Yes and no. In recent years, relatively speaking, that’s been the case. But Michael Jackson was still on top of the charts when he did the show in ‘93, and Timberlake and Janet Jackson were big, current pop stars the year of the infamous wardrobe malfunction. It wasn’t until after that incident that they started playing it safe with nostalgia acts. And prior to the 90’s, more often than not it was just marching band demonstrations.
The halftime show has always been people who were popular 20 years ago to appeal to the core demo of tech illiterate 30 to 50 somethings.
It was The Who in 2010 we've just moved up a generation.
Yes and no. In recent years, relatively speaking, that’s been the case. But Michael Jackson was still on top of the charts when he did the show in ‘93, and Timberlake and Janet Jackson were big, current pop stars the year of the infamous wardrobe malfunction. It wasn’t until after that incident that they started playing it safe with nostalgia acts. And prior to the 90’s, more often than not it was just marching band demonstrations.