Update, February 8: Pour one out for our dreams of post-touchdown bass drops. Tiësto will no longer be the Super Bowl’s first in-game DJ on February 11 due to “a personal family emergency,†he tweeted. The NFL has not announced new DJ plans. “It was a tough decision to miss the game, but family always comes first,†Tiësto said, adding that he had been planning “something truly special.†With everyone from Zedd to Steve Aoki to DJ Pauly D in town for the Big Game, maybe all hope isn’t lost yet? Put Taylor Swift on the turntables.
Original story published January 25, 2024, follows.
Like a six-man-rush blitz, the NFL just hit us with some surprising Super Bowl music news: Tiësto will be the match’s first in-game DJ. Apparently, the Super Bowl has had pregame DJs in the past — including DJ Khaled and Zedd, who knew! — but they’ve never played during the actual game. A press release touts that Tiësto will DJ “from Kickoff to Confetti,†performing during breaks (presumably like timeouts and end-of-quarter switchovers). And of course, you’ll be able to catch some of it on the broadcast too. See, it’s a tie-in to the Super Bowl being in Las Vegas, a city where DJs perform.
“As one of the most influential DJ/producers who helped define the culture of Las Vegas and electronic music around the world, Tiësto is the perfect artist to help us create an unforgettable gameday experience for our fans, players and viewers everywhere,†said Tim Tubito, the NFL’s director of event presentation and content. Doesn’t his excitement just jump off the page? Meanwhile, Tiësto said he’s looking forward to performing in Vegas, his “favorite place.†As for us, the only way this is worth it is to hear “Hot in It†played during a football game.