Here's why Usher, Rihanna, Beyoncé agreed to perform at Super Bowl for free

The Super Bowl has seen some of the most popular musicians, including Rihanna, and Lady Gaga thrill the audience with their half-time performances, for free!

In 2016, NFL spokesperson Joanna Hunter said: "We do not pay the artists. We cover expenses and production costs."

Believe it or not, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira have all performed at the event for free, and Usher is set to do the same during this year’s Super Bowl. As surprising as that may seem, these icons do get something in return: a substantial increase in popularity of their music and tours.

In 2014, Bruno Mars’ performance earned him a 92 percent increase in sales of his album Unorthodox Jukebox, which featured his hit song Locked out of Heaven.

Similarly, Beyoncé’s free performance in 2013 was rewarded with 59 percent increase in her album sales, while Rihanna’s Spotify streaming went up by 640 per cent in the United States after her performance. 

The Umbrella hitmaker performed after a six-year long hiatus, and also revealed her pregnancy during the 15-minute performance.

Her songs Umbrella, We Found Love and Love on The Brain crossed over a billion streams on the platform.

Both Jennifer Lopez and Shakira saw a 1013 percent spike in the sales of the songs they performed together.