In 2019, pop band Maroon 5 graced the stage at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, which was watched by a whopping 98.2 million people in the U.S. For their exhilarating performance, the group were joined by rappers Travis Scott and Outkast member Big Boi, sending fans into a frenzy on social media, with many branding the 12-minute gig one of the best halftime shows to date.
With an insanely expensive staging setup, viewers are often left wondering how much the NFL spends on the annual show and just how much the artist pockets once all is said and done.
Maroon 5 benefited greatly from their performance, having generated an even greater interest for their Red Pill Blues Tour, which commenced in May 2018 and concluded in December 2019. But just how much did Maroon 5 make from their Super Bowl halftime show, and did the band really lose money from their gig?
How Much Was Maroon 5 Paid For The 'Super Bowl'?
Maroon 5, who consist of lead singer Adam Levine, Mickey Madden, Sam Farrar, Matt Flynn, James Valentine, PJ Morton, Matt Flynn, and Jesse Carmichael, actually weren’t paid a penny for their halftime show.
It’s no secret that the NFL doesn’t pay artists to hit the stage — and this also includes any special guests, which in this case would be Travis and Big Boi.
But that doesn’t mean Maroon 5 went home empty-handed as sales for their large discography soared following the thrilling show. According to Billboard, the group saw a spike in sales up by 434% just days after the Super Bowl halftime show.
So, while the NFL doesn’t pay artists, it sure helps pay in exposure, with close to 100 million people watching Maroon 5 perform their biggest hits to an enormous viewership.
According to reports, though, Maroon 5 and Travis both made a generous donation of $500,000 each to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America charity.
In a statement, Adam said: "We thank the NFL for the opportunity and also to them, along with Interscope Records, for making this donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters, which will have a major impact for children across the country."
Comparing Other Super Bowl Halftime Shows
In 2020, when Jennifer Lopez and Shakira performed as a duo act with a total of 14 songs, sales for their music were said to have increased by a whopping 1,013%.
Shakira, in particular, went on to make multiple entries on the iTunes Top 10 U.S. chart, including the hits Whenever, Wherever and Waka Waka.
In 2018, when Justin Timberlake graced the halftime stage for his gig, the halftime show helped him secure his fourth Billboard No. 1 album with Man of the Woods, on top of having seen his sales jump by 600%.
Artists commonly announce their world tours shortly afterwards, creating an even bigger demand in ticket sales, subsequently allowing them to charge more for a seat at their concerts than from their usual asking price.
Adam Levine Addresses Super Bowl Controversy
Maroon 5 were heavily criticized for agreeing to perform at the halftime show amid controversy stemming from the NFL for its treatment of Colin Kaepernick.
R&B superstar Rihanna had previously said she declined the offer to headline the prestigious show in the past for this exact reason — but for Maroon 5, they seemingly didn’t hesitate to sign on the dotted line.
And while their performance was a show many are sure to remember in years to come, Adam went on to address the backlash he and his band received for not turning down the opportunity when it was first presented to them.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the She Will Be Loved singer said: "I'm not in the right profession if I can't handle a little bit of controversy. It's what it is. We expected it. We'd like to move on from it and speak through the music.
”I silenced all the noise and listened to myself and made my decision based upon how I felt.” He went on to add: “I think that when you look back at every single halftime show, people just [have] this insatiable urge to hate a little bit. No one put more thought and love into this than I did.”
When it was announced in late 2018 that Maroon 5 had been selected as the next act to perform at the Super Bowl, a petition was launched by North Carolina resident Vic Oyedeji in the hopes of stopping the group from playing at the 53rd annual show.
Interestingly enough, Maroon 5 also didn’t hold a pre-show press conference to avoid questions from the press on their decision to perform despite the debacle concerning Colin.