The alternate Super Bowl halftime show organized by Turning Point USA was removed from Elon Musk‘s X platform less than two hours before it was set to air. The show, which was supposed to feature Kid Rock, faced a major technical problem right before it was about to start.
Turning Point USA had to quickly move the event to a different platform. The conservative organization said they were “unable to stream The All-American Halftime Show on X” because of “licensing restrictions.” The Kid Rock concert had to move to the organization’s YouTube channel instead.
According to The Daily Beast, the failure was mocked by critics, including California Governor Gavin Newsom’s press office. Their X account posted, “Even Elon doesn’t want to listen to Kid Rock!” The alternative concert was first announced in October. It was created as a boycott after Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny was announced as the headliner for the main Super Bowl halftime show. The event promised performances by Kid Rock, Lee Brice, Brantley Gilbert, and Gabby Berrett.
The alternative concert was planned as a boycott against Bad Bunny’s performance
Bad Bunny has long upset conservatives because his music is almost entirely in Spanish. Some critics also took issue with his fashion choices, which have included wearing dresses. The licensing issues on X come at a time when Musk faces challenges with his platform.
The real anger came from Bad Bunny’s speech at the 2026 Grammy Awards. While accepting the award for Best Música Urbana album, he called out U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by name. He said, “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say, ‘ICE OUT.'” He added, “We’re not savage. We’re not animals. We’re not aliens. We are humans. And we are Americans.”
Even Elon doesn’t want to listen to Kid Rock! https://t.co/BfhrvH8pVN
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) February 9, 2026
Kid Rock was chosen to lead the alternative show because of his strong ties to the Trump administration. The 55-year-old musician performed at the final night of the 2024 Republican National Convention. He is also set to headline the Rock the Country tour later this year. The X platform has recently faced other controversies involving AI-generated content.
After Bad Bunny’s performance ended, Kid Rock was criticized because he appeared to be lip-syncing during his set. It’s unclear how the two performances compared in viewership, but the main Super Bowl halftime concert is one of the most watched concerts in the world each year. Last year’s show, headlined by Kendrick Lamar, attracted 133.5 million viewers.
