Fans were not universally “Burnin’ Up” over the Jonas Brothers’ performance in Australia.
The pop trio took the stage at Melbourne Cricket Ground during halftime of the Rams’ historic game against the 49ers, extending a made-for-Netflix spectacle that previously included Roger Goodell wearing a kangaroo coat.
The five-song set featured “Burnin’ Up,” “Sucker,” “Listen When Sad,” “Year 3000” and a cover of Australian singer John Farnham’s “You’re the Voice.”
Before the local tribute arrived, much of the response on social media centered on why an Australian artist had not been booked instead.
“So no Savage Garden, no Kylie Minogue, no INXS,” one commenter wrote before reacting incredulously to the Jonas Brothers’ selection.
Others nominated Men at Work or AC/DC, while one sarcastically observed, “I think of Jonas Bros when I think of Australia.” Another compared the production to “a concert you’d see at Epcot with your parents.”
The Farnham cover, however, earned the brothers some of their warmest reviews.
“Playing Farnham is good, they did their homework,” one Australian viewer wrote. Another said the unexpected performance was “kinda sick,” while a more measured response praised hearing the MCG crowd sing along despite not enjoying the rest of the show.
The band’s own catalog also found pockets of support. “Burnin’ Up” was repeatedly called a “banger,” another fan conceded that “Sucker” still “slaps” and one commenter simply declared, “The Jonas Brothers were great.”
Some frustration appeared directed more toward the broadcast than the musicians. Netflix’s expansion into the NFL experienced another hiccup as its stadium-audio mix drew complaints throughout the game. One local viewer noted that concerts at the enormous MCG “always sound shocking.”
The performance inevitably became another opportunity to critique the football. One Rams fan joked that the brothers moved more during halftime than Los Angeles’ passing offense had during the first half. A 49ers supporter suggested the set had energized San Francisco after play resumed.
The online verdict was hardly unanimous. The nostalgic hits and Farnham tribute won some viewers over, but the loudest chorus still questioned why the NFL traveled to Australia only to import its halftime headliner.
