Though Madonna 's half-time show at the Super Bowl on Sunday (February 5, 2012) was almost overshadowed by Mia's expletive gesture at the television cameras, critics have roundly praised her hugely anticipated performance.
Performing new single 'Give Me All Your Love', as well as a medley of her biggest hits including 'Music' and 'Like a Prayer', Madonna delighted the crowd at the Lucas Oil Stadium as well as the millions watching from home. Despite a few minor slip-ups, plus Mia's well documented middle-finger, Madonna was roundly praised for the show, with Billboard.com writing, "It's Madonna Louise Ciccone's world, we're just living in it.The pop icon took to the world's biggest stage to rock three-and-a-half older tracks and a playful new song during the Super Bowl halftime show". The Los Angeles Times highlighted how Madonna seemed comfortable performing for a predominantly 'football fan crowd', saying, "Madonna was defiantly unconcerned with the more conservative red state wing of the football fan-base who'd never be caught dead singing along to one of her songs.And her halftime show was pure spectacle by the Cleopatra of the game". The Chicago Tribune continued the high praise, but looked ahead to her forthcoming album M.D.N.A, saying, "This was Madonna's party, and besides breaking off bits of her greatest hits to remind people of a time when she was the biggest pop vixen on the planet, she had important career-advancing work to do".
The Super Bowl halftime show was preceded by a rendition of the National Anthem by Kelly Clarkson. The performance appeared to go down well with the Indianapolis crowd, and was praised by critics for its simplicity.