Luke Combs wants to see country music on one of America’s biggest stages. During an appearance on the Zach Sang Show, Combs made a pitch that it’s past time for the genre to be represented at the Super Bowl halftime show.
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The conversation started with Combs revealing that he’s never been pitched the halftime show himself. That opened up the discussion, during which Combs admitted he doesn’t “really know why” country music has been underrepresented on Super Bowl Sunday.
While Kid Rock participated in the 2004 halftime show, he did so along artists including Janet Jackson, P. Diddy, Nelly, Justin Timberlake, and Jessica Simpson. Similarly, Shania Twain landed the gig the year prior, but split headlining duties with No Doubt.
Other than that, country has been absent from the bill since 1994, when Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, and The Judds co-headlined the show.
“I think the people would love it,” Combs said. “That’s no pitch for me, I think it’s just a pitch for country music in general. Whether it’s Garth [Brooks] or Morgan Wallen or whoever it is. Somebody deserves to be up there doing the thing.”
Luke Combs on the Popularity of Country Music
As for why it’s time to get some country music representation at the Super Bowl, Combs stated that the genre “is in the zeitgeist now.”
“It’s not a niche genre anymore. Even 10 years ago I would say it was. It’s not anymore,” he said. “I think it’s undeniable how many of the top 100 streaming songs in all of music are country. A very high percentage, I think, now. Way more so than in history. So I think it’s undeniable.”
Combs further noted, “I think it’s time for something like that to happen. Whoever it is, I’m gonna be just pumped for country music either way.”
Combs said he’d happily accept the gig himself, stating, “Hell yeah I would do it. I would do it right now.”
Combs’ comments came ahead of the release of his latest album, The Way It Was, which is due out March 20. Amid his promotion for the LP, Combs has spoken out about his mission to get more people to give country music a chance
“So many people have a tendency to say, ‘I just don’t like it,’ when it comes to country music,” he told GQ. “But they’ve never even listened to it.”
“Country music is so vastly different now, though. You can love Sierra Ferrell, or you can love Post Malone, and there are thousands of artists in between and something for everybody, whether or not you like to admit it,” Combs continued. “It’s more diverse than ever, and that was ultimately the goal of last summer: Don’t just give me a chance, but give country music a chance.”
Photo by Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for BetMGM
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