Usher Didn’t Get Paid to Play the Super Bowl—but He Did Earn $52.5M in Exposure

Despite putting on a thrilling Super Bowl halftime performance full of dazzling dance moves, roller skates, and special guests last night, Usher didn’t get paid by the NFL. The league covers expensive production costs, but it doesn’t pay the main act.

The biggest TV draw of the year attracts singers for another reason: exposure. Album sales tend to skyrocket after an artist plays the Super Bowl. But how much money does that exposure generate?

Usher earned an estimated equivalent of $52,479,822 in exposure while performing (and appearing in a related pregame sit-down interview on CBS) on Sunday, Apex Marketing Group tells Front Office Sports. Those are the same folks who calculated last month that Taylor Swift had generated an equivalent of $331.5 million for the NFL and the Chiefs this season.

Apex calculated the figure based on Usher’s reach across platforms between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET Sunday. The buildup to the game—since Usher announced his performance Sept. 24—undoubtedly brought the singer even more attention.

The high-profile marketing stunt coincides with the release of Usher’s latest album, Coming Home, his first since 2018, and the announcement this morning of new tour dates.