At this year’s Super Bowl, the spotlight wasn’t just on the athletic showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers; rather, it was commanded by two influential women, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.
The massive viewership of 123.7 million for the game marked a historic moment, surpassing any U.S. telecast since the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. Factors contributing to this unprecedented viewership included a scarcity of new fall TV shows due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes, a captivating halftime show featuring Usher with a myriad of special guests, and fresh viewer data.
Swift’s impact on the viewership cannot be overlooked. When she graced a Chiefs game to support her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, the New York Times reported a surge in viewership by 9% to 15%. Although the 2023 Super Bowl set an all-time-high viewership record, those numbers saw a 7% increase in 2024. Swifties, as her fans are known, organized viewing parties in her honor, demonstrating their commitment by learning the intricacies of the game.
Remarkably, Swift didn’t need to take the stage to make a lasting impression. Viral footage depicted her in the stands, engaging with famous friends, casually sipping her drink, and anxiously picking at her nails. The post-game embrace with Kelce and their subsequent after-party antics dominated social media discussions the following day.
A mere week before this Super Bowl spectacle, Swift made history at the Grammys, securing the Album of the Year award and unveiling her upcoming album, The Tortured Poets Department, scheduled for release on April 19. Swift’s global presence was evident as she seamlessly transitioned from Tokyo, where she performed sold-out concerts for her “Eras Tour,” back to the U.S. for Kelce’s game.
Swift’s ability to captivate the public’s attention and convert it into substantial revenue catapulted her into billionaire status in 2023, as reported by Bloomberg. Topping Spotify’s streaming charts and boasting the highest-grossing tour in history, Swift, along with another artist, contributed $10 billion to the U.S. economy last year – and interestingly, that fellow artist was also in attendance at the Super Bowl.
Beyoncé’s appearance at the Super Bowl was shrouded in secrecy, yet it left an indelible mark on the internet. Limited clips captured the singer during the game, but she featured prominently in a Verizon ad, where she humorously aimed to “break Verizon” by generating such buzz that their servers couldn’t handle it. In a strategic move, she urged, “Drop the new music,” a directive she promptly followed in real life.
Taking to Instagram, Beyoncé announced the release of her new album, Renaissance Act II, slated for March 29. Accompanied by two country-tinged singles, “Texas Hold-Em” and “16 Carriages,” Beyoncé stirred anticipation for this new phase in her career.
