Payphone

Maroon 5's Payphone, featuring Wiz Khalifa, dropped on April 16, 2012 as the lead single from the band's fourth studio album Overexposed. The pop ballad, penned by Adam Levine, Khalifa, Ammar Malik, and producers Benny Blanco, Shellback, and Robopop, captures the sting of a sudden breakup. Critics praised its infectious melody and radio-friendly appeal, though some knocked the title and Khalifa's verse. The track stormed the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number two, and sold 493,000 copies in its first week, a record for a group's digital single. It topped charts in Canada for eight weeks and became Maroon 5's first UK number one. Globally, Payphone moved 9.5 million units in 2012, ranking as the year's fifth best-selling single.

The music video, directed by Samuel Bayer, premiered on YouTube on May 10, 2012. It stars Adam Levine as a bank robber who calls his girlfriend from a payphone, only to learn she's moved on. The clip features car chases, explosions, and a cameo by actress Lily Cole. It has amassed over a billion views, becoming one of the most-watched music videos of the 2010s. Bayer, known for Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," brought a cinematic, action-movie feel that elevated the song's narrative.

The song's anachronistic payphone reference became a meme, and its chorus was widely covered. Pentatonix, Boyce Avenue, and Walk off the Earth all released popular versions in 2012. Taylor Swift even mashed it up with her own "Mean" during a concert. The track earned nominations at the Billboard Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, and a win for Video of the Year at the YouTube Music Awards.[edit]