The Super Bowl halftime show could finally go heavy, with the 2026 game locked for Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco (Metallica’s adopted hometown) speculation is running wild that the Bay Area titans could headline. Now, Usher has thrown his weight behind the idea and added a little fuel to the fire!
TMZ caught the R&B star on the street and asked who he’d like to see take the stage in February. His answer was instant: “Metallica,” before hopping in his car. For context, Usher himself commanded the Super Bowl halftime show in 2024, so his endorsement isn’t nothing.
The noise around Metallica has been growing since August, when Lars Ulrich told Howard Stern the band would “jump at the chance” if asked. Ulrich wouldn’t confirm or deny whether talks were happening, but he admitted the band’s team had already scoped out the stadium. “Nothing is etched in stone or green lit,” he said. Translation: they’re ready if the NFL makes the call.
Not The First Time, But The Heaviest
Metallica taking the stage wouldn’t be the first time rock has hit the halftime stage, The Who, Slash, and Aerosmith have all done the gig, but Metallica would be the heaviest band ever booked. For a league that loves spectacle, few acts deliver bigger riffs, bigger fireballs, or bigger crowd unity than Hetfield, Ulrich and co.
There is one major hurdle though, rumours are that Taylor Swift is the NFL’s top pick. The league has every reason to cash in on her engagement to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and commissioner Roger Goodell hasn’t exactly denied it. If it comes down to cultural dominance versus crushing riffs, the safe money might still be on Swift. With Usher now backing the metal giants, Metallica’s chances suddenly look a little stronger.
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