Adam Levine called “Animals” music video controversy for Maroon 5 “ridiculous”
The “Animals” music video could be one of the most controversial aspects of Maroon 5’s career. In an interview, Maroon 5’s Adam Levine said fans who didn’t like the video didn’t get it. . Listeners in the US and UK had different reactions to “Animalsâ€.
Why the Animals clip from Maroon 5 was so controversial
The music video for “Animals” by Maroon 5 is more akin to a horror movie than an average pop video. It stars Levine as a butcher who tracks down a woman played by Behati Prinsloo, Levine’s wife. He ends up seducing her. They have sex while they are covered in blood.
National Rape, Abuse & Incest Network, also known as RAINN, condemned the video. “The Maroon 5 video for ‘Animals’ is a dangerous description of a stalker’s fantasy – and no one should ever confuse the criminal act of harassment with romance,†said Katherine Hull Fliflet, vice president of communications for RAINN. “The trivialization of these serious crimes, like stalking, should have no place in the entertainment industry.”
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How Maroon 5’s Adam Levine reacted to the controversy
During an interview with The Independent, Levine dismissed the controversy surrounding “Animals” without naming RAINN in particular. “It was fucking ridiculous,†he said. “It was the last video I would expect to receive criticism on this front.” The Independent reported that Levine appeared amused rather than upset by the controversy.
Levine said he was trying to play a character in the video. “It was supposed to be scary!” he said. “I play the role of creep, it’s literally a character from a movie. And the song is about animal tendencies, I’m about eating someone alive. Use your imagination f ******.
Levine said fans who were upset with the video were taking the video “personally”. “It’s like watching a horror movie and letting the people who did it tell them you think they’re disgusting,†he said. “People are sometimes too anchored in reality and they cannot differentiate themselves. They take it all too personally.
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The way the world reacted to the “Animals” in Maroon 5
Regardless of the controversy surrounding “Animals” by Maroon 5, the song became a big hit. The song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining on the charts for 33 weeks. “Animals” appeared on Maroon 5’s album V. V reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, remaining on the chart for 123 weeks.
“Animals” was considerably less popular in the UK. According to The Official Charts Company, the song only reached number 27 there and lasted 28 weeks on the charts. During this time, V peaked at No.4 in the UK, lasting 56 weeks on the chart. Even though “Animals” gained mainstream radio acceptance in the US and UK, it spawned one of the most inflammatory music videos of the 2010s.
How to get help: In the United States, call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member of a sexual assault service provider in your area.
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