Maroon 5's 'Payphone' Achieves YouTube Billion-View Status
Maroon 5's 2012 hit 'Payphone' featuring Wiz Khalifa has surpassed one billion views on YouTube, becoming the band's sixth video to reach that milestone. The song, which debuted at No. 3 on the Hot 100, was a commercial success with strong digital sales. The video, directed by Samuel Bayer, features Adam Levine in a cinematic narrative.
The single's debut week set a then-record for group digital sales, moving roughly 493,000 copies and outpacing the Black Eyed Peas' 2009 mark. It premiered on NBC's The Voice, where Levine served as a coach, and later peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100. The track appeared on Overexposed, the band's fourth album, with production from Shellback and Benny Blanco.
The Samuel Bayer-directed video contributes to a growing catalog of Maroon 5 YouTube milestones. The band now holds six videos with over one billion views, including "Sugar," "Memories," and two versions of "Girls Like You." Their most recent album, Love Is Like, arrived in 2025, extending a career that has produced 15 top-10 Hot 100 hits.
This milestone may reinforce the enduring commercial value of 2010s pop catalog material in the streaming era. For Maroon 5, it could strengthen their touring leverage and licensing appeal, while for younger listeners, the video's continued visibility may shape how they encounter the band's earlier work. The achievement also highlights how YouTube longevity has become a meaningful metric for legacy acts, potentially influencing how record labels prioritize catalog promotion and anniversary campaigns.