About 125 million people tuned in for this year’s Super Bowl, making it a record-breaking event for NBC. This number is significant—it ranks as the second-most watched television show in U.S. history, just behind the previous year’s Super Bowl. The Nielsen ratings showed that the average audience throughout the game was around 124.9 million.
The halftime show, featuring Bad Bunny, attracted even more viewers. It peaked at 128.2 million, showcasing the growing influence of Latino artists in mainstream media. Interestingly, a conservative alternative stream on YouTube, promoted by Turning Point USA, hit around 6 million viewers, although its metrics differ from traditional TV ratings.
The game itself saw a spike in viewership during the second quarter, with 137.8 million people watching at once. NBC’s numbers include audiences from various platforms, like Peacock and Telemundo, which also had a noteworthy presence. Telemundo averaged 3.3 million viewers, a significant jump during the halftime show, making it the most-watched halftime in Spanish-language history.
According to a third-party measurement firm, Bad Bunny’s performance generated about four billion views across all platforms within 24 hours. Apple Music, which sponsors the halftime show, reported a sevenfold increase in streams of Bad Bunny’s songs right after the performance.
The Super Bowl always has a heavy influence on TV ratings and audience engagement. NBC cleverly used the big event to promote its coverage of the Winter Olympics, leading to an impressive viewership of 42 million for the Olympics that followed.
This year’s Super Bowl highlights an interesting trend: the merging of sports and diverse musical talents, pointing toward an ever-evolving cultural landscape. As media continues to blend, events like these not only showcase athletic talent but also widen the audience’s musical horizons.
For more insights on viewership trends, check out Nielsen’s official report on media consumption here.
