Justin Timberlake Set To Perform At 2018 NFL Super Bowl Half Time Show

While there is plenty of attention paid to the two teams who actually play in the NFL Super Bowl, millions more people tune in specifically to watch the Half Time Show. What started in 1967 with just a simple college marching band has transformed into a gargantuan, all singing, all dancing affair that involves hundreds of volunteers, lights, pyrotechnics and of course a very big-name artist.

Justin Timberlake will etch his name into NFL Super Bowl Half Time show history (again) next year when he takes to the stage.

The 36-year-old decided to make the announcement via Twitter with TV talk show host Jimmy Fallon, but in a very peculiar, borderline cryptic way.

Credit: Justin Timberlake/Twitter

It will be the Grammy Award winning singer's third time on the Super Bowl stage and while everyone can be assured it will be an epic performance, it will be hard to beat his previous appearance.

He was a part of a huge line-up in 2004, sharing the limelight with the likes of Jessica Simpson, Janet Jackson, P. Diddy, Nelly and Kid Rock. They rocked out to mid-noughties bangers like 'Bad Boy for Life' and 'Hot in Heree', but he joined Ms Jackson at the end to perform his track 'Rock Your Body'.

The next thing that happened went down in Super Bowl history.

The NFL chalked it down to a 'wardrobe malfunction' and an 'accident', but just before the performance finished, Timberlake reached across Janet's chest and ripped off a piece of her outfit, exposing her right breast to everyone. It broke records all over the place and led to Ms Jackson being the most searched for term for 2004 and 2005 as well as the most watched, recorded and replayed moment in TiVo history.

Following that 'accident', which was dubbed Nipplegate, the NFL decided to only have performances by one artist or band and chose more rock acts rather than the more pop groups.

People on social media were excited to see the 'SexyBack' singer take to the stage once again, however others seemed to still be holding a grudge against him for what he did 13 years ago.

Timberlake has released three albums since his 2004 Half Time show performance, FutureSex/LoveSounds, The 20/20 Experience and The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2 along with a bunch of singles.

But because he will be the solo artist on the day, he might even bust out a few NSYNC tracks in the same vein that Beyoncé did in 2013, when she sang some Destiny's Child songs with Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland.

The big performance will take place in early February next year at the US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Hopefully there won't be a repeat of Nipplegate.