The wild, the innocent and the "Wardrobe Malfunction" — the Super Bowl halftime show has had it all:

The best

1. Prince, Super Bowl XLI, 2007: Prince seemed to relish the halftime experience and took it as an opportunity to remind everyone that he is one of the finest guitar soloists going. The medley of three of his best-known hits, with the addition of snippets of Bob Dylan and Foo Fighters songs, was a deft touch. Smokin’.

2. U2, Super Bowl XXXVI, 2002: The band’s performance of “Beautiful Day,” particularly in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, was deeply moving. The whole thing was classy and marked by what appeared to be deeply felt performances by the band, particularly singer Bono.

3. The Rolling Stones, Super Bowl XL, 2006: Seeing Mick Jagger strut all over the stage, and watching Keith Richards inhabit that same space like it was a crypt and he was the cryptkeeper, all the while knowing that the majority of buttoned-down, straight America was watching, probably horrified – this was delicious.

The worst

1. Aerosmith with Britney Spears, Nelly, Mary J. Blige, ’NSync, Super Bowl XXXV, 2001: This was just plain gross. It’s hard to believe that Aerosmith’s Joe Perry allowed it to happen, but he did. Ewww. Money talks, and Britney walks (this way).

2. Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Nelly, P. Diddy, Kid Rock, Super Bowl XXXVIII, 2004: Speaking of gross, this one took the cake. In retrospect, the “wardrobe malfunction” was far less offensive than it was just plain stupid and incredibly cheesy. It didn’t really help Janet Jackson sell too many records, either.

3. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Super Bowl XLIII, 2009: Unquestionably, Springsteen and Co. gave it their all. But an E Street concert is about pacing, dynamics, ebb and flow, and this mini-set did away with all of the subtleties, intricacies, and emotional peaks and valleys that make the man, the band and their music great. A noble effort, but in retrospect, a mistake.