• This Moment in Music History for 02-17-2025

  • Feb 17 2025
  • Length: 2 mins
  • Podcast

This Moment in Music History for 02-17-2025

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  • Summary

  • On February 17th in music history, one significant event took place in 2004 when the infamous "wardrobe malfunction" occurred during the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show. The performance featured Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake singing a medley of their hits, culminating in a duet of Timberlake's song "Rock Your Body."

    As the song reached its final line, "Gonna have you naked by the end of this song," Timberlake pulled off a part of Jackson's costume, revealing her right breast adorned with a nipple shield. The incident, which lasted a mere 9/16ths of a second, sent shockwaves through the live television broadcast, reaching an estimated 140 million viewers.

    The repercussions were swift and severe. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) received over 540,000 complaints and fined CBS, the broadcaster, a record $550,000. The fine was later overturned in court. The incident led to a widespread debate about indecency in broadcasting and increased regulation of live television events.

    Both Jackson and Timberlake faced criticism and backlash. However, many argue that Jackson bore the brunt of the negative publicity, with some radio stations refusing to play her songs and her music videos being blacklisted from MTV. Timberlake, on the other hand, managed to escape relatively unscathed and even went on to perform at the Grammy Awards the following week.

    The term "wardrobe malfunction" was coined as a result of this incident and has since been used to describe any unintentional revealing of body parts due to clothing issues. The event remains one of the most talked-about moments in Super Bowl halftime show history and has had a lasting impact on the music industry and television broadcasting.
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