On Sunday, one of the hottest acts in music will take centerstage at one of the biggest venues in sports and entertainment when Bruno Mars headlines the Super Bowl XLVIII Halftime Show.

The Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum artist from Honolulu, Hawaii will be expected to belt out some of his biggest hits, including “Locked Out of Heaven,” “Grenade,” “Gorilla” and “Treasure,” when he takes the stage with the Red Hot Chili Peppers at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sunday. And while Mars is expected to have millions tune in to see him perform, he’s got some big shoes to fill.

For the last two Super Bowls, records have been set at the halftime show in attendance and social media buzz thanks to explosive performances by Madonna--who drew a record 112 million-plus viewers to the halftime show in 2012 for Super Bowl XLVI, the most-watched Super Bowl in TV history--and Beyonce, who drew more than 110 million to watch her perform at Super Bowl XLVII, the second highest-watched halftime show and No.2 most tweeted event in Twitter history.

Already one of the biggest stars in music after only three years, Mars is expected to reach new heights of popularity thanks to the massive exposure that the Super Bowl Halftime Show will give him. In fact, several major sponsors such as Microsoft, Beats and LG Electronics are already clamoring for the superstar singer’s services. However, while the high profile match-up between Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos and Richard Sherman and the Seattle Seahawks will undoubtedly draw a big audience and Mars’ large fanbase will almost certainly tune in, there is the potential that fewer viewers may watch the halftime show as compared to Beyonce, who has had more than a decade to build her name and fanbase, and Madonna, who has been a huge name in the music business since the 1980s. That’s not a knock on Mars’ popularity so much as it might be more of a note that Mars hasn’t been around quite as long as the aforementioned female acts.

In terms of drawing big star power to the halftime show, there are few that can compete with Mars, but of that few, several big music stars would have made for an interesting halftime show performance at the doorstep of New York:

Justin Bieber

Even with all the crazy antics that he’s been getting himself into lately, there’s no denying that Bieber is one of the biggest names in music today. Want proof? Ask the 49.3 million followers that the Canadian-born pop singer has on Twitter. Few acts out there evoke as much of an emotional response as Bieber does from his fans, or “Beliebers,” and there’s no doubt that advertisers would literally be climbing over themselves for a shot at sponsoring a show with Bieber headlining.

Rihanna

The Barbados siren with the silky voice and famously long legs is no stranger to performing on the big stage. Ever since her debut in 2005 with her “Music of the Sun” album, the 25-year-old songstress has sold more than 30 million albums and 120 million singles worldwide. With a voice that alternates between belting out soulful ballads like “Stay” and “Applause” to cranking out dance-y, energetic tunes like “Pon de Replay,” “Umbrella” and “Diamonds,” her ability to entertain and grab a crowd by the throat and enthrall them is becoming legend. A more Super Bowl-ready act you’d be hard-pressed to find.

Lady Gaga

It would have been fitting for one of New York’s own to headline a Super Bowl Halftime Show just on the doorsteps of the Big Apple. Since she burst on the scene in 2008, Gaga has been one of the hottest female acts in pop, having sold more than 24 million albums and winning dozens of awards including several Grammys and MTV Video Music Awards. It’s hard to turn on the radio and not hear Gaga these days; and with her unique style and bizarre costumes, she would have surely put on one heck of a show; after all, she does live for the “Applause.”

Jay-Z

For nearly 20 years, Jay-Z has been THE name in hip hop. The Brooklyn-born rapper-turned-mogul has come a long way from the days where he had to sell his album CDs out of his car, Jay-Z now worth an estimated $500 million, according to Forbes. He has also earned much mainstream success over the years, teaming up with names like ColdPlay, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys and, of course, his wife Beyonce, to produce hit after hit. With the rare ability to reach beyond hip-hop to capture and electrify an audience regardless of musical preference, a Jay-Z-headlined Super Bowl in New Jersey definitely would have put people in an “Empire State of Mind.”

ENJOY READING JEAN PAUL'S NFL/SPORTS STORIES? CHECK OUT MORE HERE   

Jennifer Lopez

You don’t get anymore New York than Lopez, a product of the Bronx who went from dancing on “In Living Color” and for Janet Jackson to starring in hit movies, headlining and selling out concerts for more than a decade and having her own perfume as one of the most celebrated Latina performers of her generation, perhaps of all time. Combining a melodious voice with dance sets that become a swirling, kinetic blend of sensuality and energy, the woman who has gone on to inspire other female stars like Taylor Swift would have also made for a fitting, and an explosive choice to headline the biggest show in sports.