The NFL hyped up Soundgarden’s halftime set at the season-opening game Wednesday night between the home team Seattle Seahawks and visiting New England Patriots, but unless you were in the stadium, you didn’t see it. That’s because NBC didn’t air the performance. Soundgarden’s surviving members Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, and Ben Shepherd performed “Outshined” and “Spoonman” with The Pretty Reckless’ Taylor Momsen on vocals and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready on additional guitar. They were also joined by the Seahawks’ “Blue Thunder” drumline.
Viewers who tuned in to the game expecting to see the Soundgarden set were understandably upset when it became apparent that NBC wasn’t broadcasting the performance, instead choosing to focus on halftime analysis. One person wrote on X/Twitter, “Shout out to the people who got videos and are sharing with the rest of us who couldn’t see Taylor & Soundgarden, since @NBCSports had one job (to air it) they couldn’t even do that right. So irritating because they used Taylor & Soundgarden just to bring in more viewers.”
Viewer Reactions
Another viewer lamented, “Unless it was the band’s decision, it is truly incomprehensible to me how @nbc did not televise Soundgarden’s historic halftime performance and instead platformed the same tired commentary that is about as useless as a poopy flavored lollipop.”
A similar thing happened four years ago when Ozzy Osbourne performed at halftime of the season opener in Los Angeles. At that time, NBC only aired a few seconds of the metal icon’s two-song set, angering viewers, as well.
Prior Performances
Prior to Wednesday night’s game, McCready performed “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which did get airtime. Videos of Soundgarden’s performance and the national anthem have surfaced online.
The decision by NBC not to air Soundgarden’s performance has left many fans disappointed and confused. The NFL had hyped up the event, and fans were expecting to see the performance on live television. Instead, they were left with halftime analysis, which many found to be underwhelming. The incident has sparked a conversation about the importance of airing live performances during sporting events, and many are calling on NBC to explain their decision.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
Born in the small town of Respawn, Pennsylvania, Pixel grew up mashing buttons on an ancient NES controller, firmly believing that “blowing into the cartridge” was a sacred ritual passed down through generations.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte: proving that life, much like a buggy open-world game, is better with a little lag-induced chaos.
