Maroon 5′s Super Bowl Halftime Show featured appearances from Big Boi, Travis Scott and even SpongeBob SquarePants, but there was one addition to proceedings people were less pleased to see – specifically, Adam Levine’s nipples.
The singer progressively stripped during the band’s set at the game in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday night, leading many to point out a double standard when it comes to bare flesh.
Many remembered the 2004 Super Bowl Halftime Show, which saw a huge uproar when Janet Jackson suffered a ‘wardrobe malfunction’ during a routine with Justin Timberlake.
The moment saw him inadvertently expose one of her breasts ― which had a pasty over the nipple ― during the live show.
Such was the controversy about the incident that it affected Janet’s career for many years to come, despite her and Justin always maintaining it was unintentional.
So, it is no wonder then why some people were pointing out the inconsistencies when Adam bared his torso while up on stage 15 years on...
Maroon 5′s decision to play the Super Bowl had already proved to be a controversial one.
They accepted the invitation to play the event after Rihanna and Cardi B reportedly turned it down, amid the row between the NFL and player Colin Kaepernick.
The sportsman made headlines last year with his refusal to stand for the National Anthem, in a protest against police brutality and institutional racism.
Adam later explained their decision in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, saying: “My life’s work and what I put out into the universe has been positive and hopefully inspiring … So, what I would say is, you know, we are going to do what we keep on doing, hopefully without becoming politicians and continuing to use the one voice we know how to use properly.”