When is a Top 10 Billboard hit considered a flop? When you’re Adam Levine and the chart dominating pop group Maroon 5.
According to Headline Planet , Maroon 5’s “This Summer’s Gonna Hurt” ended a streak that spanned eight songs and nearly four years when it failed to reach the Top 5 on the pop radio charts. A fact made more interesting by all the buzz surrounding the music video that accompanied the release of the song.
“This Summer’s Gonna Hurt,” featured a brief cameo from front man Adam Levine’s butt that caused quite the frenzy on the internet – a decision that almost didn’t happen.
“I think he was hesitant to include it within the video,” director Travis Schneider told Entertainment Weekly . “He was going back and forth with it on the day before and day of, but ultimately decided that it wasn’t a big deal.”
With all the buzz surrounding the Maroon 5 track, “This Summer’s Gonna Hurt” seemed destined to take its place amongst their previous hits. Alas it did not. Beginning August 4th however, Levine and company hope to bounce back, formally confirming their latest single, “Feelings,” will hit the airwaves.
The band meanwhile can take comfort that “Sugar,” one of the biggest hits off their latest album V is up for best Pop Video at the MTV VMAs in August.
Wow! Thanks @MTV ! Vote for #M5Sugar at the #VMAs here- http://t.co/0pz06IsS3i pic.twitter.com/PTwAn8JZc3
— Adam Levine (@adamlevine) July 22, 2015
We’re excited to announce our @MTV ? #VMAs nom for Best Pop Video for #M5Sugar . Vote at http://t.co/GLUkd3kPf1 pic.twitter.com/GTXoQkYKAH
— Maroon 5 (@maroon5) July 21, 2015
Wow! Thanks @MTV ! Vote for #M5Sugar at the #VMAs here- http://t.co/0pz06IsS3i pic.twitter.com/PTwAn8JZc3
— Adam Levine (@adamlevine) July 22, 2015
“Sugar” featured Maroon 5 in disguise as they crashed several different weddings in the Los Angeles area.
#FBF to our former job as wedding crashers. pic.twitter.com/lUL10kr4ZJ
— Maroon 5 (@maroon5) July 10, 2015
However, the video – and by default the song – caused quite the controversy when it was revealed that the apparent crashes that took place during the video were staged . Adam Levine formally admitted to that fact, as reported by Inquisitr .
And “Sugar” wasn’t the only controversy to strike the band as of late. As mentioned by Billboard , Maroon 5 has been forced to cancel their upcoming gigs in China due to of all things, a tweet congratulating the Dahli Lama by guitarist James Valentine. The tweet was apparently enough to piss off the Chinese government, as confirmed by Time Out Beijing.
“We hear musings about Maroon 5 being prevented from performing by our political friends up above.”
However, don’t expect low sales or the Chinese government to stop super band Maroon 5 and Adam Levine any time soon.
[Maroon 5 photo credit: David Becker / Getty Images]