speaking song performed the entire set. I'd be remiss if I didn't add the cultural significance of her look that night. Lady Gaga wore a pleated, powder-blue flamenco-inspired dress by Dominican-American designer Raul López, adorned with the national flower of Puerto Rico.

It didn't matter that I could only catch a few words here and there, because my Spanish is still horrible lol. The performance blew my mind with how much he was able to highlight and represent Puerto Rico in such a short time. On the field you were given a glimpse into the harsh realities of Puerto Ricans lives both past and present as we moved through the Sugarcane fields that thrived off of enslaved labor from both the Indigenous and kidnapped Africans, to the sparking utility pole to perform “El Apagón,” a song about Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, killing thousands of people and leaving most of the island without power for nearly a year.

Bad Bunny paid homage to La Marqueta and highlighted the small businesses of Puerto Ricans, both on the island and far from home, to help them make their dreams come true. From selling coco frío — fresh, chilled coconut water straight from the shell to piraguas —shaved ice treats drenched in sweet syrups, served up from colorful street carts. Benito highlighted REAL Puerto Rican small businesses, such as The Los Angeles taqueria, Villa’s Tacos, and Toñita, owner of Brooklyn’s Caribbean Social Club, one of the last surviving Puerto Rican social clubs in NYC.

Other cultural significance highlighted, the implementation of the pava, dominoes being played by abuelos, the selling of gold jewelry (also a local business, Mexican-American Linaje Jewelry,) the nail salon, Boxing, women laying brick ( which many have attributed to women taking the lead of reconstruction after Hurricane Maria), giving a representation of little Benito getting a grammy, The wedding ( which was REAL by the way), a little kid sleeping on chairs during a party, and a nod to reggaeton heavyweights like Tego Calderón, Don Omar and Daddy Yankee.

While violinists played the intro to “Monaco,” Bad Bunny gave an uplifting speech: “Mi nombre es Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, y si hoy estoy aquí en el Super Bowl 60, es porque nunca, nunca dejé de creer en mí. Tú también deberías de creer en ti. Vales más de lo que piensas. Confía en mí.”: “My name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, and if I’m here today at Super Bowl 60, it’s because I never, ever stopped believing in myself. You should also believe in yourself. You’re worth more than you think. Trust me.”

On the big screen, you saw messages that tied into the show's theme, highlighting the coqui, a native frog of Puerto Rico, and the message "The only thing more powerful than hate is love."

In the end, Bad Bunny unites the Americas (North, Central, and South America), with a representation of the original Puerto Rican flag, which was banned under a Gag Law in 1948. He proceeds by naming countries individually, and also brings them all out with a flag representing each country. Holding up a football adorned with the words "Together, We Are America."

Whether you were born and raised on the Island or not, the culture, spirit, and perseverance of Puerto Ricans were felt and relatable, as many of the things highlighted can also be found in Black American culture.

The powerful messages we received from both last year's and this year's Super Bowl performances given by Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny have been deemed as too political. While many viewers prefer their art as a form of escapism, we must realize that, for years, the interplay between art and politics has been at work. From the formation of nations leaving behind writings and pictures detailing their history, to the Renaissance era, when artists like da Vinci and Michelangelo left subtle political messages in their paintings. Political cartoons, pamphlets, street art, movies, television, and music have all been used, in one way or another, throughout history to convey messages, some good and some bad. There is a reason why art is one of the first things to be eliminated when fascism and tyrannical governments take over. Art is thought-provoking, healing, and most importantly, it ties people together in ways we never could have imagined.

I know I missed a lot of Easter eggs in this performance. I've had to rewatch it a few times just to catch some things. Also, shoutout to all the Puerto Ricans and people in the Latin Diaspora on social media, filling us in on the message, the music, and the culture. I love how much this has united many of us on so many levels! May we continue be on the right side of history by always choosing love over hate.