It has been many years since country music was featured during the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and Luke Combs is among those who are ready to see the genre make its comeback.
Combs recently made an appearance on The Zach Sang Show, where the two discussed country music and the Super Bowl.
Asked if he’d been pitched an opportunity to perform for the Super Bowl Halftime Show, Combs responded, “No, never have.” He added, “How does that even happen? I don’t even really know.”
Shania Twain performed during the Super Bowl Halftime Show with No Doubt and Sting in 2003, and 1994’s Super Bowl Halftime Show featured a country lineup that included performances from Clint Black, The Judds, Travis Tritt and Tanya Tucker. Since then, however, country artists seem more likely to appear at the Super Bowl singing the National Anthem than headlining the Halftime Show. (Carrie Underwood, Mickey Guyton, Eric Church, Reba McEntire and Chris Stapleton have all performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the annual football event.)
“I don’t really know why that is,” Combs said of the lack of country performers during the Super Bowl Halftime Show. “It’s not up to me. I think the people would love it. That’s no pitch for me, I think it’s just a pitch for country music in general, you know? Whether it’s Garth (Brooks) or Morgan Wallen or whoever it is, like, somebody deserves to be up there doing the thing.”
Country artists have become mainstays at the top of the all-genre Billboard charts over the past few years. Combs has seen songs including “Forever After All” and his rendition of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” rise to the upper echelon of the Billboard Hot 100, while Wallen has notched Hot 100 No. 1s including “Last Night,” “Love Somebody,” “I Had Some Help” (with Post Malone) and “What I Want” (with Tate McRae). Most recently, Megan Moroney’s album Cloud 9 debuted atop the Billboard 200, while Ella Langley holds her third week atop the Hot 100 with “Choosin’ Texas.”
“I think country is…in the zeitgeist now. It’s not a niche genre anymore,” Combs said. “Even 10 years ago, I would say it was. It’s not anymore. I think it’s undeniable how many of the top 100 streaming songs in all of music are country. A very high percentage of them now, way more so than in history, so I think it’s undeniable. It’s time. Whoever’s having those conversations to have, I don’t know, like, it’s above my pay grade. I don’t think that’s a thing you like pitch yourself for…but yeah, I think it’s time for something like that to happen, and whoever it is, I’m going to be just pumped for country music.”
Later on in the conversation, Combs addressed Super Bowl Halftime Show decision-makers, saying, “We’re all waiting…make the call. One of us is ready.” When asked if he would perform during a Super Bowl Halftime Show, his reply was instant: “Hell yeah, I would do it. I would do it right now.”
In the meantime, Combs is gearing up for the release of his forthcoming album, The Way I Am, due this Friday (March 20).
Watch Combs’ interview below.
