Jackson State's renowned marching band the Sonic Boom of the South will be performing at the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year's Day in 2025 per a report by WAPT. The announcement was made during Jackson State's homecoming halftime show featuring the Sonic Boom as well as on the band's Facebook page

“The Jackson State University Sonic Boom of the South Marching Band is pleased to accept the invitation of the Rose Parade to bring the Summa Cum Laude of Bands to Pasadena New Year’s Day 2025,” the caption read on the Facebook post.

The Rose Parade, often referred to as the “Tournament of Roses Parade,” is a nationally televised event showcasing flower-covered floats, marching bands, and entertainers. The parade is older than the Rose Bowl game, as it started in 1890 while the game started in 1902. It is an integral part of the prelude to the Rose Bowl football game and tremendous national exposure for the bands selected to be a part of it. Tennessee State's “The Aristocrat of Bands” and Norfolk State's “Spartan Legion” performed in the 2022 & 2023 parades respectively and North Carolina A&T's “Blue & Gold Marching Machine” will be performing in 2024.

The 2025 Rose Bowl Parade performance is the latest prestigious performance for Sonic Boom of the South. They've performed halftime shows for several NFL teams such as the Atlanta Falcons and Detriot Lions and were featured on the 34th NAACP Awards hosted by Cedric The Entertainer. The band is also in contention for the inaugural ESPN Band of the Year championship, ranking number four in the competition's first returns.