This year’s Super Bowl, Super Bowl LV, comes at an odd time, given the fact that most of the world is still in a state of quarantine and suffering. However, with an impressive line-up of performers, this could be an event to turn the mood around, if at least for a while.

Before the game itself, a special pre-game concert will be held for the invited healthcare workers called the “TikTok Tailgate.” Miley Cyrus will be headlining the concert, parts of which will be broadcast on air while the entire concert will be streamed on TikTok. 

The actual show will begin with a performance of “America the Beautiful” by H.E.R., followed by Eric Church and Jazmine Sullivan performing the National Anthem. Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, who won acclaim for her recitation at President Biden’s inauguration ceremony, will recite an original poem as well.

The main show comes courtesy of the Weeknd, the headliner for this year’s Halftime Show. The Weeknd arguably made the biggest impact on popular music in 2020, with the success of After Hours and his single “Blinding Lights.” He even released a greatest hits album in the run-up to the highly anticipated performance titled The Highlights. It’s expected that a majority of his set-list will derive from the compilation record. The artist has put $7 million of his own money into the show, which he revealed during a press conference would carry on with some of the story he’d been telling through the After Hours era.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGwIc0qoZ7E

There are several expectations for the Halftime Show to maintain, mainly in terms of the impact the performance might have. Last year’s show, headlined by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, garnered general acclaim and was an immense success. But what makes it even more memorable is the fact that it was one of the last big live shows before the coronavirus pandemic started to grip the world. 

But what people will also be looking at is viewership numbers. Viewership for the Halftime Show (and Super Bowl in general) has been on a bit of a downward swing since the mid-2010s. Katy Perry’s 2015 show attracted almost 120 million viewers, the most in broadcast history, a number which Lady Gaga almost matched in 2017. However, Coldplay, Maroon 5, and Justin Timberlake’s weaker received shows led to a drop in viewership, which was at 103 million last year. Given that more people are home now and will, most likely, be tuning in, the stage is set for the Weeknd to deliver a fantastic show that can potentially set new viewership records.

This year’s Super Bowl, taking place on February 7, 2021, will be played between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Florida. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 PM E.T. and the Halftime Show is set to begin at 8:30 PM E.T. You can watch Super Bowl LV on CBS on TV or online on CBSSports.com or the CBS Sports app.