20 Years Ago Today (2006): The Rolling Stones Performed at Super Bowl XL Halftime Show, With Mick Jagger’s Lyrics Partly Muted
Photo by Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A Big Stage in Detroit
On February 5, 2006, The Rolling Stones headlined the Super Bowl XL halftime show at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. It was one of the most watched live music events of the year, with nearly 90 million viewers tuning in to see the legendary rock band take the stage. The performance was part of the A Bigger Bang Tour, which had launched the previous year and became one of the band’s biggest tours.
The show featured a three‑song set that began with “Start Me Up,” followed by “Rough Justice” from their then‑new album A Bigger Bang, and closed with the classic “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” The stage itself was unique, built into the shape of the band’s famous tongue and lips logo, and was assembled in just minutes by a large team of volunteers.
The Censorship Decision
The lead‑up to the performance included careful planning between the band, the NFL, and broadcaster ABC. Coming two years after the controversial Super Bowl halftime incident in 2004, officials were highly cautious about content that might offend family audiences.
As a result, officials agreed to censor certain lyrics considered too explicit for broadcast television. During the live show, Mick Jagger’s microphone was briefly turned down at two moments in the first two songs. One edit occurred during a line in “Start Me Up” that included a sexual reference, and another took place in the lyrics of “Rough Justice” that mentioned a barnyard term that the network felt was inappropriate for the halftime audience.
The session used a five‑second broadcast delay so that ABC could mute Jagger’s microphone in time to prevent those specific words from being heard by the TV audience. In the stadium, though, attendees could hear the full lyrics as performed.
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Band Response and Broadcast Reaction
According to the band’s representatives, The Rolling Stones were aware of the censorship plan ahead of time and agreed to it. However, some in the group’s camp later criticized the decision as unnecessary. A spokesperson described the action by NFL and ABC as “absolutely ridiculous and completely unnecessary,” saying the edits were made more out of caution than real concern about the content.
While the censored lyrics drew attention, the rest of the performance went ahead without interruption. The final song, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” was broadcast with all lyrics intact and became the only number in the set that aired uncut on television.
Context of the Controversy
Broadcasters and event organizers were especially wary of any potential backlash because of the fallout from the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show controversy, in which a performance moment led to wide public debate and regulatory action. That history influenced decisions around The Rolling Stones’ set, as networks sought to avoid similar complaints or fines.
Despite the brief muting of lyrics, the Rolling Stones’ Super Bowl performance remains a memorable moment in halftime show history. The band’s presence on that big stage highlighted how live music and major sporting events can intersect — even when sensitive language and broadcast rules come into play
Watch the Stones’ Superbowl performance here:
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