Super Bowl 2008 is looking less like a once-a-year sporting event and more like a weeklong music festival.

With key Universal Music artists included in the lineup of special events the week before, the actual game might be the last thing on the attendees' minds as they make their way towards Arizona for the main event on February 3rd.

Starting off January 31st, Grammy nominated artists Maroon 5 and Mary J. Blige will perform at the VH1 Pepsi Super Bowl Smash. The event will take place at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona and air on February 2nd at 9pm EST on VH1.

This will mark the first performance for each artist in 2008, and will kick off a series of exciting events for both. With the Grammys around the corner, Maroon 5 and Mary J. Blige are also gearing up for the annual awards ceremony, sharing multiple nominations between them. The quintet is up for Best Pop Vocal Performance for their funk-tinged “It Makes Me Wonder”, as well as Best Pop Vocal Album for It Won’t Be Soon Before Long.

Blige is up for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “Just Fine”, and Best R&B Performance for a Duo or Group for her collaboration with Chaka Khan on “Disrespectful.” Blige also won a nomination for Best Gospel Performance for “Never Gonna Break My Faith.”

Def Jam’s hip hop sensation, Ludacris, will also make an appearance during Super Bowl week. He is slated to perform at the ESPN Next pre-Super Bowl party which celebrates up-and-coming trends in the sporting world.

Interscope’s Grammy-nominated Soulja Boy will join Ludacris and his ‘Disturbing the Peace’ squad for ESPN’s "Dance Challenge" on February 2nd. He will serve as a judge to the athletes competing in ESPN’s Dance Challenge—where he will be able to evaluate at least a few embarrassing renditions of his famous “Crank That” dance. (Learn How to "Crank That" Here)

Finally, on Super Bowl Eve, The Counting Crows will headline a free outdoor concert in Tempe Town Lake. The National Football League has promised a spectacular display of fireworks Crows’ show.

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