Charlie Puth responds to backlash after being named Super Bowl national anthem singer

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA: Charlie Puth is speaking out after a wave of criticism erupted over the NFL naming him the national anthem singer for Super Bowl 60. The 5-time Grammy nominee was announced on Monday as the performer for the February 8, 2026 showdown at Levi’s Stadium. 

Puth, 33, didn’t shy away from the conversation, but he stepped right into it with a calm but pointed response that quickly went viral.

Fans complain NFL has ‘fallen’ after Charlie Puth is announced

As soon as the NFL confirmed Puth as the national anthem singer, social media erupted with mixed reactions and some strong disappointment. Many users compared him to Super Bowl icons like Whitney Houston, Beyonce and Billy Joel, insisting the league had lowered its standards this year.

One person wrote, "Charlie Puth? The Super Bowl has gone from legendary voices to generic TikTok pop filler. Get ready for an overproduced, auto-tuned, utterly forgettable performance."

Another said, "Charlie about to harmonize the anthem like it’s a TikTok duet"

One user asked, "Can they stop trying to push this man back onto us."

Another wrote, "I’m not watching this crap."

“Man we’ve fallen from when Whitney Houston sang at the Super Bowl. Charlie Puth? He’s not gonna give us vocals I’m afraid,” political commentator Link Lauren wrote on X. The post took off, echoing a sentiment shared by fans who expected a more traditionally powerhouse vocalist.

The criticism spread so quickly that Puth himself ended up seeing the viral message.

Charlie Puth responds with humility and a promise

Instead of ignoring it, Puth replied directly, addressing both the comparison to Whitney Houston and the skepticism around his vocal abilities.

“I’ll never claim to be as good of a singer as Whitney Houston ever was,” he wrote. “But I assure you we’re putting a really special arrangement together in D major. It’ll be one of my best vocal performances."

His respectful tone and quiet confidence won over many fans who praised him for handling the moment with grace rather than defensiveness. Musicians also chimed in to note that Puth’s technical ability and pitch accuracy make him uniquely suited for live performances.

A stacked pregame lineup and a halftime controversy

Puth won’t be the only star on the field before kickoff. Brandi Carlile and Coco Jones will also perform as part of the Super Bowl 60 pregame show, a lineup that the NFL hopes will appeal to a broad audience.

However, the league is already dealing with turbulence after an earlier announcement naming Bad Bunny as the halftime performer. That decision sparked uproar, online outrage, and even boycott threats especially from conservative viewers.

President Donald Trump publicly blasted the choice in September, adding more fuel to the debate. In response, Turning Point USA announced plans for an “alternative halftime show,” intensifying the political divide surrounding this year’s event.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.