Prince super bowl performance
Prince in Super Bowl 2007Reuters

This year, the Super Bowl stage will see Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett perform in the half-time slot.

The Bad Romance singer invited the 90-year-old crooner to accompany her on stage. While all eyes are set on the duo, and organisers hope that they give one of the best performances in the history of half-time Super Bowl performances, many are also hoping that there is no controversy that pops-up during the performance.

Why specifically this performance you ask? Well, avid followers of the Super Bowl will remember that this is the same venue where Janet Jackson performed with Justin Timberlake and the show ended with the controversial 'nipplegate'.

The Super Bowl half-time stage is not new to controversy. However, there were a few that rocked viewers and stole the limelight off the game altogether. Here is a look at the famous controversies that made headlines over the years.

Also Read: Super Bowl LI: Here are 8 reasons why we're cheering for the New England Patriots! [PHOTOS]

Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake in Super Bowl 2004

Janet Jackson reacts after fellow singer Justin Timberlake ripped off one of her chest plates at Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.
Reuters

Mention Super Bowl controversy and the first performance that comes to everyone's mind is Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's 2004 performance. There was a lot of teasing and dancing through the performance, but the moment that stole the limelight was Timberlake ripping off a part of Jackson's dress from the torso, revealing her boobs and nipples.

The controversy was called the nipplegate and was termed a wardrobe malfunction. Daily Mail later reported that Jackson planned the whole incident.

 

Prince and his Purple Guitar in Super Bowl 2007

While many consider this as an epic performance, Prince' s 2007 Super Bowl performance was controversial because of his oddly shaped purple guitar. While he played an epic 12-minute medley of originals and covers in the pouring rain at the event, his silhouette under the sheets holding the guitar created both an iconic and a shocking moment for viewers.

 

MIA shows Middle Finger in Super Bowl 2012

Nikki Minaj, Madonna and MIA teamed up for a rocking performance at the Super Bowl half-time in 2012. While the combination already seems like a firecracker, MIA went one step ahead and did something that brought in a lot of criticism, not only from audiences and organisers, but also from Madonna herself. The singer, in between her performance, decided to show her middle finger to the camera as she sang – "I don't give a shit".

 

Tony Bennett, Patti LaBelle in Super Bowl 1995

Before the Nipplegate controversy hit Super Bowl, there was another most-talked-about performance. With the aim to promote Disneyland's new attraction Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye, the performance was an epic fail. The show even featured Tony Bennetta and Patti LaBelle who gave their worst performance on stage. This performance led many to question the seriousness of Super Bowl performers.

 

Elvis Presto in Super Bowl 1989

Back in the 1989 half-time performance, a man named Elvis Presto walked onto the stage impersonating the legend, Elvis Presley and put together a "magic act" with an odd, outer space background. This pissed off many Elvis fans that year.

Super Bowl will take place on February 5, Sunday.